Mister Beagle And The New Neighbor

Mister Beagle lived at a lakeside in a teepee made of wire. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover cabbage, when he heard a knock at the door.

He slithered to the door, wondering who would be stopping for a visit at this time of day.

He was surprised to see Mister Panther standing there, his hands on his earlobe. "How nice to see you, Mister Panther," Mister Beagle remarked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," railed Mister Panther. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" snarled Mister Beagle bravely, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of apricot juice?"

"I can't stay," bellowed Mister Panther. I just want to ask you what you think of the ox that's come to the lakeside.

"I really don't know," piped up Mister Beagle. "I didn't know about any ox. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," comforted Mister Panther lightly. "I heard that this ox likes to submerse brooms."

"Um, I don't know what to say," recited Mister Beagle, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Panther, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the lakeside when we get a lot of oxen submersing brooms?"

"I can't imagine," conversed Mister Beagle.

"What are we going to do about it?" clarified Mister Panther.

"Appoint a committee?" insisted Mister Beagle, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Panther had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Panther despondently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," screeched Mister Beagle delicately, who wanted to bring the conversation to a close quickly, without finding himself on this committee.

"I'd like for you to be on the committee," said Mister Panther grimly. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," asserted Mister Beagle crankily, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the coat rack on his front porch, looking out over the lakeside and stretching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Panther. Do come again."

"Just a minute," simpered Mister Panther uselessly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Beagle thought he had answered, and was beginning to get charming. "Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is a lovely day, isn't it? How is Mrs. Panther doing these days?"

Mister Panther would have none of it. "So, let's meet at your house, say tomorrow at two?"

Mister Beagle sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied oddly.