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[Illustration: Good wishes to all Hollow Tree friends

From the Story Teller]

[Illustration: THE FIRST DINNER AT THE HOLLOW TREE INN

[See page 20]




MAKING UP WITH MR. DOG

[Illustration]

HOLLOW TREE STORIES

BY ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE

ILLUSTRATED BY J. M. CONDE

        HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
        NEW YORK AND LONDON




HOLLOW TREE STORIES

BY

ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE

12mo. Cloth. Fully Illustrated


        HOW MR. DOG GOT EVEN
        HOW MR. RABBIT LOST HIS TAIL
        MR. RABBIT'S BIG DINNER
        MAKING UP WITH MR. DOG
        MR. POSSUM'S GREAT BALLOON TRIP
        WHEN JACK RABBIT WAS A LITTLE BOY

      HOLLOW TREE AND DEEP WOODS BOOK Illustrated. 8vo.

      HOLLOW TREE SNOWED-IN BOOK Illustrated. 8vo.

HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK

        Copyright, 1898, by JAMES GORDON BENNETT

        Copyright, 1899, by FRANK MUNSEY

        Copyright, 1899, by THE CENTURY COMPANY

        Copyright, 1898, 1899, 1901, by ROBERT HOWARD RUSSELL

        Copyright, 1900, by HARPER & BROTHERS




CONTENTS


                                                 PAGE
        THE HOLLOW TREE INN                          3

        THE HOLLOW TREE INN (_Continued_)      11

        A DEEP WOODS FISHING PARTY                  25

        MR. RABBIT EXPLAINS                         41

        THE HOLLOW TREE POETRY CLUB                 53

        MR. RABBIT'S UNWELCOME COMPANY              79

        MR. 'POSSUM EXPLAINS                        91

        AROUND THE WORLD AND BACK AGAIN            109




THE HOLLOW TREE INN

THE THREE FRIENDS GO INTO BUSINESS


ONE rainy day when the '<DW53> and 'Possum and Old Black Crow, who lived
together in three big hollow limbs of a Big Hollow Tree, were rummaging
about their house, they found that above each of their rooms was a good
deal of room that nobody ever used. That set them to thinking, and
pretty soon Mr. 'Possum said it was too bad to let all that good room go
to waste, and Mr. '<DW53> said yes, it was, and that their house was big
enough for a hotel.

Of course he didn't think what he was saying at the time, but it set Mr.
Crow to thinking and walking up and down, whistling, and pretty soon he
stopped still and looked at the '<DW53> and 'Possum.

"I'll do the cookin'," he said, "if you'll get the things to cook."

And right then and there they made up their minds to do it, and early
the next morning, while the Old Black Crow was hurrying about inside,
getting things ready for business, the '<DW53> and the 'Possum nailed up a
sign outside, and this is what was on it:--

        THE HOLLOW TREE INN.
        BOARD BY THE DAY OR WEEK.

[Illustration: "HELLO!" HE SAID. "WHAT'S THIS?"]

Then they went inside to help Mr. Crow get ready, and by and by they all
sat down and waited for people to come. Mr. '<DW53> and Mr. 'Possum felt
pretty well, too, for they thought they would have the easiest time. You
see, they had always depended on Mr. Crow a good deal, for, besides
being a good cook, he was a great hand to provide, and knew more about
where to get the best things, and the best time of day or night to get
them, than both of the others put together. So he didn't say anything,
but dressed up nice and spruce in a clean apron and cooking cap and
leaned out of the window, as cooks always do, with his arms folded. By
and by along came Mr. Jack Rabbit.

"Hello!" he said. "What's this?"

Then he read the sign over and looked at Mr. Crow and asked him if it
was a joke. And Mr. Crow said:--

"Not much! Come up and see."

So then Mr. Rabbit went up stairs, and Mr. '<DW53> and Mr. 'Possum showed
him through, and Jack Rabbit said that he didn't feel very well this
summer, anyway, and he believed he'd just shut up his house and come and
board awhile for a change. He said he guessed he'd take the room above
Mr. '<DW53>'s, because it had a nice south window and a tall looking
glass, and that he'd pack up a few things that he needed and come over
right away. Then he went home and the '<DW53> and 'Possum and the Old
Black Crow all shook hands and danced around in a circle to think how
well they were going to do, for if Mr. Jack Rabbit came they were sure
of having as many others as their house would hold.

And while they were dancing, along came Mr. Robin. He read the sign,
too, and laughed, and then knocked at the door till Mr. '<DW53> came down
and let him in. He thought it was a joke at first, like the Rabbit, but
when he heard that Jack Rabbit was coming to board he spoke up just as
quick as anything and said he'd come, too, and that he'd have his things
there before supper time. He took the room over Mr. Crow, because he
said he didn't mind the smell of the cooking, and then maybe he'd learn
some new receipts. You see, Mr. Crow and Mr. Robin are sort of kinsfolk,
and when they have time they often get together and trace back to find
out just what relation they are to each other, and that makes them good
friends.

Well, Mr. Robin hadn't more'n got out of the house when who should walk
in but Mr. Squirrel.

"What's all this about boarders?" said Mr. Squirrel. "I'm looking for a
place to spend a month or two myself."

So then they showed him the room above Mr. 'Possum's, and he was so
pleased with the view and everything that he paid a week's board in
advance to be sure of keeping anybody else from getting it. When he was
gone the '<DW53> and 'Possum and the Old Black Crow did another dance, and
kept saying over and over how rich they'd be and what they would do with
all the money. Then they heard somebody laughing outside, and when they
looked out there was Mr. Turtle laughing and reading the sign.

"Hello!" he said. "This isn't the first of April."

"No," said Mr. Crow, "it's a boarding house, and a good one. All the
best people in the country stop here. Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Robin, and Mr.
Squirrel. Sorry, Mr. Turtle, but our rooms are all full."

Then Mr. Turtle did look cheap, for he thought he couldn't be in the
crowd, and it was the very crowd he liked to associate with. But just
then Mr. '<DW53> happened to think that they might fit up the big room
below the other big room where they all gathered to eat and talk, and
Mr. Turtle said that would suit him exactly, because he was large and
heavy and didn't care much about climbing anyway. So he hurried off
after his things, too, and he wasn't out of sight before here comes Mr.
Dog!

Mr. '<DW53> and Mr. 'Possum were both looking out the window when he came
up, and they jumped back like lightning. You see, they didn't like Mr.
Dog worth a cent. Then Mr. Crow came and looked out the window and
talked to him. Mr. Dog was just as polite as a basket of chips, and of
course that's the politest thing in the world.

"I've just seen Mr. Robin," said Mr. Dog, "and I came to get a room,
too."

"Awfully sorry, Mr. Dog, but our rooms are all full," said Mr. Crow.

"Why don't you take down your sign, then?" said Mr. Dog.

"Hotels never take down their signs," said Mr. Crow.

"Hotels are never too full for one more, either," said Mr. Dog. "If you
don't let me come in I think I'll wait around here and make a vacancy."




THE HOLLOW TREE INN (_Continued_)




WHAT HAPPENS TO MR. DOG


NOW, when Mr. 'Possum and Mr. '<DW53> heard that their hair stood up
straight, for they knew very well that there'd be two vacant rooms
anyway if Mr. Dog ever got inside, and two if he stayed where he was,
for they happened to think that Mr. Rabbit would be coming along
presently, and Mr. Squirrel wouldn't be far behind. So they hurried to
the back window and looked out, and sure enough, there was Mr. Rabbit
coming with his trunk on his shoulder and almost there. At first they
were frightened'most to death for Mr. Rabbit, and then the '<DW53>
slipped over and whispered to the Crow to keep Mr. Dog talking as hard
as he could, so he wouldn't notice anything. All the time he was doing
this the 'Possum was motioning to Jack Rabbit to slip up easy-like with
his trunk.

So Mr. Rabbit slipped up softly on the other side of the house from Mr.
Dog and set his trunk down, and the 'Possum let out a long rope with a
hook on it. Jack Rabbit stood up on his trunk and grabbed the hook as
soon as he could reach it and hooked it under his arms. Then the '<