Johnny grinned. "What do you wonder?" he repeated.
Striped Chipmunk made a face at Johnny. "I wonder something that I bet
you don't know," he replied.
"That's easy," replied Johnny. "There are more things I don't know
than I do know, but I'm always ready to learn. What is it this time?"
"Why does Miner the Mole live under ground all the time?" Striped
Chipmunk pointed to the ridge made by Miner.
Johnny Chuck scratched his head thoughtfully.
"I don't know," he confessed finally. "I never thought of it before.
Of course there must be a reason. He never comes out to play with the
rest of us--just spends all his time by himself down in the dark,
digging and digging. I wonder--"
"Well, what do _you_ wonder?"
"The same thing you wonder," laughed Johnny Chuck. "If you haven't got
anything else to do, let's go down to the Smiling Pool and ask
Grandfather Frog; he'll be sure to know."
Striped Chipmunk hadn't anything else to do, so off they started. On
the way they met Jimmy Skunk and Danny Meadow Mouse. Neither of them
knew why Miner the Mole lives under ground, and because they hadn't
anything better to do, they also started for the Smiling Pool.
Grandfather Frog was sitting on his big green lily-pad in the warm
sunshine, and for once he didn't have to be teased for a story.
"Chug-a-rum!" said he in his deep voice. "It's very strange to me how
little some folks know about their nearest neighbors." He looked up
and winked at jolly, round, bright Mr.
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