By the Roadside (Dunn and Troxell)/How the Toad Gets a Drink of Water

One summer a large fat toad lived in our back yard. We children had named him Hoppy Hop.
Every evening about sunset the toad came to the steps of the back porch. Here he sat for a long time. He blinked and blinked his big bright eyes. He looked very wise.
What do you think he was doing? He was waiting to catch something good to eat. He was getting his supper. For supper he had moths, flies, gnats, bugs, and mosquitoes.
That summer it was very hot. It did not rain for a long time. The grass died, and the earth was hard and dry. Hoppy Hop did not look so big and fat ​as when we first saw him. Yet he seemed to catch as many flies as ever.
Mother and Sister Mary talked about Hoppy Hop. Sister Mary said, "This hot weather is too much for that toad. I think he looks thinner every day."
"Yes," said Mother, "he is not so big and fat as he used to be. Maybe he is thirsty. It hasn't rained for a long time. I wonder whether he is getting enough water to drink."
Little Billy heard his Mother and Mary talking about the toad. He began to feel very sorry for poor Hoppy Hop.
"I will give Hoppy Hop some fresh cool water," Billy said. So he got one of his baby sister's little toy dishes and filled i

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