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THE ADVENTURES OF MR. MOCKER

BYTHORNTON W. BURGESS

Author of "The Adventures of Reddy Fox," "Old Mother West Wind," etc.

With Illustrations byHARRISON CADY

1914

I. THE LONE TRAVELERII. UNC' BILLY POSSUM GROWS EXCITEDIII. UNC' BILLY'S VAIN SEARCHIV. UNC' BILLY COMES HOMEV. SAMMY JAY IS INDIGNANTVI. SAMMY JAY THINKS HE'S GOING CRAZYVII. SAMMY JAY SITS UP ALL NIGHTVIII. SAMMY JAY IS GLAD HE SAT UP ALL NIGHTIX. THE MYSTERY GROWSX. SAMMY JAY SEEKS ADVICEXI. HOW BLACKY THE CROW'S PLAN WORKED OUTXII. NO ONE BELIEVES PETER RABBITXIII. STICKY-TOES THE TREE TOAD POURS OUT HIS TROUBLESXIV. PETER RABBIT MEETS UNC' BILLY POSSUMXV. PETER RABBIT AND UNC' BILLY POSSUM KEEP WATCHXVI. UNC' BILLY POSSUM DOES A LITTLE SURPRISING HIMSELFXVII. THE MEETING OF TWO OLD FRIENDSXVIII. THE MISCHIEF-MAKERSXIX. BOBBY COON MAKES A DISCOVERYXX. BOBBY COON AND OL' MISTAH BUZZARD HAVE A TALKXXI. BOBBY COON HAS A BUSY DAYXXII. UNC' BILLY POSSUM SEES MANY BACKSXXIII. UNC' BILLY POSSUM CONSULTS OL' MISTAH BUZZARDXXIV. UNC' BILLY POSSUM GIVES A PARTYXXV. UNC' BILLY POSSUM'S SURPRISEXXVI. MR. MOCKER MAKES HIMSELF AT HOME

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS!" SAID STICKY-TOES.

SUCH A THING AS UNC' BILLY FORGETTING TO SAY GOOD-BY HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE

BLACKY'S EYES TWINKLED AS HE LISTENED TO SAMMY JAY'S TALE OF WOE.

"GOOD MO'NING, BRER COON," SAID OL' MISTAH BUZZARD

THERE SAT THE THREE LITTLE SCAMPS ON THE BIG ROCK

SOMETIMES HE WOKE UP IN THE NIGHT AND WOULD SING FOR VERY JOY

THE ADVENTURES OF MISTAH MOCKER

I

THE LONE TRAVELER

When Mistress Spring starts from way down South to bring joy and gladnessto the Green Meadows and the Green Forest, the Laughing Brook and theSmiling Pool, a great many travelers start with her or follow her. WinsomeBluebird goes just a little way ahead of her, for Winsome is the herald ofMistress Spring. Then comes Honker the Goose, and all the world hearing hisvoice from way, way, up in the blue, blue sky knows that truly MistressSpring is on her way. And with her come Little Friend the Song Sparrow, andCheerful Robin and Mr. and Mrs. Redwing. Then follow other travelers, everso many of them, all eager to get back to the beautiful Green Forest andGreen Meadows.

Now there are a few feathered folk who think the far away South is quitegood enough for them to live there all the year round. Ol' Mistah Buzzardused to think that way. Indeed, he used to think that there was no placelike the dear "Ol' Souf," and it wasn't until he went looking for his oldfriend, Unc' Billy Possum, who had come up to live in the Green Forest,that he found out how nice it is where the Laughing Brook dances downthrough the Green Forest to the Smiling Pool and then through the GreenMeadows to the Big River. Now, when he is sure that there is no dangerthat he will have cold feet or that he will catch cold in his bald head,he likes to come up to spend the summer near Unc' Billy Possum.

Of course Ol' Mistah Buzzard has wonderful stories to tell when he goesback South in the fall, and all winter long he warms his toes on thechimney tops while he tells his friends about

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