anywhere except in Pleasant Valley. In the second place, he was scarcely more than two months old when people began to notice him in the neighborhood of the stone wall. And in the third place, since he was somewhat timid he thought it just as well if people didn't know where he made his home.

He was—as his friends often said—an odd person. For instance, he had always looked old, from the very first. And when everyone began to call him "Daddy" it was only to be expected that he would not care to let people know that he was not even a year old—instead of ninety or a hundred, as they supposed. Besides, probably nobody would have believed the truth. So he never told his age.

Indeed, there were some who claimedp. 11 that Daddy Longlegs must be much more than only a hundred years old. They thought that his queer, tottering walk alone was enough to show his great age.

But it is not strange that his walk seemed a bit uncertain. When a person has eight feet it is to be expected that he will have a little trouble managing them. It is to be expected that he will sometimes find himself trying to walk off in several different directions at the same time.

p. 12

III

MR. CROW IS DISPLEASED

Daddy Longlegs had such pleasant manners that it was no time at all before his neighbors agreed that he was a good old soul. And everybody was glad to claim him as a friend.

At least, everybody but Mr. Crow! Mr. Crow soon found that people were asking Daddy's advice on all sorts of questions (because they thought he was very old—and therefore very wise). And Mr. Crow at once became so jealous that he didn't know what to do. He began making unkind remarks about his new rival, saying that no matter how old ap. 13 person might be, if he had a small head and eight long legs it was not reasonable to believe that he could have much of a brain. Whenever anybody mentioned Daddy's name, Mr. Crow would haw-haw loudly and mutter something about "old Spindley Legs!"

Mr. Crow had spent many summers in Pleasant Valley. And during that time he had advised thousands of his neighbors. Indeed, he often boasted that if he had a kernel of corn for every bit of advice he had given away, he never would have to wonder where he was going to get his next meal.

When some friend of Mr. Crow's repeated that speech to Daddy Longlegs, he observed that Mr. Crow must be very wise.

"No doubt——" he added in his thin, quavering voice—"no doubt Mr. Crow'sp. 14 help would be worth a kernel of corn to anybody who was in trouble. If his advice was good, no one would object to paying for it. And if it proved to be bad, no one would miss a kernel of corn."

It happened that Daddy Longlegs' comment soon reached the ears of old Mr. Crow. And it made that gentleman furious.

"This is the first time anybody has suggested that my advice is not always first-class!" he croaked. "Here's this long-legged upstart interfering in my affairs. I must teach him a lesson!" Mr. Crow declared.

Well, that very afternoon he challenged Daddy Longlegs to a contest.

"I intend to prove," said Mr. Crow, "that my advice is always good; and that yours is always bad."

"Very well!" Daddy Longlegs anp. 15swered. "But I advise you to go home at once, Mr. Crow. You're very hoarse. And I'm sure you ought to be in bed."

Now, the old gentleman was always hoarse. And since he disliked to have anyone mention his infirmity, his eyes snapped angrily.

"I advise you——" he roared——"I advise you to keep your advice to yourself."

Of course that was a rude speech. But Daddy Longlegs did not take offense at it. He straightway told Mr. Crow that he ought to wear rubbers. And Mr. Crow was so enraged that he couldn't speak for as much as half an hour.

It was understood that the contest between Daddy and Mr. Crow would take place the following morning. And when that time came a big crowd had gathered upon the stone wall to see the fun.

p. 16

IV

THE CONTEST

"My cousin, Jasper Jay, has kindly consented to ask us some questions," Mr. Crow informed Daddy Longlegs. "And he will decide which of us makes the wiser answers."

Buster Bumblebee, who was watching and listening, said:

"That's hardly fair, it seems to me."

But old Mr. Crow quickly told him that he was a stupid fellow and that he'd better keep still. And since a good many other people had frequently said the same thing to that young gentleman, Buster began to think there might be somep. 17 truth in it. So he said nothing more.

Meanwhile Daddy Longlegs beamed upon all the company. And Mr. Crow looked at him out of the corner of his eye. Then he said to Daddy, "I suppose you've no objection to this plan?"

"It suits me very well," Daddy replied.

"I thought it would," said old Mr. Crow with a smirk. And turning to his cousin, Jasper Jay, he remarked in a low voice that Daddy Longlegs was even duller than he had imagined.

Then Jasper Jay announced that he would put the first question. And after he had heard Mr. Crow's opinion he would listen to Daddy Longlegs'.

"When is the best time to plant corn?" Jasper then asked Mr. Crow, while the whole company craned their necks and strained their ears—for of course they didn't want to miss anything.

p. 18Mr. Crow made no answer for a few moments. He appeared to be thinking deeply. But at last he looked up and said:

"The best time to plant corn is as early as possible."

A good many of those present exclaimed at once that that was a good answer. And a few clapped their hands.

"What's your opinion?" Jasper Jay then asked, turning to Daddy Longlegs.

Daddy Longlegs took off his hat, mopped his narrow forehead with his red bandanna, and then slowly nodded his head three times.

"My answer is exactly the same as Mr. Crow's," he piped in his queer, thin, high voice.

At that a look of displeasure passed quickly over the faces of the two cousins. And when little Mr. Chippy called onp. 19 Jasper Jay to decide which was the better answer, Jasper looked really worried.

"It's a tie this time," he said somewhat sourly. And while everybody was shouting, he and Mr. Crow withdrew to one side and whispered, which some considered to be rather bad manners.

Soon Jasper and Mr. Crow returned to the eager throng. And Jasper now looked as brazen as ever.

"I'll put the next question," he announced. "And Daddy Longlegs may answer first.... How many kernels of corn make a meal!"

There wasn't a sound—except for Buster Bumblebee's buzzing—as Daddy Longlegs moved forward a few steps and held his hand behind his ear.

"Speak louder!" somebody said to Jasper. "You know he's hard of hearing."

p. 20So Jasper Jay repeated the question. But Daddy Longlegs only looked at him blankly.

It was quite clear that he couldn't understand a single word that Jasper said.

p. 21

V

TOO MANY QUESTIONS

"This is strange!" old Mr. Crow exclaimed, looking very hard at Daddy Longlegs. "You heard the first question easily enough. But now you seem deaf as a post."

And all the time Daddy Longlegs merely smiled at Mr. Crow. He made no comment at all.

"Don't you know what I'm saying?" Mr. Crow bawled in his loudest tones.

"It is a pleasant day," said Daddy Longlegs. "But I'm afraid there's going to be a heavy gale to-morrow."

"This is certainly peculiar," Mr. Crowp. 22 grumbled. And then little Mr. Chippy hastened to explain that Daddy Longlegs was often like that. He would appear to hear you perfectly one moment. And then—if you happened to ask him his age, or where he came from—you might find him unable to understand a single word that you said.

"It's most unfortunate," said old Mr. Crow. "I see nothing to do but reply to the question myself. And then my cousin, Jasper Jay, will decide which has given the better answer—Daddy Longlegs or I."

"Ah! But you can't do that!" cried Daddy Longlegs suddenly. "Jasper Jay said you were not to answer this question until after I had. And you know you mustn't break the rules of the contest."

Old Mr. Crow's mouth fell open, he was so astonished.

p. 23"Why, he can hear again!" he exclaimed. And after staring at Daddy Longlegs for a while he beckoned to Jasper Jay. And again the two cousins moved a little distance away and began whispering.

When they returned both were smiling broadly. And mounting the stone wall once more, Jasper said that he would put another question to Daddy and Mr. Crow, and that they must both answer it at the same time. Then he cautioned Daddy Longlegs to speak up good and loud, because Mr. Crow had a strong voice.

"I'd suggest——" said Daddy Longlegs——"I'd suggest that Mr. Crow speak as softly as possible, because my voice is weak."

"That's only fair!" all the company agreed, nodding their heads to one another. But Mr. Crow appeared peevish.

p. 24"Everybody's against me," he grumbled. "I almost believe——" he said, turning to his cousin——"I almost believe they're all in league with Farmer Green."

"If you are not sure, why don't you ask Farmer Green himself?" Daddy Longlegs inquired.

"I will!" cried Mr. Crow in a loud voice. "I'll ask him the next time I see him."

"Then you can ask him now," said Daddy Longlegs, "for here he comes, with a gun on his shoulder."

The words were hardly out of Daddy's mouth when old Mr. Crow began to beat the air furiously with his broad wings. He rose quickly—but not too high—and made for the woods as fast as he could fly.

"Now, that's strange!" Daddy Longp. 25legs quavered. "I don't see how he's going to talk with Farmer Green when he's half a mile away from him."

And everybody else said the same thing.

"He's gone off and left the contest unfinished," little Mr. Chippy observed. "So there's nothing Jasper Jay can do except to declare that Daddy Longlegs is the winner—and the wisest person in Pleasant Valley."

"I couldn't very well do that," Jasper objected. "You're forgetting Solomon Owl."

"Well, Daddy's wiser than old Mr. Crow, anyhow," Mr. Chippy retorted. And since almost everybody said that was true, Jasper Jay didn't quite dare object.

But it was plain that he didn't agree with the company. And he stamped his feet and clashed his bill together andp. 26 shook his head as if he were much displeased.

He, too, began to believe—with his cousin, Mr. Crow—that Daddy Longlegs and all the others were on Farmer Green's side.

p. 27

VI

MRS. LADYBUG'S PLAN

Daddy Longlegs' neighbors took an even greater interest in him, after his contest with Mr. Crow. And much to Daddy's distress they tried harder than before to pry into his private affairs.

But those curious busybodies learned very little. In fact there was only one of them who really found out anything about Daddy that was worth knowing.

Little Mrs. Ladybug, who was somewhat of a gossip, discovered in some way that Daddy Longlegs was a harvestman. And she lost no time in spreading the news far and wide. She even travelled asp. 28 far as the big poplar, to tell Whiteface, the Carpenter Bee, what she had heard.

"A harvestman, eh?" said the Carpenter, thrusting his hands into the pockets of his apron. "If that's so, why doesn't he go to work?" And without waiting for an answer he dodged quickly inside his house. He was building an addition to his home; and naturally he was quite busy. He knew, too, that Mrs. Ladybug was a terrible talker.

"I declare, I hadn't thought of that!" Mrs. Ladybug exclaimed. And then she hastened to the stone wall to find Daddy Longlegs and learn the answer to the Carpenter's question.

Mrs. Ladybug soon spied Daddy, coming from the orchard near-by. And since she saw him before he saw her, he had no chance to hide. He was sorry; for he just knew—from the look in her eye— p. 29 that she was going to ask him a question. And sure enough, she did!

"You're a harvestman," she began, quite out of breath from hurrying. "Why don't you go to work?"

"What can I do?" Daddy inquired with a blank look.

"Do!" she exclaimed. "I should think Farmer Green would be glad to have your help in harvesting his crops. He's mowing his oats now. And there's no one to help him except the hired man—unless you count Johnnie, and he spends most of his time at the swimming-hole."

Daddy Longlegs thanked Mrs. Ladybug politely for her suggestion. But he said that he was not acquainted with Farmer Green. And he disliked working for strangers. And he thought he would spend the rest of the summer making friends with his neighbors.

p. 30"Next year," he told her, "I may make some arrangement with Farmer Green to work for him regularly."

But that answer did not satisfy little Mrs. Ladybug in the least.

"You'd be far better off with something steady to do," she insisted. And she said so much that just to get rid of her Daddy Longlegs promised to see Farmer Green at once and offer his services.

He was sorry, as soon as she had gone, that he had agreed to do that. But being a person of his word he never once thought of not keeping his promise, though he wished he had simply put his hand behind his ear and not answered Mrs. Ladybug's question at all.

But it was too late, then, to do that.

p. 31

VII

TRYING TO HELP

It was true that Farmer Green had almost more work than he could do just then, even with the aid of the hired man and Johnnie. And he often wished that he might find somebody else to help him.

"I'd hire anybody I could find that had two legs," he remarked to his wife as he started away from the house after finishing his dinner. "I want to get the oats harvested before there's a rain. And I don't like the looks of the sky to-day."

Now, Daddy Longlegs reached the farmhouse just in time to hear whatp. 32 Farmer Green said. And he spoke up at once—as loudly as he could.

"I'd be willing to work for you," he said. "I'm a harvestman. And you ought to be glad to hire me, for I have eight legs instead of only two."

Perhaps Daddy's voice was too thin and high for Farmer Green to hear. Anyhow, he paid not the slightest heed to Daddy's offer, but strode off across the farmyard while his caller cried "Stop! Please