"The same thing you wonder," laughed Johnny Chuck. "If you haven't got
anything else to do, let's go down to the Smiling Pool and ask
Grandfather Frog; he'll be sure to know."

Striped Chipmunk hadn't anything else to do, so off they started. On
the way they met Jimmy Skunk and Danny Meadow Mouse. Neither of them
knew why Miner the Mole lives under ground, and because they hadn't
anything better to do, they also started for the Smiling Pool.

Grandfather Frog was sitting on his big green lily-pad in the warm
sunshine, and for once he didn't have to be teased for a story.

"Chug-a-rum!" said he in his deep voice. "It's very strange to me how
little some folks know about their nearest neighbors." He looked up
and winked at jolly, round, bright Mr. Sun.

Striped Chipmunk, Johnny Chuck, Jimmy Skunk, and Danny Meadow Mouse
looked as though they felt very foolish, as indeed they did. You see,
all their lives Miner the Mole had been one of their nearest
neighbors, and yet they didn't know the first thing about him.

"It happened a long time ago," continued Grandfather Frog.

"When the world was young?" interrupted Danny Meadow Mouse.

"Of course," replied Grandfather Frog, pretending to be very much put
out at such a foolish question. Danny hung his head and resolved that
he would bite his tongue before he asked another question.

"In those days Miner's great-great-grandfather a thousand times