A MOONLIGHT VISIT
Do a good turn for another,
Proving thus you are his brother.
_Billy Mink._
Billy Mink was just plain mad. He had begun to get that way when he
found the trap set at the entrance to one of his favorite holes. But
when he found a little fence on each side of the Laughing Brook right
across where he was in the habit of running when traveling up and down
the Laughing Brook, and in the middle of each little fence an opening
with a trap in it, Billy lost his temper completely. He ground his teeth
and his eyes grew red with anger. You see, he knew that those traps had
been set especially for him.
“I despise a trapper,” snarled Billy. “Yes, sir, I despise a trapper. It
is bad enough to be hunted, but then a fellow does have some chance. He
knows where the danger is and what to look out for. If he is reasonably
smart he can fool the hunter. But traps don’t give a fellow any chance
at all. They are sneaky things. They jump up and grab a fellow without
any warning at all. I hate traps, and I hate trappers! I wonder if I can
find any more traps along the Laughing Brook.”
Billy continued on up to the very beginning of the Laughing Brook, but
found no more traps. Then he curled up in one of his favorite
hiding-places to rest and think things over. He was strongly tempted to
go away from the Laughing Brook altogether. He thought of going down to
the Big River for a long visit. He felt sure that if he kept away from
the Laughing Brook the trapper would become discouraged and after a
while take up his traps. He had just about made up his mind to leave
that very night when he happened to remember that while he knew all
about those traps, he had friends who didn’t know anything about them.
“I guess I’ll stay around awhile and see what happens,” muttered Billy.
That night Billy went for another look at those traps. By and by a
little noise caught his quick ears. Instantly he was alert and watchful.
There was a rustling of leaves, and then out on an old log full in the
moonlight crept a plump form and sat down. One glance was enough for
Billy. Without a sound he slipped up behind that plump form.
“Booh!” said Billy. When he said that Bobby Coon almost fell into the
Laughing Brook, he was so startled. You see it was Bobby who had come
out on that old log, and at the time he was very busy washing some food.
You know he always washes his food before eating, if he can.
For a minute Bobby lost his temper. But it was only for a minute. Then,
having washed his food to his satisfaction, he began to eat his supper
and at the same time to gossip with Billy Mink. He told Billy all the
news of the Green Forest, most of which was no news at all to Billy, for
there is little going on that Billy doesn’t know. Then Billy told Bobby
the news of the Laughing Brook, everything except about the traps and
trapper. It was a very pleasant visit they had together there in the
moonlight.