Happy Jack
Page 2
"When leaves turn yellow, brown, and red, And nuts come pitter, patter down; When days are short and swiftly sped, And Autumn wears her colored gown, I'm up before old Mr. Sun His nightcap has a chance to doff, And have my day's work well begun When others kick their bedclothes off."
"What are you filling your storehouse with?" asked Happy Jack, tryingnot to show too much interest.
"Corn, nice ripe yellow corn, and seeds and acorns and chestnuts,"answered Striped Chipmunk. "And now I'm looking for some big, fathickory nuts," he added, and his bright eyes twinkled. "Have you seenany, Happy Jack?"
Happy Jack said that he hadn't seen any, and Striped Chipmunk remarkedthat he couldn't waste any more time talking, and scurried away. HappyJack watched him go, a puzzled little frown puckering up his brows.
"I believe he knows something about those nuts. I think I'll follow himand have a peep into his storehouse," he muttered.
CHAPTER VI
HAPPY JACK SPIES ON STRIPED CHIPMUNK
It's more important to mind your own affairs than to know what yourneighbors are doing, but not nearly so interesting.
_Happy Jack._
Striped Chipmunk was whisking about among the brown-and-yellow leavesthat covered the ground on the edge of the Green Forest. He is such alittle fellow that he looked almost like a brown leaf himself, and whenone of Old Mother West Wind's Merry Little Breezes whirled the brownleaves in a mad little dance around him, it was the hardest work in theworld to see Striped Chipmunk at all. Anyway, Happy Jack Squirrel foundit so.
You see, Happy Jack was spying on Striped Chipmunk. Yes, Sir, Happy Jackwas spying. Spying, you know, is secretly watching other people andtrying to find out what they are doing. It isn't a nice thing to do, nota bit nice. Happy Jack knew it, and all the time he was doing it, he wasfeeling very much ashamed of himself. But he said to himself that hejust _had_ to know where Striped Chipmunk's storehouse was, because hejust _had_ to peep inside and find out if it held any of the big, fathickory nuts that had disappeared from under the tall hickory treewhile he was quarreling up in the top of it with his cousin, Chattererthe Red Squirrel.
But spying on Striped Chipmunk isn't the easiest thing in the world.Happy Jack was finding it the hardest work he had ever undertaken.Striped Chipmunk is so spry, and whisks about so, that you need eyes allaround your head to keep track of him. Happy Jack found that his twoeyes, bright and quick as they are, couldn't keep that little elf of acousin of his always in sight. Every few minutes he would disappear andthen bob up again in the most unexpected place and most provoking way.
"Now I'm here, and now I'm there! Now I am not anywhere! Watch me now, for here I go Out of sight! I told you so!"
With the last words, Striped Chipmunk was nowhere to be seen. It seemedas if the earth must have opened and swallowed him. But it hadn't, fortwo minutes later Happy Jack saw him flirting his funny little tail inthe sauciest way as he scampered along an old log.
Happy Jack began to suspect that Striped Chipmunk was just having funwith him. What else could he mean by saying such things? And yet HappyJack was sure that Striped Chipmunk hadn't seen him, for, all the timehe was watching, Happy Jack had taken the greatest care to keep hiddenhimself. No, it couldn't be, it just couldn't be that Striped Chipmunkknew that he was anywhere about. He would just be patient a littlelonger, and he would surely see that smart little cousin of his go tohis storehouse. So Happy Jack waited and watched.
CHAPTER VII
STRIPED CHIPMUNK HAS FUN WITH HAPPY JACK
Thrift is the meat in the nut of success.
_Happy Jack._
Striped Chipmunk would shout in his shrillest voice:
"Hipperty, hopperty, one, two, three! What do you think becomes of me?"
Then he would vanish from sight all in the wink of an eye. You couldn'ttell where he went to. At least Happy Jack couldn't, and his eyes aresharper than yours or mine. Happy Jack was spying, you remember. He waswatching Striped Chipmunk without letting Striped Chipmunk know it. Atleast he thought he was. But really he wasn't. Those sharp twinklingeyes of Striped Chipmunk see everything. You know, he is such a verylittle fellow that he has to be very wide-awake to keep out of danger.
And he _is_ wide-awake. Oh, my, yes, indeed! When he is awake, and thatis every minute of the daytime, he is the most wide-awake little fellowyou ever did see. He had seen Happy Jack the very first thing, and hehad guessed right away that Happy Jack was spying on him so as to findout if he had any of the big, fat hickory nuts. Now Striped Chipmunk had_all_ of those fat hickory nuts safely hidden in his splendid newstorehouse, but he didn't intend to let Happy Jack know it. So he justpretended not to see Happy Jack, or to know that he was anywhere near,but acted as if he was just going about his own business. Really he wasjust having the best time ever fooling Happy Jack.
"The corn is ripe; the nuts do fall; Acorns are sweet and plump. I soon will have my storehouse full Inside the hollow stump."
Striped Chipmunk sang this just as if no one was anywhere near, and hewas singing just for joy. Of course Happy Jack heard it and he grinned.
"So your storehouse is in a hollow stump, my smart little cousin!" saidHappy Jack to himself. "If that's the case, I'll soon find it."
Striped Chipmunk scurried along, and now he took pains to always keep insight. Happy Jack followed, hiding behind the trees. Pretty soon StripedChipmunk picked up a plump acorn and put it in the pocket of his rightcheek. Then he picked up another and put that in the pocket in his leftcheek. Then he crowded another into each; and his face was swelled sothat you would hardly have guessed that it was Striped Chipmunk if youhad chanced to meet him. My, my, he was a funny sight! Happy Jackgrinned again as he watched, partly because Striped Chipmunk looked sofunny, and partly because he knew that if Striped Chipmunk was going toeat the acorns right away, he wouldn't stuff them into the pockets inhis cheeks. But he had done this very thing, and so he must be going totake them to his storehouse.
Off scampered Striped Chipmunk, and after him stole Happy Jack, his eyesshining with excitement. Pretty soon he saw an old stump which looked asif it must be hollow. Happy Jack grinned more than ever as he carefullyhid himself and watched. Striped Chipmunk scrambled up on the old stump,looked this way and that way, as if to be sure that no one was watchinghim, then with a flirt of his funny little tail he darted into a littleround doorway. He was gone a long time, but by and by out he popped,looked this way and that way, and then scampered off in the directionfrom which he had come. Happy Jack didn't try to follow him. He waiteduntil he was sure that Striped Chipmunk was out of sight and hearing,and then he walked over to the old stump.
"It's his storehouse fast enough," said Happy Jack.
CHAPTER VIII
HAPPY JACK TURNS BURGLAR
As trees from little acorns, so Great sums from little pennies grow.
_Happy Jack._
Happy Jack Squirrel stood in front of the old stump into which he hadseen Striped Chipmunk go with the pockets in his cheeks full of acorns,and out of which he had come with the pockets of his cheeks quite empty.
"It certainly is his storehouse, and now I'll find out if he is the onewho got all those big, fat hickory nuts," muttered Happy Jack.
First he looked this way, and then he looked that way, to be sure thatno one saw him, for what he was planning to do was a very dreadfulthing, and he knew it. Happy Jack was going to turn burglar. A burglar,you know, is one who breaks into another's house or barn to steal, whichis a very, very dreadful thing to do. Yet this is just what Happy JackSquirrel was planning to do. He was going to get into that old stump,and if those big, fat hickory nuts were there, as he was sure they were,he was going to take them. He tried very hard to make himself believethat it wouldn't be stealing. He had watched those nuts in the top ofthe tall hickory tree so long that he had grown to think that theybelonged to him. Of course they didn't, but he had made himself thinkthey did.
Happy Jack took one more hasty look around to see that no one waswatching, then with his long sharp teeth he began to make the doorwaylarger. The wood was tough, but Happy Jack worked with might and main,for he wanted to get those nuts and get away before Striped Chipmunkshould return, or any one else should happen along and see him. Soon thehole was big enough for him to get his head inside. It was a storehouse,sure enough. Happy Jack worked harder than ever, and soon the hole waslarge enough for him to get wholly inside.
What a sight! There was corn! and there were chestnuts and acorns! andthere were a few hickory nuts, though these did not look so big and fatas the ones Happy Jack was looking for! Happy Jack chuckled to himself,a wicked, greedy chuckle, as he looked. And then something happened.
"Oh! Oh! Stop it! Leave me alone!" yelled Happy Jack.
CHAPTER IX
HAPPY JACK SQUIRREL'S SAD MISTAKE
A Squirrel always is thrifty. Be as wise as a Squirrel.
_Happy Jack._
"Let me go! Let me go!" yelled Happy Jack, as he backed out of thehollow stump faster than he had gone in, a great deal faster. Can youguess why? I'll tell you. It was because he was being pulled out. Yes,Sir, Happy Jack Squirrel was being pulled out by his big, bushy tail.
Happy Jack was more frightened than hurt. To be sure, it is not at allcomfortable to have one's tail pulled, but Happy Jack wouldn't haveminded this so much had it not been so unexpected, or if he could haveseen who was pulling it. And then, right inside Happy Jack didn't feel abit good. Why? Well, because he was doing a dreadful thing, and he_knew_ that it was a dreadful thing. He had broken into somebody'sstorehouse to steal. He was sure that it was Striped Chipmunk'sstorehouse, and he wouldn't admit to himself that he was going to steal,actually _steal_. But all the time, right down deep in his heart, heknew that if he took any of those hickory nuts it would be stealing.
But Happy Jack had been careless. When he had made the doorway bigenough for him to crawl inside, he had left his tail hanging outside.Some one had very, very softly stolen up and grabbed it and begun topull. It was so sudden and unexpected that Happy Jack yelled withfright. When he could get his wits together, he thought of courseStriped Chipmunk had come back and was pulling his tail. When he thoughtthat, he got over his fright right away, for Striped Chipmunk is such alittle fellow that Happy Jack knew that he had nothing; to fear fromhim.
So as fast as he could, Happy Jack backed out of the hole and whirledaround. Of course he expected to face a very angry little Chipmunk. Buthe didn't. No, Sir, he didn't. Instead, he looked right into the angryface of his other cousin, Chatterer the Red Squirrel. And Chatterer_was_ angry! Oh my, my, how angry Chatterer was! For a minute hecouldn't find his voice, because his anger fairly choked him. And whenhe did, how his tongue did fly!
"You thief! You robber! What are you doing in my storehouse?" heshrieked.
Happy Jack backed away hurriedly, for though he is much bigger thanChatterer, he has a very wholesome respect for Chatterer's sharp teeth,and when he is very angry, Chatterer is a great fighter.
"I--I didn't know it was your storehouse," said Happy Jack, backingaway still further.
"It doesn't make any difference if you didn't; you're a thief just thesame!" screamed Chatterer and rushed at Happy Jack. And what do youthink Happy Jack did? Why, he just turned tail and ran, Chatterer afterhim, crying "Thief! Robber! Coward!" at the top of his lungs, so thatevery one in the Green Forest could hear.
CHAPTER X
STRIPED CHIPMUNK'S HAPPY THOUGHT
Waste seems to me a dreadful sin; It works to lose and not to win.
Thrift will win; it cannot lose. Between them 'tis for you to choose.
_Happy Jack._
Striped Chipmunk sat on a mossy old log, laughing until his sides ached."Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho! Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!"laughed Striped Chipmunk, holding his sides. Over in the Green Forest hecould still hear Chatterer the Red Squirrel crying "Thief! Robber!" ashe chased his big cousin, Happy Jack, and every time he heard it,Striped Chipmunk laughed harder.
You see, Striped Chipmunk had known all the time that Happy Jack wasspying on him, and he had had no end of fun fooling Happy Jack bysuddenly disappearing and then bobbing into view. He had known thatHappy Jack was following him so as to find out where his storehouse was.Then Striped Chipmunk had remembered the storehouse of Chatterer the RedSquirrel. He had filled the pockets in his cheeks with acorns and gonestraight over to Chatterer's storehouse and put them inside, knowingthat Happy Jack would follow him and would think that that was hisstorehouse. And that is just what happened.
Then Striped Chipmunk had hidden himself where he could see all thathappened. He had seen Happy Jack look all around, to make sure that noone was near, and then tear open the little round doorway of Chatterer'sstorehouse until it was big enough for him to squeeze through. He hadseen Chatterer come up, fly into a rage, and pull Happy Jack out by thetail. Indeed, he had had to clap both hands over his mouth to keep fromlaughing out loud. Then Happy Jack had turned tail and run away withChatterer after him, shouting "Thief" and "Robber" at the top of hisvoice, and this had tickled Striped Chipmunk still more, for he knewthat Chatterer himself is one of the greatest thieves in the GreenForest. So he sat on the mossy old log and laughed and laughed andlaughed.
Finally Striped Chipmunk wiped the tears from his eyes and jumped up."My, my, this will never do!" said he.
"Idle hands and idle feet Never filled a storehouse yet; But instead, so I've heard say, Into mischief surely get."
"Here it is almost Thanksgiving and--" Striped Chipmunk stopped andscratched his head, while a funny little pleased look crept into hisface. "I wonder if Happy Jack and Chatterer would come to aThanksgiving dinner," he muttered. "I believe I'll ask them just forfun."
Then Striped Chipmunk hurried home full of his new idea and chuckled ashe planned his Thanksgiving dinner. Of course he couldn't have it at hisown house. That wouldn't do at all. In the first place, the doorwaywould be altogether too small for Happy Jack. Anyway, his home was asecret, his very own secret, and he didn't propose to let Happy Jack andChatterer know where it was, even for a Thanksgiving dinner. Then hethought of the big, smooth, mossy log he had been sitting on that verymorning.
"The very place!" cried Striped Chipmunk, and scurried away to findHappy Jack Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel to invite them to hisThanksgiving dinner.
CHAPTER XI
STRIPED CHIPMUNK'S THANKSGIVING DINNER
There's nothing quite so sweet in life As making up and ending strife.
_Happy Jack._
Striped Chipmunk jumped out of bed very early Thanksgiving morning. Itwas going to be a very busy day. He had invited Happy Jack the GraySquirrel, and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, to eat Thanksgiving dinnerwith him, and each had promised to be there. Striped Chipmunk chuckledas he thought how neither of his guests knew that the other was to bethere. He washed his face and hands, brushed his hair, and ate hisbreakfast. Then he scurried over to his splendid new storehouse, whichno one knew of but himself, and stuffed the pockets in his cheeks withgood things to eat. When he couldn't stuff another thing in, he scurriedover to the nice, mossy log on the edge of the Green Forest, and therehe emptied his pockets, for that was to be his dining table.
Back and forth, back and forth between his secret storehouse and thesmooth, mossy log hurried Striped Chipmunk. He knew that Happy Jack andthe Chatterer have great appetites, and he wanted to be sure that therewas plenty of good t
hings to eat. And as he scurried along, he sang alittle song.
"Thanksgiving comes but once a year, But when it comes it brings good cheer. For in my storehouse on this day Are piles of good things hid away. Each day I've worked from early morn To gather acorns, nuts, and corn, Till now I've plenty and to spare Without a worry or a care. So light of heart the whole day long, I'll sing a glad Thanksgiving song."
Promptly at the dinner hour Happy Jack appeared coming from onedirection, and Chatterer the Red Squirrel coming from another direction.They didn't see each other until just as they reached Striped Chipmunk'ssmooth, mossy log. Then they stopped and scowled. Striped Chipmunkpretended not to notice anything wrong and bustled about, talking allthe time as if his guests were the best of friends.
On the smooth, mossy log was a great pile of shining yellow corn. Therewas another pile of plump ripe acorns, and three little piles of daintylooking brown seeds. But the thing that Happy Jack couldn't keep hiseyes off was right in the middle. It was a huge pile of big, fat hickorynuts. Now who could remain ill-tempered and cross with such a lot ofgoodies spread before him? Certainly not Happy Jack or his cousin,Chatterer the Red Squirrel. They just had to smile in spite ofthemselves, and when Striped Chipmunk urged them to sit down and helpthemselves, they did. In three minutes they were so busy eating thatthey had forgotten all about their quarrel and were laughing andchatting like the best of friends.
"It's quite a family party, isn't it?" said Striped Chipmunk, for youknow they are all cousins.