Billy. Farmer Brown's boy was angry. Yes, indeed, he was very, very
angry. Unc' Billy shivered as he listened. Then he snuggled down out
of sight under the hay of the nest.




XVII

UNC' BILLY POSSUM LIES LOW


Farmer Brown's boy was angry. Yes, Sir, he was angry. There was no
doubt about that. He had found the empty shells of the eggs which Unc'
Billy had eaten in the night, and Unc' Billy knew by the sound of his
voice that Farmer Brown's boy meant to find the thief.

It was a terrible position to be in, right there in the hen-house,
with no chance to run. Unc' Billy wished with all his might that he
had never thought of eggs, and that he was safe back home in the dear
old hollow tree in the Green Forest. Oh, dear! oh, dear! Why hadn't he
gone right straight back there, after eating those eggs, instead of
taking a nap? But he hadn't. He had taken a nap and overslept, and
here he was, right in the hen-house, in broad daylight.

"It must have been a Skunk," said Farmer Brown's boy, "and if it was,
he must have left some tracks in the snow outside. I'll just look
around a bit."

Unc' Billy almost chuckled as he heard Farmer Brown's boy go out.