old mr. crow flew into a terrible rage when he found, the next morning, that his committee had not called on kiddie katydid during the night. and when chirpy cricket told him that the weather was too cold for anybody to stay out late, mr. crow said "nonsense! what about mr. frog?"
that was a hard question to answer. and chirpy cricket was so afraid of angry mr. crow that he promptly hid himself among the roots of a clump of grass.
now, the fact that mr. frog had been away from his shop the night before set mr. crow to worrying.
"that slippery tailor has been up to some mischief," mr. crow declared. "and if he has played a trick on me i'll never hear the last of it."
the old gentleman was so disturbed that he quite lost his appetite during the rest of the day. and he moped and groaned about, hoping for the best, but fearing the worst. one thing that made him especially uneasy was the fact that when he called on mr. frog he found the tailor in a gayer mood than he had ever known him to be in.
mr. frog bounded about his shop like a rubber ball. and the worst of it was, he would sing, although mr. crow begged him, with tears in his eyes, to stop.
"what's the matter?" mr. frog asked him. "don't you like my voice? or is it the songs i sing? i've a new one that i'd like to sing for you. it's about one of the katydid family; and i'm sure you'll enjoy hearing it."
but mr. crow wouldn't stay there any longer. with a loud squawk of rage he scurried away. he was sure, then, that mr. frog had tricked him.
that night mr. crow's committee called on kiddie katydid. it was a fine, warm, moonlight night. and as they drew near farmer green's place they could hear kiddie's shrill music, even while they were still a quarter of a mile away.
"he plays better than ever," said freddie firefly. "i wish mr. crow could hear him." and they hurried on, believing that everything was going to turn out all right, in the end.
"mr. crow will be sorry, to-morrow, that he scolded us," said chirpy cricket.
but the committee met with a sad disappointment. when they invited kiddie katydid to join the pleasant valley orchestra he told them that he couldn't.
"why not?" freddie firefly asked.
"i've promised somebody that i wouldn't," kiddie said.
and though they pressed him for an explanation, he wouldn't give them any. he wouldn't say another word.
it was a downcast company that left farmer green's front yard. and they quarreled among themselves, too, before they parted. for there wasn't one of them that was willing to tell mr. crow that kiddie had declined his invitation.
but they finally hit upon a plan that suited everybody. they agreed to get mr. crow's cousin, jasper jay, to break the news gently to the old gentleman.
it turned out that jasper was delighted to undertake the task. he hoped that mr. crow would fly into a passion when he[69] heard the sad tale. and jasper was not disappointed. for old mr. crow was furious.
"it's the work of that sly rascal, mr. frog!" he squalled. "he must have called on kiddie katydid and hoodwinked him somehow. . . . i'd like to know what he said."
but mr. crow never found that out. so kiddie katydid had another secret, which was known only to himself and mr. frog.
and mr. frog wouldn't tell anybody, because he preferred to tease mr. crow.
and kiddie katydid wouldn't tell anybody, because he liked secrets. so when people tried to pry into the affair, he just folded his wings tightly over himself—and said nothing.
