going to let you get away, do you?" Johnnie Green asked him.

p. 99

XXI

JUST A NOTION

In common with all the other youngsters that went to school in the little red school-house, Johnnie Green thought that Daddy Longlegs and every one of his relations had a strange power.

Yes! Johnnie believed that if you happened to be lost in the woods, you would need only to find Daddy Longlegs—or one of his cousins—and he would point out the way home for you, if you asked him. Or if you wanted to recover something you had lost, you could surely find it with the help of any one of Daddy Longlegs' family.

p. 100So that was the reason why Johnnie Green was glad to see Daddy just at that time. Having lost his new jackknife, Johnnie was determined that Daddy should tell him where to find it.

"Now, you listen to me!" Johnnie commanded, frowning severely at Daddy. "I've dropped my knife somewhere and you must point towards it if you want me to let you go.

"I'll tell you what it's like," he continued, "so you won't make any mistake. It has two blades, and a saw, and a corkscrew, and a gimlet, and a leather-punch, and a hook to use on a horse's hoof. It's the best knife I've ever owned. And I'd be pretty angry if you sent me off the wrong way to find a jackknife that wasn't nearly so good."

Now, Daddy Longlegs was angry himself. He thought that Johnnie Greenp. 101 had no business to make him a prisoner. And as for knowing where the lost knife was, he hadn't the faintest idea where it could be.

"I can't tell you anything about your old jackknife!" Daddy cried. (It was really a new knife, as Johnnie had explained to him. But you must remember that Daddy Longlegs was in a terrible temper.)

Unfortunately Daddy's voice was entirely too tiny for Johnnie Green to hear. And meanwhile Daddy continued to tug and twist, trying to free himself from Johnnie Green's grasp. His eight legs kept reaching out in all directions for firmer footholds.

Silly Johnnie Green thought that he was trying to point the way to the missing knife!

"Stop!" Johnnie cried. "Take yourp. 102 time and don't get excited! If you keep motioning with all your legs at once you can't expect me to understand what you mean."

Soon after that Daddy became quieter, though it was only because he grew tired from his efforts to escape. But he was so angry and so worried that one of his legs kept twitching; and it felt so queer that Daddy Longlegs had to stretch it again and again.

"Ah! That's better!" Johnnie Green exclaimed then. "Now you're pointing plainly enough. I know now that you're trying to tell me to walk right towards the sweet apple tree if I want to find my knife. And I'm obliged to you, Mr. Daddy Longlegs! Thank you very much!"

Then Johnnie let go his prisoner, who crept quickly into a crevice of the stone wall, where he stayed for a long time.

p. 103As for Johnnie Green, he scrambled spryly over the wall and began to move in a bee line toward the sweet apple tree. He walked slowly and searched the ground with great care. But he saw no sign of his precious knife.

Beneath the sweet apple tree Johnnie paused mournfully.

"He was only fooling me!" he exclaimed. "That old Daddy Longlegs played a trick on me!"

Johnnie just couldn't help feeling disappointed. And he just couldn't help feeling hungry as well. Luckily there were apples on the old tree. So he began to shin up into its branches.

And then all at once he saw his beautiful knife sticking into the tree-trunk right before his eyes.

Johnnie remembered then that he had visited the sweet apple tree soon afterp. 104 breakfast that very day, when he had happened to feel hungry. And he had stuck the knife there himself and gone off and forgotten it.

With a shout of joy he gripped its horn handle and pulled it out.

"Old Daddy Longlegs knew what he was about after all!" he shouted.

And Johnnie Green never guessed that his finding his jackknife was nothing but an accident. Daddy had never even seen it. And if he had, he wouldn't have known what it was.

But after that Johnnie was more convinced than ever that Daddy Longlegs had a strange power.

p. 105

XXII

WHY DADDY WAS CHANGED

It was after his adventure with Johnnie Green that Daddy Longlegs' neighbors first noticed something queer about him.

They knew that he was not the same. But strangely enough, no two of them could agree as to what had changed him. Chirpy Cricket said that he thought that Daddy was wearing a new coat, for his coat-tails seemed to flap differently when he walked. Buster Bumblebee claimed that Daddy had bought himself a new hat which tipped at an unusual angle. And little Mrs. Ladybug insisted that Daddy's odd look was due to nothingp. 106 more or less than some new checked trousers. She remembered (she said) that he had always worn striped ones before.

Those were the opinions of only three of Daddy's friends. It seemed as if everybody in Pleasant Valley had his own idea about the reason why Daddy was changed.

Naturally, many disputes arose, because everyone declared that his own notion was the right one. And at last several excited persons went to old Mr. Crow and asked him to settle the trouble.

But Mr. Crow would have nothing to do with the affair. He did not like Daddy Longlegs. And he said he preferred not to think about him at all.

That was something of a setback for the company, until somebody said, "Let's go and ask Solomon Owl! There's nop. 107 one in Pleasant Valley that looks so wise as he!"

So they hurried off to the hemlock woods where Solomon Owl lived. He was at home. And he listened carefully to each of his callers—although they all talked at once.

At last he shouted loudly for silence, though it was some time before he had it.

"Hush! hush!" some of the quieter ones said. "We want to hear what wise Mr. Solomon Owl says."

And then Solomon Owl spoke:

"If you want to know what's the matter with Daddy Longlegs why don't you go and ask him?"

Everybody exclaimed at once that that was a splendid plan. And thanking Mr. Owl for his excellent advice, the party hurried away.

When they reached the stone wall,p. 108 later, they found Daddy Longlegs sunning himself. He seemed glad to see his callers. And when they asked him what it was that made him appear different, he threw back his head, as far as he could, and laughed heartily.

"Why—don't you know?" he said. "Can't you see I've lost a leg?"

Daddy's news made everyone gasp. And for a few moments not a soul could speak. But the callers all stared at Daddy. And then each one of them began to count aloud: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven——"

They were counting Daddy's legs. And after they had counted seven they all saw that his eighth leg was missing—that is, all but Buster Bumblebee. Being a blundering sort of person, he made a mistake and counted one leg twice. But the other callers soon set him right.

p. 109"It's no wonder you look different," Daddy's friends began telling him. "How did you meet with such an awful accident?"

"I lost my leg trying to escape from Johnnie Green," Daddy explained. "Either he pulled the leg off my body, or I pulled my body off the leg—I haven't been able to decide which way it happened."

"You must miss your leg terribly!" several of the company cried.

"Not at all!" replied Daddy Longlegs cheerfully, to the great surprise of all those present. "I have seven legs left; and that ought to be enough for anybody. I should think."

But little Mrs. Ladybug couldn't help shuddering. "I think it's just too dreadful!" she cried. "Johnnie Green is a very careless boy."

p. 110"Oh, he didn't mean any harm, I know," Daddy Longlegs assured her. "He tried not to injure me.... But I'll admit there's one thing that has caused me a good deal of annoyance."

"What's that?" everyone asked.

"I had to get a new pair of seven-legged trousers," Daddy Longlegs explained. "And if any of you has ever tried to find such a garment at short notice he will understand that I've been in great trouble."

Then Daddy Longlegs wished his callers a pleasant afternoon and begged to be excused, on account of important business.

And as they watched him walk briskly away his neighbors all agreed that for a person who had just lost a leg he seemed wonderfully spry.

p. 111

XXIII

A NEW NAME FOR DADDY

Daddy Longlegs' neighbor, little Mr. Chippy, had an idea. And since he thought it a good one he at once arranged a meeting of a number of his friends who lived near him.

Among those present were Buster Bumblebee, Betsy Butterfly, Rusty Wren, and several others. They met in Farmer Green's apple orchard. And they all arrived there early because everybody was eager to know what Mr. Chippy had to say.

"My idea——" Mr. Chippy began——"my idea is this: since Daddy Longlegs isp. 112 so changed, after losing one of his legs, we really ought to call him by a different name. Now that he has only seven legs—instead of eight—it doesn't seem polite to say anything about legs in his hearing."

As Mr. Chippy paused and looked about him the whole company agreed that his idea was an excellent one.

"But I don't know where we're going to find a new name for him," said Buster Bumblebee, who never had many ideas of his own.

"That's easy!" Mr. Chippy told him. "I've thought of a splendid name. And I'm perfectly willing to let you use it.... It's Grandfather Graybeard!"

Most of the company clapped their hands when Mr. Chippy said that. But Buster Bumblebee spoke up and said that he didn't think much of that name, bep. 113cause Daddy Longlegs had no beard.

"Well, for all you know he may decide to wear one, any day," Mr. Chippy replied.

And then all the company applauded again—except Buster Bumblebee.

"How do you know Daddy Longlegs is a grandfather?" he asked Mr. Chippy.

"How do you know he isn't?" Mr. Chippy asked him.

And then everybody but Buster cried out that "Grandfather Graybeard" was a fine name for Daddy Longlegs. And many remarked that Daddy would be greatly pleased when he heard the news.

"Thank you!" said Mr. Chippy, making a low bow with his hand on his heart. "And now if it is the pleasure of the meeting I will go back to the stone wall at once and tell Daddy Longlegs what we have decided to do."

p. 114To Mr. Chippy's surprise a murmur of dissent greeted his proposal.

"What's the matter?" asked Mr. Chippy! "I thought you liked my idea."

"So we do!" Rusty Wren replied. "But we think it would be better if we all called on Daddy and explained to him about the change."

"Very well!" little Mr. Chippy answered. "The more the merrier! I'll be the spokesman. And I will suggest that we start for the stone wall right now, for there's no time like the present, you know."

Even Buster Bumblebee approved of Mr. Chippy's retort. And with that everybody started pell-mell for the stone wall.

p. 115

XXIV

A BRIDEGROOM

Daddy Longlegs was taken entirely by surprise. It was rather early in the morning. And he had not expected callers—at least not so many as suddenly appeared at the stone wall where he was usually to be found.

Luckily he was arrayed in his very best clothes. Indeed, he was quite smartly dressed—for him. A bright yellow scarf, tied in a big bow beneath his chin, made him look almost dandified. And he was wearing a bottle-green coat, lined with pink.

"Goodness!" said Buster Bumblebee.p. 116 "He looks like a bridegroom!" But his companions all told him to hush, and not to be disrespectful to his elders.

"Good morning!" said Mr. Chippy to Daddy Longlegs. "We've come to tell you some good news. We're going to call you by a different name. And we hope you'll like it."

"I hope so!" Daddy Longlegs echoed. "What is it, please?"

"It's 'Grandfather Graybeard'!" little Mr. Chippy informed him with an air of pride.

"Why, that's a beautiful name!" Daddy Longlegs cried, as a look of pleasure crossed his face.

"I'm glad you think so," said Mr. Chippy. "It's only fair to tell you that I thought of it myself."

And then he called for "three cheers for Grandfather Graybeard!"

p. 117They gave them with a right good will.

And after the sound had died away Mr. Chippy said something in a whisper to Daddy.

"What is it?" Rusty Wren demanded. "What's he talking about?"

"He thinks we ought to give three cheers for him," Daddy Longlegs explained.

But before they had time to do that a large lady bustled out from the stone wall and walked straight up to Daddy Longlegs. She was one of his own kind, too. The whole company agreed to that, afterwards; because they had all counted her feet. And she had eight.

"What's this?" the newcomer demanded. "What's going on here, I should like to know?"

And Daddy Longlegs looked a bit uncomfortable as he explained that he hadp. 118 a new name, and told her what it was.

"You haven't given your consent, I hope?" she said.

"I'm afraid I have," Daddy replied meekly.

"Then withdraw it at once!" she commanded sharply. "I don't like this new name at all."

Poor Daddy Longlegs looked as if he wished he might sink into the ground and vanish. But since he couldn't do that, he stammered that he was much obliged to his friends for their kindness, but he really would have to insist that they call him by his old name, and he hoped they would understand.

But they didn't understand even then. And the whole company stood silent, with their mouths open, and watched Daddy Longlegs follow the strange lady away. She had beckoned to him. And he hadp. 119 started after her without a word of protest.

His friends noticed that she was considerably bigger than he was.

Well, they might have been standing there yet if little Mrs. Ladybug hadn't arrived just then, quite out of breath from hurrying. And of course she wanted to know what had happened.

"For pity's sake!" she cried, after she had listened to the strange story. "Do you mean to say you haven't heard the news? Didn't you know that Daddy Longlegs had a new wife? Naturally, a bride wouldn't care to have her young husband known as 'Grandfather Graybeard.'"

"Ah! But he's very old!" said little Mr. Chippy.

"How do you know?" Mrs. Ladybug inquired.