Happy Jack blinked at the empty cage. Then he began to ask in ascolding tone, "What did you do with him? What did you do with him?"
Farmer Brown's boy just smiled and tossed a nut to Happy Jack. And farup in the Old Pasture, Shadow the Weasel was once more free. It was wellfor Happy Jack's peace of mind that he didn't know that.
CHAPTER XXXII
HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY
Never say a thing is so Unless you absolutely know. Just remember every day To be quite sure of what you say.
_Happy Jack._
Taking things for granted doesn't do at all in this world. To take athing for granted is to think that it is so without taking the troubleto find out whether it is or not. It is apt not only to get you yourselfinto trouble, but to make trouble for other people as well. Happy Jacksaw Farmer Brown's boy carry Shadow the Weasel away in a cage, and hesaw him bring back the cage empty. What could he have done with Shadow?For a while he teased Farmer Brown's boy to tell him, but of courseFarmer Brown's boy didn't understand Happy Jack's language.
Now Happy Jack knew just what he would like to believe. He would like tobelieve that Farmer Brown's boy had taken Shadow away and made an end ofhim. And because he wanted to believe that, it wasn't very hard tobelieve it. There was the empty cage. Of course Farmer Brown's boywouldn't have gone to the trouble of trapping Shadow unless he intendedto get rid of him for good.
"He's made an end of him, that's what he's done!" said Happy Jack tohimself, because that is what he would have done if he had been inFarmer Brown's boy's place. So having made up his mind that this is whathad been done with Shadow, he at once told all his friends that it wasso, and was himself supremely happy. You see, he felt that he no longerhad anything to worry about. Yes, Sir, Happy Jack was happy. He likedthe house Farmer Brown's boy had made for him in the big maple treeclose by his own house. He was sure of plenty to eat, because FarmerBrown's boy always looked out for that, and as a result Happy Jack wasgrowing fat. None of his enemies of the Green Forest dared come so nearto Farmer Brown's house, and the only one he had to watch out for atall was Black Pussy. By this time he wasn't afraid of her; not a bit. Infact, he rather enjoyed teasing her and getting her to chase him. Whenshe was dozing on the doorstep he liked to steal very close, wake herwith a sharp bark, and then race for the nearest tree, and there scoldher to his heart's content. He had made friends with Mrs. Brown and withFarmer Brown, and he even felt almost friends with Bowser the Hound.Sometimes he would climb up on the roof of Bowser's little house anddrop nutshells on Bowser's head when he was asleep. The funny thing wasBowser never seemed to mind. He would lazily open his eyes and wink oneof them at Happy Jack and thump with his tail. He seemed to feel thatnow Happy Jack was one of the family, just as he was.
So Happy Jack was just as happy as a fat Gray Squirrel with nothing toworry him could be. He was so happy that Sammy Jay actually becamejealous. You know Sammy is a born trouble maker. He visited Happy Jackevery morning, and while he helped himself to the good things that healways found spread for him, for Farmer Brown's boy always had somethingfor the little feathered folk to eat, he would hint darkly that suchgoodness and kindness was not to be trusted, and that something was sureto happen. That is just the way with some folks; they always aresuspicious.
But nothing that Sammy Jay could say troubled Happy Jack; and Sammywould fly away quite put out because he couldn't spoil Happy Jack'shappiness the least little bit.
CHAPTER XXXIII
SAMMY JAY UPSETS HAPPY JACK
A good deed well done often is overlooked,but you never are allowed to forget a mistake.
_Happy Jack._
Sammy Jay chuckled as he flew across the snow-covered Green Meadows onhis way to his home in the Green Forest. He chuckled and he chuckled. Tohave heard him you would have thought that either he had thought ofsomething very pleasant, or something very pleasant had happened to him.Once he turned in the direction of Farmer Brown's house, but changed hismind as he saw the Black Shadows creeping out from the Purple Hills,and once more headed for the Green Forest.
"Too late to-day. Time I was home now. It'll keep until to-morrow," hemuttered. Then he chuckled, and he was still chuckling when he reachedthe big hemlock tree, among the thick branches of which he spent eachnight.
"Don't know what started me off to the Old Pasture this afternoon, butI'm glad I went. My, my, my, but I'm glad I went," said he, as hefluffed out his feathers and prepared to tuck his head under his wing."It pays to snoop around in this world and see what is going on. Ilearned a long time ago not to believe everything I hear, and that thesurest way to make sure of things is to find out for myself. Nothinglike using my own eyes and my own ears. Well, I must get to sleep." Hebegan to chuckle again, and he was still chuckling as he fell asleep.
The next morning Sammy Jay was astir at the very first sign of light. Hewaited just long enough to see that every feather was in place, forSammy is a bit vain, and very particular about his dress. Then he headedstraight for Farmer Brown's house. Just as he expected he found HappyJack Squirrel was awake, for Happy Jack is an early riser.
"Good morning," said Sammy Jay, and tried very hard to make his voicesound smooth and pleasant, a very hard thing for Sammy to do, for hisvoice, you know, is naturally harsh and unpleasant. "You seem to belooking as happy as ever."
"Of course I am," replied Happy Jack. "Why shouldn't I be? I haven't athing to worry about. Of course I'm happy, and I hope you're just ashappy as I am. I'm going to get my breakfast now, and then I'll behappier still."
"That's so. There's nothing like a good breakfast to make one happy,"said Sammy Jay, helping himself to some suet tied to a branch of themaple tree. "By the way, I saw an old friend of yours yesterday. Heinquired after you particularly. He didn't exactly send his love, but hesaid that he hoped you are as well and fat as ever, and that he will seeyou again some time. He said that he didn't know of any one he likes tolook at better than you."
Happy Jack looked flattered. "That was very nice of him," said he. "Whowas it?"
"Guess," replied Sammy.
Happy Jack scratched his head thoughtfully. There were not many friendsin winter. Most of them were asleep or had gone to the far awaysouthland.
"Peter Rabbit," he ventured.
Sammy shook his head.
"Jimmy Skunk!"
Again Sammy shook his head.
"Jumper the Hare!"
"Guess again," said Sammy, chuckling.
"Little Joe Otter!"
"Wrong," replied Sammy.
"I give up. Who was it? Do tell me," begged Happy Jack.
"It was Shadow the Weasel!" cried Sammy, triumphantly.
Happy Jack dropped the nut he was just going to eat, and in place ofhappiness something very like fear grew and grew in his eyes. "I--Idon't believe you," he stammered. "Farmer Brown's boy took him away andput an end to him. I saw him take him."
"But you didn't see him put an end to Shadow," declared Sammy, "becausehe didn't. He took him 'way up in the Old Pasture and let him go, and Isaw him up there yesterday. That's what comes of guessing at things.Shadow is no more dead than you are. Well, I must be going along. I hopeyou'll enjoy your breakfast."
With this, off flew Sammy Jay, chuckling as if he thought he had done avery smart thing in upsetting Happy Jack, which goes to show what queerideas some people have.
As for Happy Jack, he worried for a while, but as Shadow didn't come,and there was nothing else to worry about, little by little Happy Jack'shigh spirits returned, until he was as happy as ever. And now, thoughhe has had many adventures since then, I must leave him, for there is nomore room in this book. Perhaps if you ask him, he will tell you ofthese other adventures himself. Meanwhile, bashful little Mrs. PeterRabbit is anxious that you should know something about her. So I havepromised to call the next book, "Mrs. Peter Rabbit."
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