unc' billy possum was very sober as he hurried down the lone little path to johnny chuck's house. he was very sober indeed, and that is very unusual for unc' billy possum. it was very plain to see that something was bothering him. johnny chuck was sitting on his doorstep when unc' billy possum came in sight, trotting down the lone little path. as soon as johnny saw him, he turned his back squarely towards unc' billy and pretended to be very much interested in something way off in the other direction. unc' billy came to a stop about two feet behind johnny chuck.

"a-hem!" said unc' billy.

johnny chuck sat there without moving, just as if he hadn't heard.

"it's a fine mo'ning," said unc' billy in his pleasantest voice.

instead of replying, johnny chuck suddenly kicked up his heels and disappeared inside his house. unc' billy scratched his head with one hand and then with the other, and all the time his face grew more and more puzzled-looking. after a while he started on. pretty soon he came to where danny meadow mouse was playing all by himself. he didn't know that unc' billy was about until unc' billy said: "good mo'ning, brer meadow mouse."

now danny had always been delighted to see unc' billy possum and to have a chat with him whenever unc' billy would stop. but this morning no sooner did danny hear unc' billy's voice than he turned his back to unc' billy. this was more than unc' billy could stand. he reached out to take danny meadow mouse by the ear to turn him around, but somehow danny must have guessed what unc' billy meant to do, for without a word he ducked out of sight under the long grass, and hunt as he would unc' billy couldn't find him.

so unc' billy possum gave it up and went on down to the smiling pool. there little joe otter and billy mink and jerry muskrat were at play. they saw unc' billy coming, and when he reached the bank of the smiling pool there sat the three little scamps on the big rock, but all he could see was their backs.

"hello, yo'alls!" shouted unc' billy.

splash! all three had dived into the smiling pool, and though unc' billy waited and waited, he didn't see one of them again. even grandfather frog turned his back to him and seemed very deaf that morning, though unc' billy tried and tried to make him hear.

all day long, wherever he went, unc' billy saw only the backs of his friends, and none of them seemed to see him at all. so he went home to his hollow tree in the green forest early that day to try and study out what it all meant.