The Tale of Snowball Lamb   By: Arthur Scott Bailey (1877-1949)

SLUMBER TOWN TALES

(Trademark Registered)

BY

ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY

AUTHOR OF SLEEPY TIME TALES (Trademark Registered)

TUCK ME IN TALES (Trademark Registered)

THE TALE OF THE MULEY COW THE TALE OF OLD DOG SPOT THE TALE OF GRUNTY PIG THE TALE OF HENRIETTA HEN THE TALE OF TURKEY PROUDFOOT THE TALE OF PONY TWINKLEHEELS THE TALE OF MISS KITTY CAT

[Illustration: "You'd Better Git Out of the Way," Said Henrietta Hen.

The Tale of Snowball Lamb.

Frontispiece ( Page 16 )]

SLUMBER TOWN TALES (Trademark Registered)

THE TALE OF SNOWBALL LAMB

BY ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY Author of "SLEEPY TIME TALES" (Trademark Registered)

and

"TUCK ME IN TALES" (Trademark Registered)

ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY L. SMITH

NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS

Made in the United States of America

COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY GROSSET & DUNLAP

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I BLACK AND WHITE 7

II A RIDE TO TOWN 12

III MRS. HEN TELLS TALES 17

IV SCHOOL BEGINS 22

V THE PROMISED TREAT 29

VI MR. CROW EXPLAINS 33

VII WARNING THE FLOCK 38

VIII SALTING THE SHEEP 43

IX CIRCUS TRICKS 50

X THE TIGER 55

XI CRACKED CORN 60

XII THE ACCIDENT 64

XIII FOLLOW MY LEADER 69

XIV TEASING UNCLE JERRY 74

XV UNCLE JERRY OBJECTS 79

XVI AUNT NANCY'S PLAN 84

XVII A TERRIBLE MIX UP 88

XVIII THE SWING 92

XIX THE WRONG TARGET 97

XX THE SWIMMING HOLE 102

XXI A DUCKING 107

XXII A GREAT JOKE 112

XXIII A MYSTERY 117

XXIV HALF AND HALF 122

THE TALE OF SNOWBALL LAMB

I

BLACK AND WHITE

"Hurrah!" Johnnie Green shouted. And he dashed out of the woodshed and ran to the barnyard as fast as he could scamper.

There was a good reason for his high spirits and his haste. His father had just told him he might have a lamb for a pet.

Farmer Green followed Johnnie at a slower pace. When he reached the barnyard fence Johnnie was already on the other side of it, trying to catch a certain black lamb.

Now, Johnnie Green was spry; but this black lamb was sprier. Whenever Johnnie thought he had the lamb the black rascal always managed to slip out of his clutches.

"I'll help you," said Farmer Green. And climbing the fence, he soon had the lively lamb cornered and caught.

Then Johnnie lost no time in taking his new pet in his own arms.

"I'm going to call him " Johnnie began, as his father let go of the struggling black armful.

But Johnnie Green never finished what he had started to say. The first thing he knew the lamb had squirmed out of his arms and was running up the lane.

Johnnie straightened up and gazed after him in dismay.

"I don't believe I'll call him anything," he murmured, half to himself.

Farmer Green couldn't help laughing. And then, noticing a very disappointed look on Johnnie's face, he said, "Cheer up, Johnnie! That lamb is the youngest one on the farm, but he's too big for a pet. He's a wild one. Let him run with the flock and we'll see if we can't do something to make you feel happy."

Well, Johnnie Green knew that when his father talked like that it was silly to be glum. So he cried, "All right!" And turning his back upon the black lamb, which was by this time almost up to the head of the lane, Johnnie walked back to the woodshed.