Freddy Plays Football by Walter R. Brooks

Mrs. Bean took hold of Mr. Doty’s arm and squeezed it. “Why of course, Aaron,” she said, smiling at him, “that was perfectly natural. Well, you don’t have to worry about that any longer.” She looked down at Freddy. “Your detective work has made you too suspicious, Freddy,” she said. “Brother Aaron has given us a straightforward explanation, and I hope you see now that your suspicions were uncalled for. All you animals see that now, I hope?” she said, looking around at them.
    The animals all nodded, though some of them still looked doubtful. Mr. Bean knocked out his pipe and came back to the front of the porch. “We’ll all accept that explanation,” he said. “But you animals! You’re Bean animals. You live on this farm. You’ve got a right to ask questions. Remember that.” Then he waved his hand to dismiss them.
    â€œThree cheers for Mr. and Mrs. Bean,” Freddy called, and the animals cheered.
    â€œI think it would be nice if you gave three cheers for Brother Aaron, too,” said Mrs. Bean. So they gave them, too, but they were pretty limp cheers.
    When they were back in the barn, Freddy said: “I guess there is nothing more we can do right now. How many of you believe Mr. Doty’s explanation?”
    A number of the smaller animals put up their paws, and Mrs. Wiggins’ sister, Mrs. Wogus, raised a hoof. When some of those who had put up paws saw that, they put them down again, because everybody knew that Mrs. Wogus wasn’t very bright, and was almost certain to be wrong.
    â€œOh, well,” said Freddy, “you have a right to your own opinions. Personally I think Doty made the whole thing up. He’s pretty good at making up excuses, you know. I don’t think Garble is the kind of man who would pay for a long distance call from somebody he didn’t know, or would send money to a stranger. I think he knew Doty before. But I can’t prove it. Mr. Doty was too smart for us this time. But give me a few days, and maybe I can find out some things.”
    â€œGive Doty a few days, you mean,” said Jinx angrily, “so he’ll get the money and beat it. We ought to run him off the place!”
    A good many of the animals agreed, but Freddy said: “That wouldn’t do any good. You know how honest the Beans are. As long as Mrs. Bean thinks Mr. Doty is her brother, she’ll give him the money, and whether he’s in a deal with Garble makes no difference to her. Even if we proved him a crook, he’s still her brother and so entitled to the money.”
    So Mrs. Wiggins declared the meeting adjourned, and the animals all went back home.

Chapter 6
    Next afternoon Freddy started to walk down to Centerboro. It was a cool fall day, and as he trotted along briskly he began to compose a poem for the next issue of the Bean Home News. He was writing a series on The Features, and had already done the nose and ears, so he thought he would do one about the mouth. But each time, after two or three lines, Mr. Doty kept coming into it. The first one went:
    The mouth is quite a useful feature;
    With it, three times a day, you eat your
    Meals, and with it, Doty produces
    Big lies, and very lame excuses.
    â€œTut, tut,” said Freddy; “I can’t put that in the paper.” So he started again.
    The mouth, between the nose and chin ,
    Is used for (quietly) taking in
    Both food and drink. Also for speaking,
    For singing, hollering and shrieking.
    But if you let it talk too much
    You’ll find it getting you in dutch ,
    For it, unless used just for grub, ’ll
    Cause you an awful lot of trouble.
    And you will find, like Mr. Doty ,
    That—
    â€œOh, dear,” said Freddy, “there he is again!” Then as a great clattering and roaring began in the distance and grew louder behind him, he looked around. “And there he really is!” he exclaimed, for Mr. Doty’s car was