"Barberry sauce is full of pegs," complained Grand-daddy. "Grape jelly is
my favorite sauce."

"Nimble-toes says there's poison ivy and dogwood around here," said
Scamper. "Be careful or you'll get poisoned, Buster."

"Yes," added Limpy-toes, "don't touch any bushes except blueberry, cedar,
pine, hemlock, sweet fern, bayberry, or peppermint. Those are all safe and
you know 'em well."

"For pity sake, Buster, don't get poisoned!" cried Silver Ears. "We hope
to get Wink and Wiggle out of doors tomorrow. I'm not anxious for any more
patients. I wonder that you let him roam about the woods, Mammy."

"He never goes alone, Silvy," replied Mother Graymouse, calmly.

"Hopsy Toad, and Webbie Spider are going chestnutting with me," said
Buster. "I had a nice walk yesterday with Bunny and Bobsey Rabbit. They
took me over to Mr. Giant's strawberry bed. What do you think, Mammy!
There are ripe red berries and pretty blossoms, now! On the way home, we
saw yellow dandelion blossoms. It isn't summer any more; it is frost-time.
Everything seems topsy-turvy!"

"Mercy on us!" cried Aunt Squeaky. "Ripe strawberries when it is 'most
snow-time!"

"The Giants are a wise folk," explained Grand-daddy. "They grow plants
nowadays that bear fruit most of the time. Prob'ly you could find berries
on those vines when they are buried under the snow."