“The chimney is stopped up,” said the head water bug. “There is something in the chimney, and when the Flump built a fire all the smoke came out into the room, instead of going up the flue.”
“Oh, I knew something was the matter,” sobbed the Flump. “And I am glad of it. Now I can be more unhappy than ever.”
“Oh, fie!” cried Uncle Wiggily, twinkling his nose. “It is wrong to be sad and unhappy! Besides, I can soon make you happy.”
“How can I be glad when my chimney smokes?” asked the Flump. “It is all stopped up.”
“Well, perhaps we can unstop it,” said the rabbit gentleman. “We will try.”
The water bugs tried to get whatever it was out of the chimney, but they could not. Neither could a policeman dog, who came in, and barked up the fireplace as hard as he could bark. Then Uncle Wiggily said:
“I will now use my airship. I’ll go up above the chimney and poke a long pole down the chimney hole.” He did this, and a loose brick that had fallen down the flue, stopping it up, was poked out by the rabbit gentleman, and then the chimney did not smoke any more. A fire could now be built in the stove.
“Be happy now, Flump!” cried Uncle Wiggily, cheerfully. And all the water bugs cried:
“Yes, be happy!”
And then, all of a sudden, when the Flump saw how kind every one was to himher, and how anxious every one was for herhim to be glad, the Flump just turned up the corners of hisher mouth—instead of turning them down—and heshe took off the dark spectacles shehe wore, and put on a pair with beautiful rose-colored glasses, so that all the world looked cheerful, and the Flump said: