Possum, and that as they were all very hungry, they would like to know
when the feast would be ready. Right away Old King Bear knew that old
Mr. Possum had been up to some of his tricks, and he told his visitors
that they were the victims of a practical joke.

[Illustration: "As they were all very hungry, they would like to know
when the feast would be ready."]

"My, my, my, how angry everybody grew! With Old King Bear at their
head, they started out to hunt for old Mr. Possum. When he saw them
coming, he realized that what he had thought was a joke had become no
longer a laughing matter for him. He was too frightened to run, so
he scrambled up a tree. He quite forgot that Mr. Panther and Mr. Lynx
could climb just as fast as he. Up the tree after him they scrambled,
and he crept as far out as he could get on one of the branches. Mr.
Panther didn't dare go out there, so he just shook the branch. He
shook and shook and shook and shook, and the first thing old Mr.
Possum knew, he was flying through the air down to where the others
were all ready to pounce on him.

"Old Mr. Possum was frightened almost to death. He shut his eyes, and
then he landed with a thump that knocked all the wind from his body.
When he got his breath again, he still kept his eyes closed, for he
couldn't bear the thought of looking at the cruel teeth and claws of
Old King Bear and the others. Presently, while he was wondering why
they didn't jump on him and tear him to pieces, Old King Bear spoke:

"'I guess Mr. Possum won't play any more jokes, Mr. Panther,' said he.
'You just knocked the life out of him when you shook him off that
branch.'