"No!" replied Thumbkins, "I went there, and also over to the Katydid
store, but she was not there!"

"Suppose you climb upon my back, Thumbkins, and let me help you find
her!" said Billy Bumblebee, as he buzzed his wings, making the flower
sway up and down. So Thumbkins climbed up the flower stalk and took a
seat upon Billy Bumblebee's back.

"Let us fly way up in the air so that we may look down over all the
country!" said Billy Bumblebee, as he made his wings whirr and climbed
high in the air.

Billy Bumblebee and Thumbkins looked over the country carefully, but
they could not see Mrs. Thumbkins anywhere.

Finally Billy's sharp eyes discovered something shiny down by the side
of the pond, so they flew down towards it. It was a new tin can house.
The door was closed.

Thumbkins alighted from Billy Bumblebee's back and knocked at the door.

TINKY-TINKY-TINK!

"GRUMP! GRUMP!" said a deep voice from inside the tin can house. Billy
Bumblebee peeped through a chink in a window, and saw a hoppy-toad with
his mouth full of pancakes.

So Thumbkins picked up a pebble and knocked louder. TONKY-TONKY-TONK!

Old Man Hoppy-toad came to the door with a pancake in each hand and