TWIN TAILS
The woodland folk were all busy making Neighbor Field-Mouse's new house
when Dr. Whiskers strolled over next morning.
"Good-morning to you all!" he cried, waving his cap. "I wish to borrow a
pipe for Simon Skunk. Have you one to lend him, Daddy Longlegs?"
"None for Simon Skunk," replied Daddy Longlegs, gruffly.
"Neither have I," said Mr. Hop Toad.
"I have no pipe, but I'd not lend one to Simon Skunk if I had a dozen,"
added Jack Rabbit.
"I am sorry," sighed Dr. Whiskers. "Perhaps Simon Skunk is mean. But
suppose we were all kind to him; might it not make him a better neighbor?"
"We know Simon better than you do, Dr. Whiskers," said Daddy Grasshopper.
"I wish you would all try being kind to him," suggested Dr. Whiskers. "I
am going to see him now. He was very decent to me."
"Good-morning, Simon!" greeted Dr. Whiskers. "Wheezes all gone?"
"No, but I'm better," replied Simon shortly.
"He's a lot better, Doctor," said Dinah.
"I brought the hornet's nest as I promised, but I couldn't borrow a pipe
in the whole village. I will burn some of it in this tin can. You must
inhale the smoke."
Simon bent his head over the smoking can. He began to cough and choke.
"Choke me to death, will you?" he spluttered. "A pretty doctor, you are!"
"Patience, Simon," urged Dr. Whiskers gently. "Just a few whiffs more.
There now--where are your wheezes? My Indian ancestor knew a thing or two,
you see. I must confess that I never tried hornet's nest smoke before. I
believe that you will not wheeze again for a long time, Simon. Good-day."
Dr. Whiskers bowed politely and hurried away.
Granny, Silver Ears and Dot were visiting at Gray Rock Bungalow. They had
brought over some patchwork squares and were making quilts for Debby
Field-Mouse.
As it was a play day from school, Dot invited Patty Spider, Topsy Toad,
Molly and Dolly Grasshopper, and Fidelia Cricket to visit Tiny and Teenty
and help sew the pretty patchwork. Aunt Squeaky had baked them some tiny
raisin cakes. They were having a jolly party under the wild grape-vine.
Wee and Squealer played in the grape-vine swing. Wink, Wiggle and Buster
were over watching their big brothers bring stones for Debby's fireplace.
They sewed for a long time, squealing merrily now and then as they pricked
their tiny paws. Teenty borrowed Silvy's scissors to cut some thread. A
strange idea popped into her head as she used those sharp, shiny scissors.
"I'm the very onliest one that goes trailing a long tail behind them.
Neither Dolly, Molly, Patty, Fidelia, Topsy, nor Tiny wears a long tail. I
want to look like my twin sister. Say, Tiny, did it hurt awfully when
Buster snipped off your tail?"
"It hurt dreadfully! And it bled and bled. But Limpy-toes cured it,"
remembered Tiny.
"And now no one can step on your tail. That hurts dreadfully, too. I'm
going to cut off my tail."
"Oh, you daresn't, Teenty Graymouse!" they cried in a shrill admiring
chorus.
"You watch. Come back here, Tiny; you shall not tell tales to Mammy. One,
two, three--snip!" Off flew the long slender end of Teenty's tail.
"Oh! oh! Get Dr. Grand-daddy!" cried Teenty, quite scared by the blood and
pain.
Grand-daddy rushed over. All the older mice ran out with their white
aprons full of patchwork squares, thimbles and spools of thread.
"Fetch my bottle of creoline and some warm water, Silvy," ordered Dr.
Whiskers.
[Illustration: Fetch that creoline bottle, Silvy, repeated Grand-daddy
sternly.]
"Now, Zenas, when Tiny's tail was cut, Limpy-toes cured it with water. I
don't recollect whether it was hot or cold water, but I'm positive it was
just plain water," said Granny.
"Limpy-toes used cold water," said Aunt Squeaky.
"No, it was hot water, Ma," contradicted Dot.
"First he freezed me with cold water; then he boiled me in hot water,"
said Tiny. "I guess I can remember. Mammy put on cobwebs, Wink gave me
some candy, and then I got better."
"Fetch that creoline bottle, Silvy," repeated Grand-daddy sternly. "Land
o' pity, who is the doctor, anyway?
"This creoline is worth its weight in gold," went on Dr. Grand-daddy, as
he soaked the poor stubby tail. "I got it from Mr. Giant's medicine
closet. It takes all the soreness out."
"Better leave a little soreness in, Grand-daddy," said Mother Graymouse.
"I am ashamed of you, Teenty Graymouse. Your foolish pride has spoiled the
nice party which your little neighbors were enjoying. You might have bled
to death. You deserve to be shut in a dark closet or put to bed without
any supper."
"Oh, Mammy, Tiny and I have truly twin tails now, like Bunny and Bobsey
Rabbit. I think they are splendid," smiled Teenty.
"Want to go for an automobile ride, kiddies?" called Limpy-toes. "I have
made another seat and can take seven."
So the seven little patchwork sewers climbed into Limpy-toes' wonderful
automobile.
"Be careful of that bandage, Teenty," warned Dr. Grand-daddy. "I don't
want you to bleed any more."
Away they whizzed; along the blue Lakeside, by Polly-Wog Bridge, through
the Pine Grove, and up Laurel Lane, only stopping now and then while
Limpy-toes twisted up the spring and the kiddies gathered wild flowers.
"Are you all better, Teenty?" whispered Tiny, as they drove home to Gray
Rock Bungalow.
"Ah, yes, all better, Tiny," lisped Teenty. "You all said I daresn't cut
it. I think it is lovely to wear a short tail. Now you and I are real
honest-and-true twinnies again, Tiny."