He hadn’t the least bit of hope left.  And all the time Farmer Brown’s boy was trudging along, whistling merrily.  You see, it didn’t occur to him to think how Grandfather Frog must be suffering and how terribly frightened he must be.  He wasn’t cruel.  No, indeed, Farmer Brown’s boy wasn’t cruel.  That is, he didn’t mean to be cruel.  He was just thoughtless, like a great many other boys, and girls too.

So he went whistling on his way until he reached the Long Lane leading from the Green Meadows up to Farmer Brown’s dooryard.  No sooner was he in the Long Lane than something happened.  A great cloud of dust and leaves and tiny sticks was dashed in his face and nearly choked him.  Dirt got in his eyes.  His hat was snatched from his head and went sailing over into the garden.  He dropped Grandfather Frog and felt for his handkerchief to wipe the dirt from his eyes.

“Phew!” exclaimed Farmer Brown’s boy, as he started after his hat.  “It’s funny where that wind came from so suddenly!”

But you know and I know that it was the Merry Little Breezes working together who made up that sudden wind.  And Grandfather Frog ought to have known it too, but he didn’t.  You see the dust had got in his nose and eyes just as it had in those of Farmer Brown’s boy, and he was so frightened and confused that he couldn’t think.  So he lay just where Farmer Brown’s boy dropped him, and he didn’t have any more hope than before.

XVI

THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES WORK HARD

The Merry Little Breezes almost shouted aloud with delight when they saw Farmer Brown’s boy drop Grandfather Frog to feel for his handkerchief and wipe out the dust which they had thrown in his eyes.  Then he had to climb the fence and chase his hat through the garden.  They would let him almost get his hands on it and then, just as he thought that he surely had it, they would snatch it away.  It was great fun for the Merry Little Breezes.  But they were not doing it for fun.  No, indeed, they were not doing it for fun!  They were doing it to lead Farmer Brown’s boy away from Grandfather Frog.

Just as soon as they dared, they dropped the hat and then separated and rushed away in all directions across the Green Meadows, over to the Green Forest, and down to the Smiling Pool.  What were they going for?  Why, to hunt for some of Grandfather Frog’s friends and ask their help.  You see, the Merry Little Breezes could make Farmer Brown’s boy drop Grandfather Frog, but they couldn’t untie a knot or cut a string, and this is just what had got to be done to set Grandfather Frog free, for his hind-legs were tied together.  So now they were looking for some one with sharp teeth, who thought enough of Grandfather Frog to come and help him.

One thought of Striped Chipmunk and started for the old stone wall to look for him.  Another went in search of Danny Meadow Mouse.  A third headed for the dear Old Briar-patch after Peter Rabbit.  A fourth remembered Jimmy Skunk and how he had once set Blacky the Crow free from a snare.  A fifth remembered what sharp teeth Happy Jack Squirrel has and hurried over to the Green Forest to look for him.  A sixth started straight for the Smiling Pool to tell Jerry Muskrat.  And every one of them raced as fast as he could.