When Brownie Beaver heard that, he said good-by and started home at
once to tell the good news to all his friends. He had leaped into the
river and was swimming up-stream rapidly when Uncle Jerry called to
him to stop.

"There's something I want to say," Uncle Jerry shouted. "I think you
ought to pay me for reading the sign."

But Brownie Beaver shook his head.

"I didn't ask you to read the sign for me," he declared. "You read it
for _yourself_, Uncle Jerry. And besides, you didn't know what it
meant until Tommy Fox came along and told you.... If you want to know
what I think, I'll tell you. I think you ought to pay Tommy Fox
something."

Uncle Jerry at once began to look worried. He said nothing more, but
plunged out of sight into some bushes, as if he were afraid Tommy Fox
might come back and find him.

[Illustration: Brownie Beaver Returned to His Wood-cutting]




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A HOLIDAY