When Tom read those signs on Stubby Woodchuck’s and Cheepy Chipmunk’s doors, and when he saw how very sick the Chipmunks acted, he started away from there that very minute. His big green eyes were very wide, and he kept looking back toward Cheepy Chipmunk’s house, so that he did not notice where he was going, and the first thing he knew he bumped right into O. Possum’s house. And there on O. Possum’s door was a big sign in black letters reading,

Cat Cholera Here!
Come In and Help!

O. Possum’s door was closed, but poor scared Tom heard a terrible groan inside.[Pg 89] You see, O. Possum had been looking out of his window and had seen Tom Wildcat coming. It was hard to groan when he did so want to laugh.

Of course Tom jumped away from O. Possum’s house in a hurry, and with eyes wider than ever, started to get out of the woods in another direction. He kept looking back toward O. Possum’s house, and pretty soon he ran against Chatty Squirrel’s house, and there was another of those terrible signs:

Cat Cholera Here!
Come In and Help!

Well, Tom Wildcat jumped bac............