already the water was beginning to trickle over the pebbly bottom of the bubbling brook.

all of a sudden a voice overhead shouted, "good morning!" and there sat chatterbox, the red squirrel, in the big walnut tree. "why are you in such a hurry?"

"i must tell all my friends in the sunny meadow the good news," replied the little rabbit. "i can't wait a minute."

"i'll go with you," said chatterbox, running down the tree. "tell me, what's the news?"

"the bubbling brook will be running again tonight," answered the little bunny, and he explained all about busy beaver's dam.

"well, i declare," exclaimed chatterbox, "busy beaver has a lot of nerve to stop the water running in the bubbling brook. he doesn't own the water rights. the bubbling brook belongs to everyone alike."

"so it does," answered little jack rabbit, "but busy beaver has to look out for himself. if he doesn't build a dam his little house will be frozen up this winter."

just then the water rose almost to the ferns that grew on the edge of the bubbling brook. "everything's all right now," said the little rabbit, "i won't bother to go over to the sunny meadow. the fishes and the little fresh water crabs will learn the news before i can get there," and he sat down to talk things over with chatterbox.

"you just ought to see busy beaver use his tail as a trowel to lay on the mud," said the little rabbit, who couldn't keep from talking about what he had just seen. "he carries the mud and stones between his chin and forepaws and knows just how to put them in the cracks between the logs to keep back the water."

"well, we all must prepare for the long, cold winter," said chatterbox. "brother tip top and i have been gathering nuts for many a day and have our storehouse nearly full."

while the autumn days are here

make things snug for winter drear;

storehouse filled with everything

to last until again it's spring.