no one would ever have called benny badger a great traveller. he was altogether too heavy to roam far from home upon his short legs. so it often happened that he did not know all that went on in the neighborhood.
of course, his watchful eyes took in almost everything that was in sight of his den. but as for what was taking place just beyond the next rise, that was an entirely different matter. unless somebody chanced to stop and gossip with benny, sometimes several days would pass before he knew what his neighbors were doing.[68]
luckily, benny badger kept his ears open, when he was awake.
and often he kept them half-open when he lay half-asleep, stretched out in the grass not too far from his den, enjoying a sun-bath.
one day when he was sunning himself the sound of voices snatched him out of his drowsiness. and he kept quite still, to see what he could see, and hear what he could hear.
soon three coyotes came sneaking through the grass, talking in hushed voices—a thing they seldom did. benny could hardly believe his own ears, because he had supposed that if the coyote family spoke at all, they always howled.
but if the quietness of the coyotes surprised benny, what they said astonished him a great deal more. for benny badger learned that the three cronies were[69] headed for a prairie dog village just beyond the next rise.
that was most amazing news. benny badger hadn't known that there was a prairie dog village so near his den. and for a moment he was tempted to call to the coyotes and ask them if what they said was really true or if they were only fooling.
mr. owl greets benny very coldly. mr. owl greets benny very coldly.
but he didn't think the three prowlers had seen him. so there seemed to be no reason for their saying what wasn't so.
well, the moment they disappeared, benny badger jumped up and hurried into his den. he would have followed the coyotes, but he decided it would be better to wait. the prairie dogs would be too wary, with those coyotes in their village.
but later, after the coyotes had left—ah! then he would pay a visit to the village himself.[70]
towards evening benny badger crept out of his den and followed the trail of the three coyotes. and sure enough! when he reached the top of the rise he saw the mounds of the prairie dogs spread out before him.
though he saw no prairie dogs, he noticed an owl sitting upon a heap of earth that had been tossed out around a hole.
benny badger strolled up to the owl.
"it's a fine evening!" said benny.
the owl merely stared at him, round-eyed, and made no reply.
"i say, it's a fine evening!" benny repeated in a louder tone.
"very well!" the owl replied. "you may say it as often as you wish. i'm sure i have no objection.... but you don't need to come any nearer," he added.
benny badger stopped and squatted in the grass. he was glad to rest, for he was[71]—as has been said—no great traveller.
"is anybody at home?" he asked presently.
"somebody is," said the owl.
"then i'll dig right in as soon as i get my breath," said benny badger, glancing at the hole.
"do you want to see somebody?" the owl asked. "for if you do, there's no need of your doing any digging here."
"why not?" benny inquired.
"i'm somebody," the owl informed him. "i live here; and i'll be disgusted if you go to tearing my house to pieces."
