funny little short ears and whirl about so that he could look over
the other side of the dam into the Laughing Brook. What do you think
that sound was? Why, it was the sound of rushing water, the sweetest
sound Jerry had listened to for a long time. There was a great hole
in the dam, and already the brook was beginning to laugh as the
water rushed down it.

"How do you like that, Cousin Jerry?" said a voice right in his ear.
Paddy the Beaver had climbed up beside him, and his eyes were twinkling.

"It -- it's splendid!" cried Jerry. "But -- but you've spoiled your
dam!"

"Oh, that's all right," replied Paddy. "I didn't really want it now,
anyway. I don't usually build dams at this time of year, and I
built this one just for fun because it seemed such a nice place to
build one. You see, I was traveling through here, and it seemed such
a nice place, that I thought I would stay a while. I didn't know
anything about the Smiling Pool, you know. Now, I guess I'll have to
move on and find a place where I can make a pond in the fall that
will not trouble other people. You see, I don't like to be troubled
myself, and so I don't want to trouble other people. This Green
Forest is a very nice place."

"The very nicest place in all the world excepting the Green Meadows
and the Smiling Pool!" replied Jerry promptly. "Won't you stay,
Cousin Paddy? I'm sure we would all like to have you."

"Of course we would," said a gruff voice right beside them. It was
Grandfather Frog.