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So I must go myself." Away she skipped, before cautious Limpy-toes could say no. Pretty soon she slipped through the tiniest hole, laughing gleefully. She held a long white thread in her mouth. "Hurry and bring the empty spool," she cried. "I fooled old Tom that time. He was asleep on the couch and never heard me. I couldn't pull the spool through the hole, so I've brought one end of the thread.
"I'm tired," mourned Buster. "Wait. I see Dickie Grasshopper over by the pond," said Limpy-toes. "Perhaps he can tell us where Cousin Field-Mouse lives now." Dickie Grasshopper agreed at once to show them the way to Mrs. Field-Mouse's new home. He went on ahead with a hop, skip and jump, so that they had to hurry to keep him in sight.
At last, Silver Ears, Buster, Tiny and Teenty were seated around the breakfast-table sipping their hot porridge. Mother Graymouse was dressing Baby Squealer who was howling, as usual. "Where is Limpy-toes, Mammy?" asked Tiny. "Didn't he come home?" "Sniff! sniff!" went Mother Graymouse. "My poor children, I fear you will never see your dear brother again."
"I wonder how those young Giants manage to make such a racket?" grumbled Mother Graymouse. "I've been trying for an hour to rock Baby Squealer to sleep and the poor dear is wide awake now. Such a din, I've seldom heard." "It's their Christmas presents, Mammy," replied Silver Ears. "Ruth has a toy piano." "And Robert blows his new cornet and beats his drum," finished Limpy-toes.
"One broken paw, a smashed-in nose, and a black eye! Is Wink much damaged, Grand-daddy?" "Sprained ankle and a banged head," answered Grand-daddy. "Dickie and Pete have only a few scratches. We'll plaster and bandage 'em up and they will finish their joy ride in the cart. Reckon they'll go up hill some slower than they came down." Poor Limpy-toes stood and looked at his ruined automobile.
Silver Ears took his fur cap and cane, Limpy-toes hung up his great-coat, and the twins captured both his kindly paws and danced back to the chimney corner with him. Buster was such a fat, lazy fellow that he just sat upon his little stool and waited for his uncle to come to him.
When Mother Graymouse, with Squealer and the twins, returned from making Granny Whiskers an afternoon call, she found Silver Ears and Buster setting the tea-table. "Where is Limpy-toes?" she asked. "He was here only a few minutes ago," said Silver Ears. Supper was ready and still Limpy-toes was missing. Mother Graymouse grew uneasy.
"I'd like to see ice on the pond before we go home." "Why, Betsey Graymouse, we would all freeze!" cried Granny. "It would be horrid," shivered Aunt Squeaky. Dot Squeaky closed her summer school when the cool days came, and bade her little pupils good-by until another year. Limpy-toes worked, whenever Grand-daddy could spare him, upon his broken automobile.
"Runs fine," said Grand-daddy. "'Most takes my breath away," gasped Buster. "Say, Limpy-toes, why are we stopping?" "Run down again, I guess," sighed Limpy-toes. "Must we stop every few minutes and wear our paws out cranking it up forty-'leven times?" grumbled Grand-daddy. Again they were off and again they stopped. This time they were in the middle of Mr. Giant's clover field.
Mother Graymouse sighed and wiped a tear away with her handkerchief. The five little mice tiptoed to their places at the table very quietly, for Limpy-toes had rocked Baby Squealer to sleep at last. They ate their supper in silence. Only Tiny and Teenty whispered and giggled softly to each other. Suddenly there was a great scrambling and scratching outside.
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