"Hey, Bushytail!" cried the squirrel whom Susie knew, addressing another who was on the ground at the foot of the stump, "bring up a big leaf."
"What do you want with a big leaf?" inquired the squirrel who was called Bushytail.
"Susie Littletail is going to stay to the party," replied the squirrel who was giving it, "and I want the leaf for a plate for her. She will need a large one."
Up the old stump climbed Bushytail with the leaf in his mouth, and he put it in a vacant place. The stump was quite large enough for the squirrels and rabbit to move about upon and still leave room for the table to be set. Susie saw the squirrels placing nut meats on the different plates and putting oak-leaf tea into the acorn cups. Suddenly the squirrel whom Susie knew and whose name was Mrs. Lightfoot, exclaimed:
"There! I never thought of that!"
"Thought of what?" asked Susie.
"Why, we haven't anything that you like to eat. You don't care for nuts, do you?"
"Not very much," answered Susie, who wanted to be polite, yet she still wanted to tell the truth.
"I thought so," spoke Mrs. Lightfoot. "Whatever shall I do? I've asked you to the party and now there is nothing you like. It's too bad, for I want you to have a good time!"
"I—I could go to the cabbage-field store and get some leaves, and I could bring some carrots and eat them," suggested Susie.