Bright and early the next morning, Mrs. Johnson carried Stuart out to the picnic table.   Billy ran into the barn to get some new straw.

"Don't worry, Stuart," said Mrs. Johnson.   "Soon, you'll be as good as new."

Billy came running up from the barn.   His arms were loaded with fresh, clean straw.   Mrs. Johnson started to walk back toward the house.

"I'll be right back, Billy.   I'm going to get Stuart a clean pair of work pants."

Billy hopped up onto the table and rested Stuart's head in his lap.

"You'll soon be fixed up, Stuart.   Mom is even going to put new pants on you."

Mrs. Johnson came from the house.   A pair of fresh, clean work pants and a quilt were draped over her arm.   She put the new pants on Stuart and stuffed them full of straw.

"Billy," she said, "we don't need Stuart in the garden anymore.   Now that he is all fresh and clean, let's put Grandma's quilt around him and store him in the barn."

"Will we put him up in the garden next spring?" asked Billy.

"We sure will.   He did such a great job for us this summer.   We'll be sure and let him work for us next year."

When she was done, Mrs. Johnson lifted Stuart up and carried him into the barn.

Billy carried the quilt and followed along behind her.

Billy laid some plastic down on two bales of straw near the horse stall, then he laid the quilt on top of the plastic.

Mrs. Johnson laid Stuart on the quilt and drew the edges of it and the plastic up around him.   She tucked the edges under him so that the quilt and plastic were wrapped tightly around him.

As Billy and his mother turned to walk back to the house, Billy called out to Stuart.

"Have a nice winter's sleep, Stuart.   See you in the spring."