but it seems that what's everybody's business is nobody's business,
therefore nothing was done.

"One afternoon, when supper had been eaten and Mrs. Hog was clearing up
the sty, Mr. Wolf poked his nose between the boards of the fence, and
said sweet as honey:

"'I am surprised, Mrs. Hog, to see that Mr. Man doesn't look after you
better. The first thing you know some bad person will come along, and
then one of the babies will be missing.'

"'There's little fear of that, Mr. Wolf, while I'm around,' and Mrs. Hog
showed her teeth.

[Illustration: Mr. Wolf wants to live with Mrs. Hog.]

"'Oh yes, I understand what you mean,' Mr. Wolf said, smiling all over
his face as if he was the best friend Mrs. Hog ever had. 'What I'm
afraid of is that the little ones may get into trouble while you are out
calling, and that would come near to breaking my heart, for I am very
fond of them. Now suppose I come here to live with you until they are
large enough to take care of themselves?'

"Mrs. Hog knew that if Mr. Wolf should try real hard to make trouble for
her, he might be able to do it, so she didn't dare tell him just what
she thought; but, going a little nearer him, to where one of the boards
had been slipped aside at the top, she said:

"'I'm afraid we haven't got room enough for you, Mr. Wolf. You can't
even get your head between these boards.'