mr. frog's scheme of measuring the beaver family for new suits had just one drawback; the beaver family liked it too well. so pleased were they over the prospect of having "unfashionable" clothes like mr. frog's at last that all of them wanted to be measured not once but several times. and each and every one, as soon as mr. frog had taken his measurements, went out through the back door and slipped around the little building, to wait again at the foot of the line.

now, mr. frog was a spry worker.[72] he passed his tape around his customers and jotted down figures on flat, black stones as fast as he could make his fingers fly. and if it hadn't been for just one thing ferdinand frog would have been quite happy. but beginning with his first customer, he was somewhat troubled; for in the whole company he found not one who had brought his pocket-book with him.

"what's the matter?" he asked grandaddy beaver, when the old gentleman's turn came. "didn't you tell 'em what i said about pocket-books?"

"i certainly did!" grandaddy replied. "i told them to be sure to leave their pocket-books at home."

mr. frog gulped once or twice, as if he were swallowing something unpleasant. and he looked most surprised.

"why, that's exactly wrong!" he cried.[73]

"is that so?" grandaddy beaver quavered. "then i must have made a mistake. you know i'm a leetle hard of hearing."

"never mind!" ferdinand frog answered, for he always took his troubles lightly. "bring 'em when you come to have your clothes fitted and it'll be all right."

so he worked on. but by and by he began to grow uneasy again. and now and then he paused and went to the window, where he peered somewhat anxiously at the beavers who waited before his door in a long line.

"it's queer!" mr. frog exclaimed aloud at last. "here i've been measuring 'em for an hour and a half; and there's just as many of 'em left. . . . i'll have to stop soon," he continued, "for i'm going to a singing-party to-[74]night. and i don't want to be late."

his customers, however, wouldn't hear of his leaving. the moment mr. frog's remarks passed down the line, the beaver family began to jostle and push one another. they crowded inside the tailor's shop.

and to get rid of them, mr. frog worked faster than ever. so great was his haste that he measured everybody wrong; whereas before he had measured them correctly, while merely scratching wrong figures upon the stones.

and finally he stopped suddenly. as grandaddy beaver stepped forward to be measured for the fourth time it dawned upon mr. frog that he had measured him several times already.

but ferdinand frog said nothing at all.

holding one end of his tape in his[75] mouth, he passed the other end around grandaddy's plump body.

all at once a cry of dismay came from the customers who were looking on while they waited.

"he's swallowing the tape!" they cried, pointing to mr. frog.

it was true. beneath their horrified gaze the tape-measure disappeared little by little inside mr. frog's mouth. and before any of them could come to his senses and seize the end of the yellow strip, it had vanished from view completely.

of course they saw that the tailor could work no longer that evening. so they filed sadly out of the shop.

"how did it happen?" they asked mr. frog, who was already locking his door.

"the tape stuck to my tongue," he explained. "everything does, you know.[76] but it doesn't matter, because i was hungry. and now i feel better."

so mr. frog reached the singing-party in time, after all.