Happy Jack

by Thornton W. Burgess

  It was getting late in the afternoon, and soon the Black Shadows wouldbegin to creep out from the Purple Hills, behind which jolly, round, redMr. Sun would go to bed. It would be bedtime for Happy Jack then, foryou know he goes to bed very early, just as soon as it begins to getdark. The later it got, the more anxious and uneasy Happy Jack grew. Hehad just made up his mind that in a few minutes he would have to give upand go to bed when there was a flit of tiny wings, and Tommy Tit theChickadee dropped into the tree beside him.

  "Did you find out anything?" asked Happy Jack eagerly, before Tommy hada chance to say a word.

  "DID YOU FIND OUT ANYTHING?" ASKED HAPPY JACK EAGERLY.]

  Tommy nodded. "He's there!" he panted, for he was quite out of breathfrom hurrying so.

  "Where?" Happy Jack fairly shouted the question.

  "Over there in the house," replied Tommy Tit.

  "Then he hasn't gone away! It's just as I said, he hasn't gone away!"cried Happy Jack, and he was so relieved that he jumped up and down andas a result nearly tumbled out of the tree.

  "No," replied Tommy, "he hasn't gone away, but I think there issomething the matter with him."

  Happy Jack grew very sober. "What makes you think so?" he demanded.

  "If you'll give me time to get my breath, I'll tell you all about it,"retorted Tommy Tit.

  "All right, only please hurry," replied Happy Jack, and tried to lookpatient even if he wasn't.

  Tommy Tit smoothed out some rumpled feathers and was most provokinglyslow about it. "When I left here," he began at last, "I flew straight upto Farmer Brown's house, as I said I would. I flew all around it, butall I saw was that horrid Black Pussy on the back doorsteps, and shelooked at me so hungrily that she made me dreadfully uncomfortable. Idon't see what Farmer Brown keeps her about for, anyway."

  "Never mind her; go on!" interrupted Happy Jack.

  "Then I flew all around the barn, but I didn't see any one there butthat ugly little upstart, Bully the English Sparrow, and he wanted topick a fight with me right away." Tommy looked very indignant.

  "Never mind him, go on!" cried Happy Jack impatiently.

  "After that I flew back to the big maple tree close by the house,"continued Tommy. "You know Farmer Brown's boy has kept a piece of suettied in that tree all winter for me. I was hungry, and I thought Iwould get a bite to eat, but there wasn't any suet there. That pig of aSammy Jay had managed to get it untied and had carried it all away. Ofcourse that made me angry, and twice as hungry as before. I was tryingto make up my mind what to do next when I happened to look over on thewindow sill, and what do you think I saw there?"

  "What?" demanded Happy Jack eagerly.

  "A lot of cracked hickory nuts!" declared Tommy. "I just knew that theywere meant for me, and when I was sure that the way was clear, I flewover there. They tasted so good that I almost forgot about FarmerBrown's boy, when I just happened to look in the window. You know thosewindows are made of some queer stuff that looks like ice and isn't, andthat you can see right through."

  Happy Jack didn't know, for he never had been near enough to see, but henodded, and Tommy Tit went on.

  "There were many queer things inside, and I was wondering what theycould be when all of a sudden I saw _him_. He was lying down, and therewas something the matter with him. I tapped on the window to him andthen I hurried back here."

  CHAPTER XVIII

  HAPPY JACK DECIDES TO MAKE A CALL

  You'll find when all is said and done Two heads are better far than one.

  _Happy Jack._

  Happy Jack Squirrel hadn't slept very well. He had had bad dreams. Everso many times in the night he had waked up, a very unusual thing forHappy Jack. The fact is, he had something on his mind. Yes, Sir, HappyJack had something on his mind, and that something was Farmer Brown'sboy. He often had had Farmer Brown's boy on his mind before, but in avery different way. Then it had been in the days when Farmer Brown's boyhunted through the Green Forest and over the Green Meadows with histerrible gun. Then everybody had Farmer Brown's boy on their minds mostof the time. Happy Jack had hated him then, hated him because he hadfeared him. You know fear almost always leads to hate. But now it wasdifferent. Farmer Brown's boy had put away his terrible gun. Happy Jackno longer feared him. Love had taken the place of hate in his heart, forhad not Farmer Brown's boy saved him from Shadow the Weasel, and broughthim nuts and corn when food was scarce? And now Tommy Tit had broughtword that some thing was the matter with Farmer Brown's boy. It was thisthat was on Happy Jack's mind and had given him such a bad night.

  As soon as it was daylight, Happy Jack scrambled out of bed to look forTommy Tit. He didn't have long to wait, for Tommy is quite as early ariser as Happy Jack.

  "Dee, dee, chickadee! I hope you feel as well as me!"

  sang Tommy merrily, as he flitted over to where Happy Jack was lookingfor his breakfast. The very sound of Tommy's voice made Happy Jack feelbetter. One must feel very badly indeed not to be a little more cheerfulwhen Tommy Tit is about. The fact is, Tommy Tit packs about so muchgood cheer in that small person of his, that no one can be downheartedwhen he is about.

  "Hello, Tommy," said Happy Jack. "If I could make other people feel asgood as you do, do you know what I would do?"

  "What?" asked Tommy.

  "I'd go straight up to Farmer Brown's house and try to cheer up FarmerBrown's boy," replied Happy Jack.

  "That's the very thing I have in mind," chuckled Tommy. "I've come overhere to see if you won't come along with me. I've been up to his houseso often that he won't think half so much of a visit from me as he willfrom you. Will you do it?"

  Happy Jack looked a little startled. You see, he never had been over toFarmer Brown's house, and somehow he couldn't get over the idea that itwould be a very dangerous thing to do. "I--I--do you really suppose Icould?" he asked.

  "I'm sure of it," replied Tommy Tit. "There's no one to be afraid of butBlack Pussy and Bowser the Hound, and it's easy enough to keep out oftheir way. You can hide in the old stone wall until the way is clear andthen run across to the big maple tree close to the house. Then you canlook right in and see Farmer Brown's boy, and he can look out and seeyou. Will you do it?"

  Happy Jack thought very hard for a few minutes. Then he made up hismind. "I'll do it!" said he in a very decided tone of voice. "Let'sstart right away."

  "Good for you! Dee, dee, good for you!" cried Tommy Tit, and started tolead the way.

  CHAPTER XIX

  TOMMY TIT AND HAPPY JACK PAY A VISIT

  As grows the mighty elm tree, From just a tiny seed, So often great things happen From just a kindly deed.

  _Happy Jack._

  Great things were happening to Happy Jack Squirrel. He was actually onhis way to Farmer Brown's house, and he had a feeling that other thingswere likely to happen when he got there. Now you may not think that itwas anything very great that Happy Jack should be on his way to FarmerBrown's house. Very likely you are saying, "Pooh! that's nothing!" Thismay be true, and then again it may not. Suppose you do a littlesupposing. Suppose you had all your life been terribly afraid of a greatgiant fifty times bigger than you. Suppose that great giant had stoppedhunting you and by little deeds of kindness had at last won your love.Suppose you learned that something was the matter with him, and you madeup your mind to visit him at his great castle where there were othergreat giants whom you did not know. Wouldn't you think that great thingswere happening to you?

  Well, that is exactly the way it was with Happy Jack Squirrel, as heand Tommy Tit the Chickadee started to go over to Farmer Brown's houseto look for Farmer Brown's boy. Tommy Tit had been there often, so hedidn't think anything about it, but Happy Jack never had been there, andif the truth were known, his heart was going pitapat, pitapat, withexcitement and perhaps just a little fear. Through the Old Orchard theywent, Tommy Tit flitting ahead and keeping a sharp watch for danger.When they reached the old stone wall on the edge of Farmer Brown'sdooryard, Tommy told Happy Jack
to hide there while he went to see ifthe way was clear. He was back in a few minutes.

  "Dee, dee, everything is all right," said he. "Bowser the Hound iseating; his breakfast out back where he can't see you at all, and BlackPussy is nowhere about. All you have to do is to follow me over to thatbig tree close to the house, and I will show you where Farmer Brown'sboy is."

  "I--I'm afraid," confessed Happy Jack.

  "Pooh! There's nothing to be afraid of," asserted Tommy Tit in the mostpositive way. "Don't be a coward. Remember how Farmer Brown's boy savedyou from Shadow the Weasel. Come on! Dee, dee, dee, come on!" With thatTommy flew across to the tree close by the house.

  Happy Jack scrambled up on the old stone wall and looked this way andlooked that way. He couldn't see a thing to be afraid of. He jumped downand ran a few steps. Then his heart failed, and he scampered back to theold stone wall in a panic. After a few minutes he tried again, and oncemore a foolish fear sent him back. The third time he gritted his teeth,said to himself over and over, "I will! I will! I will!" and ran withall his might. In no time at all he was across the dooryard and up inthe big tree, his heart pounding with excitement.

  "Dee, dee, dee," called Tommy Tit.

  Happy Jack looked over to the house, and there sat Tommy on awindow-sill, helping himself to the most delicious-looking cracked nuts.The sight of them made Happy Jack's mouth water. A long branch hung downover the window and almost touched the sill. Happy Jack ventured halfway and stopped. Somehow it seemed very dangerous to go so close to thatwindow.

  "Come on! Come on! What are you afraid of?" called Tommy.

  Something like shame that such a little fellow as Tommy Tit should dareto go where he did not, crept into Happy Jack's heart. With a quicklittle run and jump he was on the sill, and a second later he wasstaring in at all the strange things inside. At first he didn't seeanything of Farmer Brown's boy, but in a few minutes he made him out. Hewas lying down all covered over except his head. There _was_ somethingthe matter with him. Happy Jack didn't need to be told that, and a greatpity filled his heart. He wanted to do something for Farmer Brown's boy.

  CHAPTER XX

  WHAT WAS THE MATTER WITH FARMER BROWN'S BOY?

  He who climbs the highest has the farthest to fall,but often it is worth the risk.

  _Happy Jack._

  All the way home from his visit to Farmer Brown's house Happy JackSquirrel puzzled and wondered over what he had seen. He had peeped in ata window and seen Farmer Brown's boy lying all covered up, with only hishead showing. Happy Jack couldn't see very well, but somehow that headdidn't look just right. One thing was sure, and that was there wassomething wrong with Farmer Brown's boy. He never would have been lyingstill like that if there hadn't been.

  Happy Jack had been so troubled by what he saw that he had hardly tastedthe nuts he had found on the window-sill. "I am going to make himanother call to-morrow," said he when he and Tommy Tit were once moreback in the Green Forest.

  "Of course," replied Tommy. "I expected you would. I will be around foryou at the same time. You're not afraid any more to go up there, areyou?"

  "No-o," replied Happy Jack, slowly. The truth is, he was still a littleafraid. It seemed to him a terribly venturesome thing to cross thatopen dooryard, but having done it once in safety, he knew that it wouldbe easier the next time. It was. The next morning he and Tommy Tit wentjust as before, and this time Happy Jack scampered across the dooryardthe very first time he tried. They found things just as they had beenthe day before. They saw Farmer Brown's boy, but he didn't see them.Tommy Tit was just going to tap on the window to let him know they werethere, when a door inside opened, and in walked Mrs. Brown. Itfrightened them so that Tommy Tit flew away without tasting a singlenut, and Happy Jack nearly fell as he scrambled back into the tree closeby the window. You see, they never had made her acquaintance, andhaving her walk in so suddenly frightened them terribly. They didn'tstop to think that there was nothing to fear because there was thewindow between. Somehow they couldn't understand that queer stuff thatthey could see through but which shut them out. If they had seen Mrs.Brown go to the window and put more cracked nuts on the sill, perhapsthey would have been less afraid. But they had been too badly frightenedto look back, and so they didn't know anything about that.

  The next morning Tommy Tit was on hand as usual, but he found HappyJack a little doubtful about paying another visit. He wasn't wholly overhis scare of the day before. It took him some time to make up his mindto go, but finally he did. This time when they reached the tree close bythe house, they found a great surprise awaiting them. Farmer Brown's boywas sitting just inside the window, looking out. At least, they thoughtit was Farmer Brown's boy, but when they got a little nearer, they grewdoubtful. It looked like Farmer Brown's boy, and yet it didn't. Hischeeks stuck way out just as Striped Chipmunk's do when he has themstuffed full of corn or nuts.

  Happy Jack stared at him very hard. "My goodness, I didn't know hecarried his food that way!" he exclaimed. "I should think it would bedreadfully uncomfortable."

  If Farmer Brown's boy could have heard that, he certainly would havetried to laugh, and if he had--well, it was bad enough when he tried tosmile at the sight of Tommy Tit and Happy Jack. He didn't smile at allbut made up an awful face instead and clapped both hands to his cheeks.Happy Jack and Tommy Tit didn't know what to make of it, and it was sometime before they made up their minds that it really was Farmer Brown'sboy, and that they had nothing to fear. But when they finally venturedon to the sill and, as they helped themselves to nuts, saw the smile inhis eyes, though he did not smile with his mouth at all, they knew thatit was he, and that he was glad that they had called. Then they wereglad too.

  But what was the matter with Farmer Brown's boy? Happy Jack puzzled overit all the rest of the day, and then gave it up.

  CHAPTER XXI

  HAPPY JACK SQUIRREL GROWS VERY BOLD

  When you find a friend in trouble Pass along a word of cheer. Often it is very helpful Just to feel a friend is near.

  _Happy Jack._

  Every day Happy Jack visited the window sill of Farmer Brown's house tocall on Farmer Brown's boy, who was always waiting for him just insidethe window. In fact Happy Jack had got into the habit of getting hisbreakfast there, for always there were fat, delicious nuts on thewindow-sill, and it was much easier and more comfortable to breakfastthere than to hunt up his own hidden supplies and perhaps have to digdown through the snow to get them. Most people are just like HappyJack--they do the easiest thing.

  Each day Farmer Brown's boy looked more and more like himself. Hischeeks stuck out less and less, and finally did not stick out at all.And now he smiled at Happy Jack with his mouth as well as with his eyes.You know when his cheeks had stuck out so, he couldn't smile at allexcept with his eyes. Happy Jack didn't know what had been the matterwith Farmer Brown's boy, but whatever it was, he was better now, andthat made Happy Jack feel better.

  One morning he got a surprise. When he ran out along the branch of thetree that led to the window-sill he suddenly discovered something wrong.There were no nuts on the sill! More than this there was something verysuspicious looking about the window. It didn't look just right. Thetruth is it was partly open, but Happy Jack didn't understand this, notthen, anyway. He stopped short and scolded, a way he has when thingsdon't suit him. Farmer Brown's boy came to the window and called to him.Then he thrust a hand out, and in it were some of the fattest nuts HappyJack ever had seen. His mouth watered right away. There might besomething wrong with the window, but certainly the sill was all right.It would do no harm to go that far.

  So Happy Jack nimbly jumped across to the window-sill. Farmer Brown'sboy's hand with the fat nuts was still there, and Happy Jack lost notime in getting one. Then he sat up on the sill to eat it. My, but itwas good! It was just as good as it had looked. Happy Jack's eyestwinkled as he ate. When he had finished that nut, he wanted another.But now Farmer Brown's boy had drawn his hand inside the window. He wasstill hol
ding it out with the nuts in it, but to get them Happy Jackmust go inside, and he couldn't get it out of his head that that was avery dangerous thing to do. What if that window should be closed whilehe was in there? Then he would be a prisoner.

  So he sat up and begged. He knew that Farmer Brown's boy knew what hewanted. But Farmer Brown's boy kept his hand just where it was.

  "Come on, you little rascal," said he. "You ought to know me well enoughby this time to know that I won't hurt you or let any harm come to you.Hurry up, because I can't stand here all day. You see, I've just gotover the mumps, and if I should catch cold I might be sick again. Comealong now, and show how brave you are."

  Of course Happy Jack couldn't understand what he said. If he couldhave, he might have guessed that it was the mumps that had made FarmerBrown's boy look so like Striped Chipmunk when he has his cheeks stuffedwith nuts. But if he couldn't understand what Farmer Brown's boy said,he had no difficulty in understanding that if he wanted those nuts hewould have to go after them. So at last he screwed up his courage andput his head inside. Nothing happened, so he went wholly in and sat onthe inside sill. Then by reaching out as far as he could withouttumbling off, he managed to get one of those nuts, and as soon as he hadit, he dodged outside to eat it.