Of course he thanked Striped Chipmunk over and
over again. Striped Chipmunk said that it was nothing, just nothing at
all, and that he was very glad indeed to help Grandfather Frog.
"We folks who live out in the Great World have to help one another,"
said Striped Chipmunk, "because we never know when we may need help
ourselves. Now you take my advice, Grandfather Frog, and go back to the
Smiling Pool as fast as you can. The Great World is no place for an old
fellow like you, because you don't know how to take care of yourself."
Now when he said that, Striped Chipmunk made a great mistake. Old people
never like to be told that they are old or that they do not know all
there is to know. Grandfather Frog straightened up and tried to look
very dignified.
"Chugarum!" said he, "I'd have you to know, Striped Chipmunk, that
people were coming to me for advice before you were born. It was just an
accident that Farmer Brown's boy caught me, and I'd like to see him do
it again. Yes, Sir, I'd like to see him do it again!"
Dear me, dear me! Grandfather Frog was boasting. If he had been safe at
home in the Smiling Pool, there might have been some excuse for
boasting, but way over here in the Long Lane, not even knowing the way
back to the Smiling Pool, it was foolish, very foolish indeed. No one
knew that better than Striped Chipmunk, but he has a great deal of
respect for Grandfather Frog, and he knew too that Grandfather Frog was
feeling very much out of sorts and very much mortified to think that he
had been caught in such a scrape, so he put a hand over his mouth to
hide a smile as he said:
"Of course he isn't going to catch you again.
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