mr. coyote's plan for helping him catch ground squirrels did not please benny badger in the least. up to that time he had always had fair luck hunting alone. and he said as much to mr. coyote, in none too friendly a tone.

though benny thought he had made his feelings plain enough, it seemed as if mr. coyote couldn't take a hint. so far was he from guessing that benny did not care for his scheme that he even suggested that it might be a good idea if he brought a half dozen of his brothers along with him. he was very cheerful about the[29] whole affair—was mr. coyote. indeed, he appeared quite ready to arrange benny badger's business, without ever a "by your leave," or "if you don't mind."

but benny badger was no person to stand quietly by and let a scamp like mr. coyote spoil his whole life. he shook his head in a most obstinate fashion, giving his visitor fair warning not to go too far.

"for goodness' sake, don't bring any of your brothers here!" benny badger shouted. "i never could stand a crowd of your relations. it's bad enough to have to listen to your six brothers when they're half a mile away."

mr. coyote took no offence at that remark.

"very well!" he replied. "no doubt they'd want to sing if they came here to help you. and certainly their singing would interfere with your digging—for[30] of course you'd want to stop and listen to it."

benny badger's only comment sounded somewhat like "humph!" but mr. coyote must have thought that benny agreed with him. at least, he nodded his head. and he went on to say that he would be glad to help benny alone, without calling on his brothers.

benny badger made no further objection. to be sure, having one of the coyote family with him every night would be bad enough. but it was so much better than having seven of them that he began to feel almost pleased. perhaps he was lucky, after all! and besides, he thought that when mr. coyote came to help him catch ground squirrels that good-for-nothing scamp would soon tire of digging.

and then a terrible uproar broke the silence. it sounded as if a hundred[31] wolves—or maybe a thousand dogs—had fallen to quarreling a mile away, growling and howling in the distance.

as soon as he heard the noise mr. coyote pricked up his ears and sprang to his feet. "i must leave you now," he said. "there are my six brothers! they're going to have a sing. and i promised that i'd join them.... don't forget!" he added, as he flung a sly smile in benny badger's direction. "i'll be here soon after dark to-morrow night."

and the next moment he was gone.

benny badger stood and watched him as he loped off across the moonlit plain. and not long afterward a terrific racket—twice as loud as the one before—made benny bury his head in the place where he had been digging.

"mr. coyote has joined his six brothers," he said to himself.