"Home!" said Fatty.

"Are you hungry?" Jimmy Rabbit asked anxiously.

"I should say not!" Fatty answered. "I've just had the finest meal I
ever ate in my life."

Jimmy Rabbit seemed to be relieved to hear that.

"Come on over and play," he said. "My brother and I are playing barber-
shop over in the old sycamore tree; and we need you."

"All right!" said Fatty. It was not often that any of the smaller
forest-people were willing to play with him, because generally Fatty
couldn't help getting hungry and then he usually tried to eat his
playmates. "What do you need me for?" Fatty asked, as he trudged along
beside Jimmy Rabbit.

"We need you for the barber's pole," Jimmy explained. "You can come
inside the hollow tree and stick your tail out through a hole. It will
make a fine barber's pole--though the stripes DO run the wrong way, to
be sure."

Fatty Coon was greatly pleased. He looked around at his tail and felt
very proud.

"I've got a beautiful tail--haven't I?" he asked.

"Um--yes!" Jimmy Rabbit replied, "though I must say it isn't one that I
would care for myself... But come along! There may be people waiting to