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  BUDDY JIM AND THE HOUSE MICE

  _The new moon up above the world Looked like a silver boat That some wee playmate of the sky Had launched and left to float; The night winds all went laughing by To drive the heat away; "Almost I think," said Buddy Jim, "I like night more than day!"_

  "That settles it, then," said a tiny, squeaky little voice from thecorner of the sleeping porch where Buddy was cosily tucked in bed,"that settles it! He _likes_ night better than day; so, just as likelyas not, he will stay awake all night to enjoy himself, or anyway solong that we shall get no supper at all! And the whole family sohungry, too!"

  "Now be patient, little sister," said another little voice. "That isnot a grown-up person, there in the bed,--that's a boy, and boys neverstay awake very long. It won't hurt us to wait a bit for our supper.My!" he went on in a lower tone, "I think he has heard us, but nevermind, sister, we both know the way out, and there isn't a _bit_ ofdanger."

  Buddy had heard the voices and, always interested in his LittleNeighbors, he sat up in bed and peered into the corner of the porch inthe direction of the voices--of course he could not see a thing, but heknew that someone must be there.

  So he called very softly, "Who are you, Little Neighbors?"

  Old Bob was outside]

  "I'm just Buddy Jim and I won't harm you--you must have heard of me--I_live_ here in this house."

  "Oh," cried both little voices in a relieved tone, "You don't know whata load you have taken off our minds! Why of _course_ we have heard ofyou. Mrs. Harvest Mouse says that you really saved the lives of herwhole family the day Red-Headed Woodpecker came to collect the rent.But you see that was different. She was in her own house and we are inyours, and for some reason we have never been able to find out, peopledislike to have us come in their houses."

  "They set traps for us," said Little Sister Mouse, "and kill us--and weare _no good_ to them--our fur is so soft that it is useless--and thenthe _cats_! Why! we are in constant fear of _their_ dreadful claws!"

  "Yes indeed," said Brother Mouse, "we never came in this house untilOld Dog Sandy came here to live and made Peter Prowler live under thebarn."

  "In that case," said Buddy, "I can not imagine why you go into people'shouses. I would certainly not go where I was not welcome."

  "Why, dear me," said Brother Mouse, "we're House Mice--we always livein houses. _We_ don't know _why_, we just know it's _so_! and we're notrouble to any one; we take only the tiniest crumbs of food, when Marythe cook leaves us anything at all--she doesn't often--and the childrenare so hungry and Mother hasn't a bit of anything in the nest to givethem." "And they're hungry," chimed in little Sister House Mouse.

  "What would you like for their supper, and yours too?" asked Buddy,"because I think I can get you something, and if you will _promise_not to go into the kitchen again I will promise to leave your supperwherever you say every evening this summer. _Will_ you promise?"

  "_Will_ we?" choroused the little Mice, "we certainly _will_! Honest 'ntrue 'n black and blue."

  "Well, then," said Buddy, "just you wait right where you are--" and heslipped out of bed and ran to the kitchen.

  He was back in almost no time at all, with some bread and some bits ofcheese and a cookie, which he broke into bits and placed on the porchfloor, and then, just to show the little neighbors that he meant toplay fair, he hopped back into bed again.

  It just did his kind little heart good to hear the delighted squealsof the Little Neighbors when they found the food. He smiled to himselfas he heard them scamper away with as much as they could carry. It wasonly a moment until they were back again, and this time they stayed toeat their own supper.

  "Mum, mum," said Sister Mouse with her mouth full of food, "Mary is awonderful cook!"

  "Where do you live, Little Neighbors," asked Buddy, "so I shall knowwhere to leave your food every day."

  "Up in the woodshed loft," said Brother Mouse. "We like it there,because there is always moss and shavings to make warm nests of; andsometimes Bob the gardener leaves an old coat there for us to chew upand line our nests with. But we must go home now and let you go tosleep, because you must be very sleepy."

  "No indeed," said Buddy, "I'm really not sleepy at all, and I've_loved_ to have you visit me!"

  "We are so grateful to you," said Brother House Mouse, "and we bothwish we could do something for you. Would you care to hear us sing, solong as you're not so very sleepy?"

  Buddy laughed. "That _would_ be _lovely_," he said. "Just like littleTommy Tucker, who sang for his supper. But _can_ you sing? Let's hearyou," he invited, eagerly.

  There was a soft little scrambling sound, and then, in the moonlight,Buddy saw on his bed rail two grey Little Neighbors. It was BrotherMouse, holding Sister Mouse by the hand. They were _bowing_ and lookingfor all the world like the two little concert singers that they were.

  They made no excuses, they did not even say they were out of practice,nor that they couldn't think what to sing, but began in the sweetest ofsmall voices to sing what sounded to Buddy like a little lullaby.

  Buddy lay very still. He was delighted with the song, but he did notdare to applaud, because he was afraid that his Little Neighbors wouldnot understand. Not being much used to singing to mortals, they mightbe frightened at the noise.

  But what do you think? Before he even knew that he was sleepy, andwhile he was enjoying the concert, he went _fast_ asleep.

  And the next thing he knew, Old Bob the gardener was outside, wantingto know if he meant to stay in bed all day.

  "Bob," said Buddy, "have you ever heard a House Mouse sing?" "No,Buddy," said Old Bob the gardener, "I never have, but I have talkedwith folks who say _they_ have heard them."

  "Well, Bob," insisted the little boy, "do you _believe_ they can sing?"

  "Why, yes, Buddy," said Old Bob the gardener, "I believe everythinguntil I find out for certain that it isn't so. It's much the happiestway, don't you think?"

  "Your ways are all happy ways, Bob," said Buddy. "You're the best chum_ever_!"

  [Music]