Tim Tim Tamytam searched about in the sawdust and twigs until he found a tiny bit of bayberry candle, and, putting this in his pocket, he turned to go out of the hole.  But just then Tom Tom Teenyweeny walked in the door.

“Hello, Tom Tom Teenyweeny!” Tim Tim cried cheerily.

“Hello, Tim Tim Tamytam!” Tom Tom cried at the same time, “What ever has happened to your lovely home, Tim Tim?”

“Well, I will tell you, Tom Tom,” Tim Tim answered, “You know Mrs. Fuzzytail lived with her grandchildren squirrels up in the top of the tree, and they had a very cozy den up there, too, but Mrs. Fuzzytail wished to make some small improvements, such as a new peep-hole window and a little cupboard for Chinkapins and hickory nuts.  So last summer she sent for the carpenter ants and arranged with them to do the carpenter work.  And do you know, Tom Tom,” and here Tim Tim Tamytam put his hand upon Tom Tom’s shoulder and got very confidential, “those mischievous carpenter ants, when they once got started, they sawed and chipped, until they had cut almost all of the shell of the tree away, and when it blew so very hard last night the top of the tree broke right in two, where the ants had made their tunnels, and down it fell with a great crash and made this great pile of sawdust and sticks!” “Dear me!” said Tom Tom.  “Was anyone hurt when the top of the tree fell?”

“Fortunately no one was injured!” Tim Tim replied, “But our home was ruined and so was Mrs. Fuzzytail’s and Wally Woodpecker’s, the bachelor and we have been out looking for another home.  If you will come with me, Tom Tom, I will show it to you, for now I have a candle and can look about inside!”

So Tim Tim and Tom Tom ran back along the tiny wood-folk path until they came to the place where Tim Tim had left Mrs. Tamytam.

There hung her knitting bag upon the stem of a flower, but Tum Tum Tamytam was no where about.

“OOOHooooo!” Tim Tim called, putting his hands to his mouth and forming a sort of horn.  Charley Chipmunk stopped whittling upon a hickory nut and peeped over the limb to see who called.

Mrs. Tamytam did not answer, so Tom Tom took a leaf and rolled it into a horn.  Across the small end he strung a fibre from a piece of moss and with this elfin horn he blew the Tim Tim Tamytam wood-call:  “Tahoo Tahoo Tahoo-hoo-hoo!”

“That’s the Tim Tim Tamytam call!” all the wood creatures, said, as they listened.

“Tahoo Tahoo Tahoo-hoo-hoo!”

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

And as Tim Tim and Tom Tom listened, they heard away off the answering Tamytam wood-call:  “Toowoo-toowoo-tooawoooooo!” sounding like the plaintive notes of the turtle dove but was easily distinguished by any of the woodfolk.

Tim Tim and Tom Tom followed the sound of the answering call until they came to a beautiful woodland glade.  There, where the sweet ferns and fragrant flowers grew in profusion and a carpet of velvety moss spread upon the ground, they saw Mrs. Tom Tom Teenyweeny and Mrs. Tim Tim Tamytam with tiny brooms sweeping out a little hole in a great blue-gray beech tree.