Chapter 16

BOASTFUL TALK



"I SUPPOSE you've heard of my great adventure?" Daddy Longlegs began, as soon as he learned that Rusty Wren was alone--that is, alone except for his six growing children inside the house. "No doubt you know all about my daring deed?"

"Why, no!" Rusty Wren replied, looking at his caller with no little wonder--for he had always believed Daddy Longlegs to be one of the mildest and most timid of all the field-people. "What have you been doing?" Rusty asked.

"Something that you've never done!" Daddy Longlegs told him proudly. "I took a ride in Farmer Green's wagon yesterday, after the old horse Ebenezer!"

"Yes! yes! Go on!" Rusty urged him. "What happened to you?"

"What happened to me!" cried Daddy Longlegs. "I should think that riding in a wagon was adventure enough for anyone, without any other sort of danger added to it."

But Rusty Wren didn't agree with him.

"Riding in a wagon is nothing," he declared. "Farmer Green rides in one almost every day. And as for it's being dangerous, there's only the danger that you'll be late arriving at the place where you're going--especially if you have to depend on old Ebenezer to take you. He's several thousand times my size; yet I can fly further in a day than he can trot in two weeks."

Well, Rusty's scoffing remarks made Daddy Longlegs quite peevish. He had come to Rusty's house in order to boast. And of course he was disappointed when he found that Rusty Wren did not think him a hero at all.

"We'll say no more about the matter," Daddy observed stiffly. "I can see that you are jealous. And I always make it a rule not to dispute with jealous people."

Rusty Wren couldn't help feeling somewhat ashamed. He realized that perhaps he had not been very polite to his caller. "I meant no harm," he ventured "And if you want to change the subject, I've no objection."

"Very well!" Daddy Longlegs replied. "Let's talk about your cousin's party at Black Creek. I was sorry not to be present at it. But the high wind prevented me from travelling that day."

Then it was Rusty Wren's turn to look disappointed.

"There wasn't any party," he said. "Old Mr. Crow was mistaken. My cousin's party took place exactly a year earlier. So Mr. Crow was twelve months late with his news."

When he heard that, Daddy Longlegs couldn't help laughing right in Rusty Wren's face.

"I don't see any joke," Rusty snapped. "I can tell you that it's a good deal of a disappointment to have your mind all made up for a party, and then find that there is none."

"Perhaps you're right," said Daddy Longlegs. "Anyhow, I'm glad