by Farmer Brown's boy. What do you mean by frightening an old fellow
like me this way?"

"Just trying to get even with you for trying to fool us into thinking
that you were asleep when you were wide awake," replied Peter. "Oh,
Grandfather Frog, do tell us why it is that Jerry Muskrat builds his
house in the water. Please do!"

"I have a mind not to, just to get even with you," said Grandfather
Frog, settling himself comfortably, "but I believe I will, to show you
that there are some folks who can take a joke without losing their
temper."

"Goody!" cried Peter and Johnny Chuck together, sitting down side by
side on the very edge of the bank.

Grandfather Frog folded his hands across his white and yellow
waistcoat and half closed his eyes, as if looking way, way back into
the past.

"Chug-a-rum!" he began. "A long, long time ago, when the world was
young, there was very little dry land, and most of the animals lived
in the water. Yes, Sir, most of the animals lived in the water, as
sensible animals do to-day."

Peter nudged Johnny Chuck. "He means himself and his family," he
whispered with a chuckle.

"After a time," continued Grandfather Frog, "there began to be more
land and still more. Then some of the animals began to spend most of