CHRISTMAS [IN GRASSHOPPER KINGDOM. 35

“ Here comes the froggy guard,” her com-
panion replied.

Indeed, a lot of frogs, in scarlet and green
uniforms, dashed out and surrounded the toad.
Then such a-croaking followed that Elsie was
almost deafened. Swish-swish, swish-swish,
sounded, through the grass and daisies, nearer
and nearer until a tall stork strode forth into
the midst of the frogs. Goodness, gracious,
how terrified they were! They hopped this way
and that, and, in the confusion, the Hop-toad
King escaped.

“ High time to be moving,” Froggy said.

“ The next thing Elsie knew she was stand-
ing by the brink of the stream, in the woods.
How she came there she could not imagine.

A little animal scampered past, and Elsie
looked after it to a very strange sight. Rats
were assembling on the bank of the stream, a
short distance from Elsie. They swam from
across the water, and trooped out of the woods.
~ “Cracky, cracky! They’ve been robbing a
chicken-coop,” remarked a voice at Elsie’s side.
Froggy stood there, bow and violin under arm,
and lantern, filled with bugs, at hand. In the
lapel of his dress-coat he had a_ water-lily
bouquet,

The rats, coming from the woods, were
pulling others along by their tails. These