LEAVING the two noisy cousins (Jasper Jay and old Mr. Crow) Mr. Hermit
Thrush hurried back across Cedar Swamp and went straight to an old
hemlock tree, where he knew he would find Benjamin Bat asleep.
Hanging by his heels head downward from a limb, Benjamin Bat did not
hear the Hermit speak to him until that soft-spoken gentleman had called
to him several times.
But at last Benjamin Bat opened his eyes and stared around in a
bewildered fashion. It was broad daylight. And he couldn't see
what had disturbed him. He seemed somewhat alarmed too, until
the Hermit said, "Don't be frightened! It's only I!"
Well, Benjamin Bat knew right away that nobody but the Hermit would
speak in just that way. And he was much relieved to know that it wasn't
Solomon Owl that had awakened him.
"I'm glad you roused me," he said, "though generally I hate to have my
sleep broken. But just now I was having a nightmare. I was dreaming that
a monstrous Katydid was chasing me. And if you hadn't called to me I
don't know what would have happened.... I think," he added, "I must have
dined too heartily--on Katydids--last night."
The Hermit couldn't help looking a bit shocked. He had never approved of
Benjamin Bat, who prowled about at night when all respectable people
were at home and asleep. And as for over-eating, that was something the
Hermit wouldn't think of doing. But if he must choose between Benjamin
Bat and Bobby Bobolink for a neighbor, of the two the Hermit preferred
Benjamin Bat, because Benjamin was always asleep in the daytime, while
at night he never disturbed the Hermit's rest.
"I've come to ask a favor of you," Mr. Hermit Thrush explained. "Perhaps
you don't know there's a noisy nuisance hereabouts who calls himself
Bobby Bobolink?"
"I do," Benjamin Bat admitted. "But I've never seen him--nor even heard
him."
"Then you are a sound sleeper indeed," the Hermit observed. "He's always
a-jingling and a-jangling."
"That sounds as if he might be a bell," Benjamin Bat remarked.
"He's a bird," the Hermit explained. And then he proceeded to tell
Benjamin Bat how Mr. Crow and Jasper Jay had quarrelled because
Mr. Crow said that Bobby Bobolink couldn't beat Benjamin Bat in
a race, while Jasper Jay claimed that he could. "What I'd like
you to do is to have a race with Bobby Bobolink to-morrow," the
Hermit announced.
But Benjamin Bat shook his head.
"It doesn't interest me," he said. "Let Mr. Crow and Jasper Jay quarrel
all they want to!"
And before the Hermit had time to coax him to change his mind, Benjamin
Bat fell fast asleep. Nor could the Hermit rouse him again.