"Say," said Chirk, tugging at the blade of grass, "if I wind it around
this buttercup stalk, will that do?"

"Yes," replied Chee, "here he comes. Oh! I wish Chirp was here!"

Along came the "Parson," gravely swinging one leg after the other in the
air and thinking with much pleasure of the kindliness of Mrs. Cricky who
was always a very cordial hostess.

"Ssh!" whispered Chirk, "he's thinking of Miss K. T. Did. They say--"

But the sentence was never finished, for with a sprawl, the "Parson"
stumbled over the blade of grass and came down on the other side with a
clatter.

"Tee-hee! Tee-hee! Tee-hee!" chirruped both Chee and Chirk, so amused at
the funny tangle of legs in which the Walking Stick was, that they
forgot to run away.

Now the "Parson's" long legs made great strides, and before they knew
what had happened Chee was being soundly beaten. "Whack! Whack! Whack!"
went the Walking Stick on his little shiny black back.

"O! O! O!" cried Chee, "I'll never do it again!"

"No," said the "Parson," in a high thin voice, "I think you won't, you
black imp!"

By this time Mrs. Cricky had come out to see what all the noise was
about. When she heard the explanation, she said in a sorrowful tone: