Joyousallthewindsthatblow Itwasawonderfulgameofhide-and-seekthatWhitefoottheWoodmousewasplayingintheduskofearlyevening.Whitefootwas“it”allthetime. Thatis,hewastheonewhohadtodoallthehunting. Justwhohewashuntingforhedidn’tknow. HeknewitwasanotherWoodmouse,butitwasastranger,anddowhathewould,hecouldn’tgetsomuchasaglimpseofthislittlestranger. Hewoulddrumwithhisfeetandafteraslightpausetherewouldbeanansweringdrum. ThenWhitefootwouldrunasfastashecouldinthatdirectiononlytofindnooneatall. Thenhewoulddrumagainandthereplywouldcomefromanotherdirection. EverymomentWhitefootbecamemoreexcited. Heforgoteverything,evendanger,inhisdesiretoseethatlittledrummer. Onceortwiceheactuallylosthistemperinhisdisappointment.Butthiswasonlyforamoment. Hewastooeagertofindthatlittledrummertobeangryverylong. Atlasttherecameatimewhentherewasnoreplytohisdrumming.Hedrummedandlistened,thendrummedagainandlistened.Nothingwastobeheard.Therewasnoreply.Whitefoot’sheartsank. Alltheoldlonesomenesscreptoverhimagain. Hedidn’tknowwhichwaytoturntolookforthatstranger. Whenhehaddrummeduntilhewastired,hesatontheendofanoldlog,aperfectpictureofdisappointment. Hewassodisappointedthathecouldhavecriedifitwouldhavedoneanygood. Justashehadaboutmadeuphismindthattherewasnothingtodobuttotrytofindhiswayhome,hiskeenlittleearscaughtthefaintestrustleofdryleaves. InstantlyWhitefootwasalertandwatchful. Longagohehadlearnedtobesuspiciousofrustlingleaves. Theymighthavebeenrustledbythefeetofanenemystealinguponhim. NoWoodmousewhowantstolivelongiseverheedlessofrustlingleaves. Asstillasifhecouldn’tmove,Whitefootsatstaringattheplacefromwhichthatfaintsoundhadseemedtocome. Fortwoorthreeminutesheheardandsawnothing. Thenanotherleafrustledalittlebittooneside. Whitefootturnedlikeaflash,hisfeetgatheredunderhimreadyforalongjumpforsafety. Atfirsthesawnothing.Thenhebecameawareoftwobright,softlittleeyeswatchinghim. Hestaredatthemveryhardandthenalloverhimcreptthosefunnythrillshehadfeltwhenhehadfirstheardthedrummingofthestranger. Heknewwithoutbeingtoldthatthoseeyesbelongedtothelittledrummerwithwhomhehadbeenplayinghideandseeksolong. Whitefootheldhisbreath,hewassoafraidthatthoseeyeswouldvanish. Finallyherathertimidlyjumpeddownfromthelogandstartedtowardthosetwosofteyes.Theyvanished.Whitefoot’sheartsank. Hewastemptedtorushforward,buthedidn’t.Hesatstill. Therewasaslightrustleofftotheright. Alittlerayofmoonlightmadeitswaydownthroughthebranchesofthetreesjustthere,andinthemiddleofthelightspotitmadesatatimidlittleperson. ItseemedtoWhitefootthathewaslookingatthemostbeautifulWoodmouseinalltheGreatWorld. Suddenlyhefeltveryshyandtimidhimself. “Who—who—whoareyou?”hestammered. “IamlittleMissDainty,”repliedthestrangerbashfully. RightthenandthereWhitefoot’sheartwasfilledsofullofsomethingthatitseemedasifitwouldburst.Itwaslove. AllinthatinstantheknewthathehadfoundthemostwonderfulthinginalltheGreatWorld,whichofcourseislove. Heknewthathejustcouldn’tlivewithoutlittleMissDainty. 
