LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE SQUIRREL BROTHERS LITTLE JACK RABBITBOOKS (Trademark Registered) BYDAVID CORY * * * * * LITTLE JACK RABBIT'S ADVENTURESLE JACK RABBIT AND DANNY FOXLITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE SQUIRREL BROTHERSLITTLE JACK RABBIT AND CHIPPY CHIPMUNKLITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE BIG BROWN BEAR [Illustration: Professor Crow Took Hold of Featherhead's Ear. _Frontispiece_--(_Page_ 14)] LITTLE JACK RABBIT BOOKS(Trademark Registered) * * * * * LITTLE JACK RABBIT ANDTHE SQUIRREL BROTHERS BYDAVID CORY Author ofLITTLE JACK RABBIT'S ADVENTURESLITTLE JACK RABBIT AND DANNY FOXLITTLE JACK RABBIT AND CHIPPY CHIPMUNKLITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE BIG BROWN BEAR ILLUSTRATED BYH. S. BARBOUR NEW YORKGROSSET & DUNLAPPUBLISHERS Made in the United States of America COPYRIGHT, 1921, BYGROSSET & DUNLAP CONTENTS PAGE THE GAME OF MARBLES 9 A LITTLE PIECE OF LOOKING GLASS 13 THE FLEET 16 MORE NUTS 20 OLD SQUIRREL NUTCRACKER 23 HOME HUNTING 26 AN OLD CROW'S NEST 30 PARSON OWL EXPLAINS 34 THE LITTLE GOLD RING 38 WEDDING BELLS 42 "NUTS AND RAISINS" 46 BAD NEWS 49 POOR JIMMY MINK 53 PROFESSOR JIM CROW'S LESSON 57 TO THE POST OFFICE 61 MORE STAMPS 65 BUSY TIMES 69 AN ACCIDENT 73 TWO PIGEONS 77 MISS PUSSY 81 A BUSY BEAVER 85 DON'T WORRY 89 THE LITTLE FROSTY PAINTER 93 GRANDPA POSSUM 97 COUSIN CHATTERBOX 101 JIMMY JAY 105 THE TIP OF A TAIL 109 OLD BARNEY OWL 113 "HELP! HELP!" 117 PUMPKIN PLACE, P. O. 121 AN ICE CREAM PINE CONE 125 LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE SQUIRREL BROTHERS THE GAME OF MARBLES Never stop upon your way, Just to fool around and play. Learn to quickly go to school; Never, never break this rule. But, oh dear me. One morning when Little Jack Rabbit met the SquirrelBrothers, Featherhead, the naughty gray squirrel, asked him to stop andplay a game of marbles. "Where are your marbles?" asked the little rabbit. "Here they are, " answered Featherhead, taking some red and yellow oakapples out of his pocket. "They make dandy marbles. " Little Jack Rabbit dropped his school books, and quickly dug a hole inthe ground. Then they all took turns rolling the marbles to see whowould have the first shot. The little bunny's was the first to drop into the hole, although TwinkleTail's was very close and Featherhead's not far away. It was then easy for Little Jack Rabbit to hit the two marbles. Why, hecouldn't miss them, they were so close. I guess they would have beenplaying until now if all of a sudden, just like that, Bobbie Redvesthadn't called out: "Ding-a-ling! ding-a-ling! the school bell is ringing. " "Gracious me!" cried little bunny, and off he went, clipperty clip, lipperty lip. Featherhead and Twinkle Tail picked up their books andfollowed. It certainly was lucky that the little robin had shouted, "Ding-a-ling!ding-a-ling!" for hardly had they reached the top of the hill when theschool bell commenced: "Ding, dong! ding, dong! ding, dong!" "Hurry up!" cried Little Jack Rabbit, "or we'll be late, " and he hoppedalong faster than ever. Professor Crow was standing in the doorway waiting for the last scholarto arrive. All out of breath and scared to death, Came little Jackie Bunny. And Twinkle Tail began to quail, And Featherhead felt funny. They thought the teacher standing there Gave them a cold and angry stare. Perhaps he did, but soon he went And o'er his platform table bent, While Featherhead and Twinkle Tail Slipped in their seats with faces pale. Then up stood stern Professor Crow And said some scholars are so slow That if they'd stop upon the way They'd never get to school all day. Then he sat down and called the school to order. But, oh dear me! Noneof the little marble players knew his lesson. And instead of beingallowed to go when school was over, they were kept in and made tostudy until late in the afternoon. A LITTLE PIECE OF LOOKING GLASS If you a naughty act will do, You may at first escape; But soon or later you'll get caught-- So don't get in a scrape. Featherhead was the worst pupil in the Shady Forest School and made lotsof trouble for Professor Crow. One day he held a small piece of looking glass in the sunlight. Theflash almost blinded the poor old crow's eyes, and at first he couldn'ttell who had done it. But naughtiness will always out, and the next timeFeatherhead was caught. Yes, sir! The next time he tried it on Professor Crow, that oldgentleman bird jumped down from the platform and took hold of thatnaughty squirrel's ear. And not so very gently, either. Featherhead squirmed and tried to get away, but the good professor heldon tight, and pretty soon the little squirrel grew very quiet indeed. Hegrew as quiet as a little lamb; that's what he did. "Young man!" said Professor Crow in a hard, stern voice, "your father, Squirrel Nutcracker, is a dear old friend of mine. If it weren't forthat I'd give you a flogging. " Goodness me! When Featherhead heard that he trembled all over, and hisbeautiful bushy tail lost its curl and dragged on the floor like a pieceof string! "You're a bad lot, " went on the old professor bird. "You never knowyour lessons, and if you don't mend your ways I'll expel you from theschool!" Gracious me! Think of having that said to you! Goosey Lucy's little son, Goosey Gander, almost fell off the dunce stool, and Little Jack Rabbitwas so frightened that his little pink nose trembled for an hour. Nobody played games during recess that day, but hung around in littlegroups talking it over. And you may be sure they kept away fromFeatherhead, who stood all alone by the flag pole wishing he hadn'tbeen such a bad squirrel. THE FLEET Something had happened in the Shady Forest since Busy Beaver had builthis dam. You see, as it held back the Bubbling Brook, the water grewdeeper and deeper, and by and by it began to spread all around, untilafter a while, there was a pond. This didn't trouble the Little People of the Shady Forest. No, indeed. They liked to have a pond in the forest. But they didn't like to havethe Big Chestnut Tree right in the middle of it. No, sir. The water hadspread all around the biggest and finest nut tree in the whole forest, and, of course, now no one could gather the nuts. "What are we going to do?" asked Chippy Chipmunk. "Make a boat and sail over, " answered Featherhead, the gray squirrel. This wasn't a bad idea, but who was going to make the boat? Nobody inthe Shady Forest knew how to build one. Professor Crow suggested that the birds carry the nuts for thefour-footed people, but they answered that they had all they coulddo to feed themselves and couldn't spare the time. And GrandmotherMagpie said she wouldn't carry nuts for anybody, even if she had allthe time that was wasted every day by some people right there in theShady Forest. Just then along came Old Squirrel Nutcracker. "Why not make rafts out of twigs? You don't need a boat builder forthat, you know. " This seemed a splendid idea, and at once all the squirrels set to work, and in a short time quite a fleet was ready to be launched. There wasn'troom for more than one squirrel on a raft, so some of the squirrels hadto stay ashore. Featherhead was the first to shove off. He had a little sack and a largeoar, and spread out his tail for a sail. Billy Breeze was very kind and blew the rafts over to the island onwhich the Big Chestnut Tree stood. Then all the squirrels went ashoreand commenced to fill their sacks with nuts, when, all of a sudden, OldBarney Owl looked out of his nest and said: "This is my tree and these nuts belong to me. If you wish any, you mustpay a penny!" "If we bring you something to-morrow, will that do?" asked Twinkle Tail. "Yes, " answered the old owl. So the squirrels filled their sacks and sailed home. But soon the news from Squirrelville Spread o'er the meadow to the hill, And up the Shady Forest Trail, And through the quiet verdant vale. It's strange how Rumor quickly goes; It runs on very nimble toes, And everybody hears the news Before it has worn out its shoes. MORE NUTS It wasn't very long before all the Little People in the Shady Forest hadheard how the squirrels had sailed over to the island after nuts. Sowhen Featherhead and the other squirrels set out the next day there wasquite a crowd on shore to watch them. Featherhead had a nice new-laid egg from Henny Penny for Old Barney Owl, and Twinkle Tail a little fish from the Bubbling Brook. When they reached the island, the two little squirrels ran up the BigChestnut Tree and rapped on Old Barney Owl's front door. They had torap three or four times before he opened it. He was cross and sleepy, and at first didn't remember them at all. In fact, his eyes were soblinky that I don't believe he even saw them. "We have brought you an egg for the nuts we took yesterday, " saidFeatherhead. "And here is a little fish for what we'll take to-day, " added TwinkleTail. Old Barney Owl opened one eye and, taking the egg and the little fish, closed the door without even thanking them. "He didn't say we could have any nuts to-day, " said Twinkle Tail. "Hetook the little fish, so I guess it's all right. " "Guess it's all right!" cried Featherhead. "Of course, it's all right. What do we care, anyway? he can't see in the light. What right has OldBarney to say all these nuts belong to him?" It didn't take the squirrels long after the sacks were filled to carrythem down to the shore and load them on the rafts. But, oh dear me. Billy Breeze wasn't very kind this time. No matter how they held uptheir tails for sails, as soon as they had pushed off, he blew themright back on the land. "We'll have to paddle around to the other side, " said Featherhead. "Then perhaps Billy Breeze will push us home. " After a good deal of trouble, for it was no easy matter to paddle therafts around the island, they set off once again. And this time BillyBreeze did his best, and landed them safely on the mainland. "I couldn't help you on the other side, " he explained. "You see, I canblow only one way to-day. " "That's all right, " answered the Squirrel Brothers. "We have the nuts!"and away they scampered. OLD SQUIRREL NUTCRACKER Twinkle Tail and Featherhead were old enough to find homes forthemselves, so Old Squirrel Nutcracker thought. And when that oldsquirrel had thought out a thing seriously he was pretty likely toput it into words. "I feel sorry for the boys, " said Mrs. Nutcracker, wiping her eyes withher calico apron, as she stood beneath the Big Chestnut Tree talking toMrs. Rabbit. "They've had such a comfortable home, if I do say it myself. But last night Squirrel Nutcracker said after dinner: "'Boys, it's time for you to get out and hustle for yourselves. It willmake men-squirrels out of you. If you get into trouble, always rememberyour father will help you. And don't forget your mother. '" Poor Mrs. Nutcracker threw her apron over her head and burst into tears. "Don't cry, " said the kind bunny lady, and very soon she said good-byand hopped home to the Old Bramble Patch to tell her little rabbit thenews. When Mrs. Nutcracker reached home she found her little squirrel boyspacking up their things. Twinkle Tail had his nearly finished, butFeatherhead was only half through. So Mrs. Nutcracker helped him, andwhen it was all done, she sat down and cried again. Poor Mrs. Nutcrackerfelt so badly she just couldn't help it. Just then Old Squirrel Nutcracker came up the stairs, so she dried hereyes and the two little squirrels picked up their trunks and starteddown the tree. When they reached the first landing, a great big limb that spread out toone side, there stood Squirrel Nutcracker. His voice was a little huskyas he said: "I want to be proud of you, Twinkle Tail and Featherhead. See that youfind nice homes and that you don't do anything to make me ashamed ofyou. " Then he hugged them good-by and went upstairs to Mrs. Nutcracker. HOME HUNTING It was a week or so after the Squirrel Brothers had left NutcrackerLodge to find homes for themselves that Little Jack Rabbit came acrossTwinkle Tail. It's not an easy thing to find a new home, especially when all the nicewarm hollow trees were already crowded with little people. Twinkle Taildiscovered this when he started in house-hunting. "Why don't you take Grandmother Magpie's nest?" asked the little rabbit. "She hasn't used it for some time and nobody seems to want it. " This wasvery true; perhaps it was because nobody liked Grandmother Magpie. But after Twinkle Tail had taken it over you never would have known it. You see, he altered it and arranged it and patched it up to suithimself. While he was putting on the finishing touches, who should come along butthe old lady magpie herself. "Do you mind my doing this to your old place?" he asked, looking up fromhis work. "Not at all, " replied Grandmother Magpie, "I'm done with it. You'requite welcome to it, my dear. " This was the first time she had ever done a nice thing for anybody inthe Shady Forest. But, you see, she liked Twinkle Tail. He was the onlyperson she did like. I guess the reason was that she had never forgottenhe had once been very polite to her. "Thank you, " said Twinkle Tail, smiling sweetly, and then he set towork harder than ever. After that the old lady magpie flew away, thinking how strange it wasthat a house which one has grown tired of often suits another personvery well. By and by Twinkle Tail had another caller. It was Bobbie Redvest. "How do you like the way I'm fixing up my house?" asked the littlesquirrel. "I think you've made one mistake, " replied Bobbie Redvest. "What is it?" asked Twinkle Tail anxiously. "The great thing, you know, is to hide your house as much as possible. " The little squirrel dropped the piece of green moss he was about to use, and waited. "You should make it look like the place it's in, " went on the littlerobin. "You have chosen a browny place, so you must use brown moss onthe outside. " "That sounds like good advice, " said Twinkle Tail. "I'll do as you say. " Here a leaf and there a twig, Piece of twine to bind them-- Then some moss to spread across, Till it's hard to find them. Soon the tiny Treetop House Will be built and ready; Dry beneath the pelting rain, Against the wind quite steady. AN OLD CROW'S NEST Now Featherhead had a much harder time finding a home than BrotherTwinkle Tail. He traveled from the oaks to the beech trees, jumpingfrom branch to branch, peeping first into this place and then intothat, but every hole and hollow had a tenant. By and by he ran down to the ground and along the winding paths throughthe leaves and brush, but even then he could find nothing. No, sir. There didn't seem to be a single place in the whole big forest for thislittle squirrel. "Goodness me!" he exclaimed, "what shall I do? I don't want to go backto Nutcracker Lodge and tell them I can't look out for myself. I'd feellike a baby. " So he sat down to think it over. All of a sudden who should come by but Jimmy Crow. "What's the matter? You look dreadfully worried. " "And so I am, " replied the little squirrel. "And so would you be if youcouldn't find a home for yourself. " Jimmy Crow turned his head first to one side and then to the other, andwinked his bright little eye. Then he winked the other several times. After that he wagged his feathered tail and opened both eyes. "I know just the place for you. " "You don't mean it, " cried Featherhead. "I certainly do, " replied Jimmy Crow, "if you'll follow me I'll takeyou there in a jiffy. " And Jimmie Crow knew what he was about, for hequickly led the little squirrel to a tall oak tree whose acorns lay inheaps all over the ground. Way up high on a branch was an old crow'snest. "There's the place for you, " cried Jimmy Crow. "You can fix it up in notime. " Featherhead thanked him and ran up the tree to look it over. It didn'ttake him long to make up his mind what to do. Pressing the sticks moreclosely together, he covered them overhead and all around with leafytwigs, until it looked like a great big ball of leaves. In one side hemade a little round hole for a doorway, and as the roof was nicelyrounded, and this was the only opening, the rain couldn't get inside. "With a good supply of nuts, " he laughed, "I won't have to go down tothe ground for my meals, and can sleep for days at a time when it's coldand stormy!" My little house up in the tree Is just the very thing for me. It holds my food and keeps the rain From off my comfy counterpane. But sometimes it seems lonely quite When fall the shadows of the night, And I have no one but myself To climb up to the pantry shelf. PARSON OWL EXPLAINS One day as Twinkle Tail was taking a walk through the treetops, he meta young lady squirrel. She was anxiously looking here and there as ifin search of something. "Are you looking for anybody?" asked Twinkle Tail, lifting his littlefur cap and bowing politely. "Not exactly, " she replied, "I'm looking for a furnished apartment. Doyou know of one?" Twinkle Tail didn't answer at once. He wanted to say something, but ashe was a bashful little squirrel, it took him some time to make up hismind. Miss Squirrel, however, was not the least impatient, but curledher beautiful bushy tail up over her back and looked her prettiest. At last he said: "Why don't you share my house? It's a very nice sort ofa place since I fixed it up. It once belonged to Grandmother Magpie, youknow. " After little Miss Squirrel had looked it over, she seemed greatlypleased, especially with the kitchenette, in which were stored lots ofbeech nuts, hazels and fir-cones. And I think she was even more pleasedwith Twinkle Tail, for she agreed to get married to him at once. So offhe started for Parson Owl and a little gold ring, while she went intothe kitchenette to get the wedding supper. On his way he met little Jack Rabbit. "I'm going to get married to-day! Come to my house this afternoon atfive, " shouted Twinkle Tail. "All right, " answered the little rabbit. "I'll run home to tell mother. " Pretty soon Twinkle Tail met Squirrel Nutcracker. "I knew there was going to be a wedding, " he exclaimed, when he heardthe news. "I saw three magpies this very morning, and that's a suresign. " Then he patted the little squirrel's head and promised that heand Mrs. Nutcracker would surely come. By the time Twinkle Tail reached the parsonage at the top of the old oaktree it was quite late. "Have you got the wedding ring?" asked ParsonOwl as the little squirrel turned to go. "Goodness gracious meebus!" exclaimed Twinkle Tail, "I've forgotten allabout it. " Parson Owl yawned, for it's only in the night-time that owls are wideawake, you know, and replied: "Can't marry you without a ring. No, indeed. Who ever heard of a weddingwithout a ring?" (Parson Owl was wide awake enough to know that! Goodness me! I hope thelittle squirrel will find a jewelry store somewhere in the ShadyForest. ) THE LITTLE GOLD RING Twinkle Tail felt dreadfully worried as he left the parsonage. Where washe to get the ring? Without it, Parson Owl had said there could be nowedding. Little Miss Squirrel was waiting for him at the house, and allthe guests would be there at five o'clock. Parson Owl had agreed to beon time although it was a trifle too bright at that hour for his blinkyold eyes. There was only one thing missing--the little gold weddingring. "There's only one person who can help me, " cried Twinkle Tail, and offhe ran to the Old Bramble Patch. In answer to his impatient knock, Little Jack Rabbit opened the door. Then they both sat down on thestone step while the little squirrel told his troubles one by one. "Parson Owl says there can't be a wedding without a ring, " sighedTwinkle Tail, finishing his story. "But where to get the ring, Idon't know. " "I do, " answered the little rabbit, jumping up quickly. "Come with me, "and up the Old Cow Patch, over the Sunny Meadow, he hopped with TwinkleTail close to his heels. By and by they came to the Old Farm Yard. There stood Ducky Waddles bythe old creaking gate. He had just come in from a swim in the Old DuckPond and was combing his feathers with his big yellow bill. "Good afternoon, " said the little bunny. "I've come to ask a favor. " "What is it?" asked Ducky Waddles. "You explain matters first, Twinkle Tail, and then I'll talk to DuckyWaddles, " said Little Jack Rabbit. It didn't take Twinkle Tail long to tell his troubles--how little MissSquirrel had agreed to marry him that afternoon; how all the littlepeople of the Shady Forest were coming to the wedding at five; howParson Owl had agreed to marry them; how everything was ready exceptthe little gold wedding ring. "Who told you I had a little gold ring?" asked Ducky Waddles. "Nobody, " answered the little squirrel, "but I suppose it's all right. " "Yes, it's all right, " laughed Ducky Waddles with a funny quack, "andnow, Mr. Jack Rabbit, what's the favor you wish me to do?" "Won't you give Twinkle Tail the little gold ring you found in theBubbling Brook last Sunday?" Ducky Waddles took a little gold ring out of his feather waistcoatpocket and handed it to Twinkle Tail. (Pretty soon we'll hear the wedding bells tinkling in the forestdells. ) WEDDING BELLS Twinkle Tail was delighted to get the little gold ring. "You must come to the wedding, " he said to Ducky Waddles. "It's to be atfive o'clock at my house. Please tell Henny Penny and Cocky Doodle thatthey're invited, and ask Goosey Lucy and Turkey Tim to come, too. I'm insuch a hurry I can't wait to see them. " "I'll come, " answered Ducky Waddles, "and I won't forget to tell theBarnyard Folk that they're invited. " "Don't lose the ring, " cautioned Little Jack Rabbit, as he and thelittle squirrel hurried down the Old Cow Path to the Shady Forest. Justthen they met Mrs. Cow. She was wagging her head back and forth to brushoff the flies and the little bell on her leather collar made a prettytinkling sound. "Let's ask her to come and ring the wedding bells. " "The very thing, " laughed Twinkle Tail. "Won't you come to my wedding, Mrs. Cow? Please do. " "When is it to be?" she asked. "To-night at five, " answered Twinkle Tail, with a blush. "Pretty near milking-time, " explained Mrs. Cow. "Oh, it won't take long, " replied the little rabbit. "Do come, Mrs. Cow. We want you to ring your bell at the wedding. Did you ever ringa wedding bell?" "No, " answered Mrs. Cow, "but I guess I know how. I'll come, but I maynot be able to stay all the time for I must get back in time formilking. " Then the three started off together, and when they reached the ShadyForest, Twinkle Tail looked back and saw Henny Penny and Cocky Doodlecoming up the Old Cow Path dressed in their Sunday clothes. Just behindthem were Ducky Waddles and Goosey Lucy and in the distance Turkey Timhurrying along the Old Rail Fence to catch up to them. "Goodness me!" exclaimed the little squirrel, "I won't have much time todress, " and he set off at a great pace, leaving Mrs. Cow and Little JackRabbit behind. When he reached his house he found Miss Squirrel anxiously looking outof the window, but when she saw him, she laughed and said, "I thoughtyou were lost, dear Twinkle Tail!" Pretty soon Parson Owl arrived, and when all the guests were seated, hetold Twinkle Tail and Miss Squirrel to stand up before him. And afterTwinkle Tail had placed the little gold ring on Miss Squirrel's littlefinger toe, Mrs. Cow rang the wedding bells and Bobbie Redvest sang asong. "NUTS AND RAISINS" There was a grand feast after the wedding of Twinkle Tail and littleMiss Squirrel. There were nuts and raisins for everybody, and I don'tknow of anything much nicer than nuts and raisins. Of course, all the Barnyard Folk ate raisins, for they couldn't crackthe nuts. It almost gave Ducky Waddles a toothache watching Twinkle Tailcrack the shells. Cocky Doodle made a pretty speech, wishing the Twinkle Tails a long lifeand a happy one, in which all the little people of the forest joinedhim. After that everybody looked at the wedding presents, which if notbeautiful, were very useful. Henny Penny gave a nice new laid egg and Turkey Tim a bag of corn. Little Jack Rabbit brought a big carrot and Chippy Chipmunk a basket ofnuts. Of course Ducky Waddles didn't give them anything more--the littlegold ring was his present, which Twinkle Tail had slipped on the littletoe-finger of Miss Squirrel at a nod from Parson Owl. You see, Twinkle Tail had never been married before, so Parson Owl hadhelped him a little--which I presume all good kind ministers do whenthey marry young people. At any rate, Parson Owl did, and so everythingwent off very smoothly. On the way home if it hadn't been for some friendly Fireflies, LittleJack Rabbit might have lost his way. And then again, maybe not, for hewas a pretty bright little bunny and like all the Forest Folk, knew howto take care of himself. At the same time, it's nice to have a lanternon a dark night. One might, you know, stumble into a deep hole. When they reached the Old Bramble Patch, the little rabbit said: "I'dask you in, only I'm afraid mother's asleep. " "Thank you just the same, " answered the kind Fireflies. "We are glad tohave helped you with our little lanterns, " and they flew away to theSunny Meadow to wink and blink like little stars among the tall grasses. The little rabbit opened the door and hopped softly up to his room andwas soon fast asleep in his comfortable bed. BAD NEWS It's really too bad that the Miller's Boy Should be snooping around with his gun. Why doesn't he stay in the Old Mill all day And leave little folks to their fun? That's what the Little People of the Shady Forest and the Sunny Meadowthought. You see, the Miller's Boy had very little to do just now, forthe farmers were busy in the fields and the corn wasn't ready to beground into meal. So all the Miller's Boy had to do was to attend to afew chores and then get out his gun and go hunting. And of course allthe little four-footed and feathered people were dreadfully afraid ofthat great noisy gun. "Look here, " said Mrs. Rabbit, one day to her little son, "you hadbetter be careful. You can't run faster than a bullet, you know. It'sall very well to run away from Danny Fox and Mr. Wicked Weasel, or tododge from under Hungry Hawk, but a bullet is a different thing, " andthe kind lady bunny patted her small son on the left ear and gave hima piece of cherry pie. Well, as soon as the pie was gone, Little Jack Rabbit hopped out of theOld Bramble Patch, clipperty clip, lipperty lip, and pretty soon he metChippy Chipmunk and Woody Chuck in the Shady Forest. "Mother says a bullet goes faster than Danny Fox, " explained the littlebunny, and as everybody in the Shady Forest knew Mrs. Rabbit never toldanything that wasn't true, as Grandmother Magpie did, for instance, these two little friends looked very serious. Yes, indeed, they lookedserious. They began to feel that the Miller's Boy was a dangerousperson. "Let's tell all our friends, " said Woody Chuck, so off the three startedand by and by, not so very far, they came to the Shady Forest Pond whereBusy Beaver lived. "Pooh, pooh!" he said, when he heard the news. "I'm safe in the water. He can't get a shot at me. " "Don't be too sure, " answered Little Jack Rabbit, as he ran down to theOld Duck Pond to tell Granddaddy Bullfrog. Now the old gentleman frog was half asleep on his log, his chin restingon his gray waistcoat and his eyes closed, for he had just eaten a bigdinner of flies. "Helloa, there, Granddaddy Bullfrog, " shouted the little rabbit. Theold frog opened his eyes and took out his watch to see the time, for hethought at first it was Mrs. Bullfrog calling him home. "Oh, it's you, is it?" he said to the little rabbit. "Gracious me, Imust have fallen asleep, for I had a dream. "I thought I'd caught a thousand flies, All on this summer day. But now that you've awakened me They all have flown away. "Oh, it was such a pleasant dream, I fear I shall grow thinner. You should have let me slumber on Until I'd finished dinner. " POOR JIMMY MINK As soon as Little Rabbit had told the old gentleman frog to watch outfor the Miller's Boy, he hopped along by the Bubbling Brook, as it woundin and out among the trees of the Shady Forest or went splashing overrocks and fallen logs. All of a sudden he met Jimmy Mink. But, oh dearme! What was the matter with Jimmy Mink? He was hobbling on three legs. What could be the matter? "Helloa, there, Jimmy Mink, " shouted the little rabbit. "What makes you walk on three legs, When you can walk on four? I didn't know that you had been A soldier in the war. " "I haven't, " replied Jimmy Mink. "I got caught in a trap, " and he liftedup his right foreleg. "Why, your foot's gone!" gasped the little rabbit. "Isn't thatdreadful?" "Yes, it's pretty bad, " answered Jimmy Mink. "But the only way I couldfree myself was to bite off my foot. " "Oh! oh! oh!" cried the little rabbit, sorrowfully. "Tell me how ithappened. " So Jimmy Mink explained how one day when he had crept outof his little house under the bank of the Bubbling Brook, he had seena nice fat trout on an old log. "There was a queer looking iron thingthere, too, " he said, "but I didn't think anything about that. But, ohdear me! When I picked up the trout, something snapped and my leg wascaught fast. Oh, how it pinched! I pulled and pulled. But I couldn'tget away. Then I tried to bite the iron thing that held my foot, butI couldn't break it. So at last I gnawed off my foot. " "Whew!" whistled the little bunny through his teeth. "I never could dothat. My, but you're a brave fellow. " "There's the iron thing over there, " said Jimmy Mink, pointing to a trapthat lay on an old log close to the bank. The little rabbit hopped overand looked at it. And, sure enough, pinched in between the jaws of thecruel trap was Jimmy Mink's little black foot. "But I've learned my lesson, " said Jimmy Mink. "Next time if I wanttrout, I'll catch him in the water, not on top of a log, " and he jumpedinto the pool and swam away. Then the little rabbit hopped along theShady Forest Trail, but he couldn't forget poor little Jimmy Mink. Well, after a while, all of a sudden, he heard a great chickering andchirring overhead. Around and around the trunk of the tree went twobodies, one a yellowish brown, about as large as a cat, and the othergray, with a long bushy tail. Up to the top they went as fast as lightning, around and around, corkscrew fashion, and then down they came to the ground and beforehis yellowish brown enemy could catch him, Twinkle Tail dashed intoa crack between two stones. PROFESSOR JIM CROW'S LESSON "I'm so glad Twinkle Tail got away, " said Little Jack Rabbit to himself, as the frightened gray squirrel squeezed in between the rocks. And thenthe little rabbit hopped away as fast as he could, and pretty soon hesaw Professor Jim Crow with his little Black Book in his claw. "Tell me, Professor Jim Crow, " said the little rabbit, "what is the nameof the yellowish-brown animal that chases little gray squirrels aroundand around the trunks of trees?" "How big was he?" asked the wise old bird, putting on his spectacles andturning over the leaves of his little Black Book. "Larger than the farmer's black cat, " answered the little rabbit. "Did it look something like a fox?" asked the old crow. "Yes, he did, " replied the little rabbit. Professor Jim Crow smiled and turned to page 49. "Listen!" he said. "TheMarten looks very much like a young fox about two months old. Its coloris a yellowish-brown, a little darker than a yellow fox, with a numberof long black hairs. It is a great climber, hunts squirrels and robsbirds' nests. " Then the wise old crow closed his book and wiped his spectacles. "Youhave learned something to-day, little rabbit. Mother Nature's SchoolHouse will teach you lots of things, " and the old professor bird flewaway. [Illustration: "I'm in the Hollow Stump Telephone Booth. " _Page_ 59] "Well, I'm going to have a good time now, " thought the little rabbit tohimself. "I've learned my daily lesson. I'll call up Uncle John. " So offhe hopped to the Hollow Stump Telephone Booth. "What number do you want?" asked the telephone girl who was a littlewood-mouse. "One, two, three, Harefield, " answered the little rabbit, and inless than five hundred short seconds, he heard his Uncle's voiceover the wire. "Goodness gracious meebus!" exclaimed Mr. John Hare, "I thought you'dforgotten all about your old uncle. Where are you?" "I'm in the Hollow Stump Telephone Booth, " answered the little rabbit. "I'll come right over to the Old Bramble Patch, " said Uncle John, andthe old gentleman hare dropped the receiver on his left hind toe he wasso excited. You see, he hadn't heard from his little bunny nephew for solong that he supposed he had enlisted in Uncle Sam's Army or AuntColumbia's Navy! Well, anyway, as soon as the little rabbit had paid thelittle wood-mouse five carrot cents, he hopped home to tell his motherthat Uncle John Hare was coming over to supper. TO THE POST OFFICE "Billy Breeze, please blow no more The leaves around the kitchen door. It takes my time till ten fifteen To make the doorstep nice and clean, " said Little Jack Rabbit the next morning after he had polished the frontdoorknob and fed the canary and filled the woodbox in the kitchen withkindling wood. Oh, my, yes, he was a busy little rabbit. He had to help his mother inlots of ways, especially when Uncle John Hare was making a visit at theOld Bramble Patch. Well, when the little rabbit had done all these things, his mother askedhim to go down to the post office and buy her three War Savings Stampsand the Rabbitville Gazette for Uncle John, who had a touch ofrheumatism in his left hind toe and didn't feel like hopping around, butpreferred to sit in an armchair on the back stoop where it was warm andsunny. Now, as Little Jack Rabbit hopped along, he met Chippy Chipmunk underthe Big Chestnut Tree, so of course he stopped and said good morning. "Where are you going?" asked the little Chipmunk. And when he found out, he took two twenty-five carrot cent pieces out of his pocket and askedthe little rabbit to buy him two Thrift Stamps. "All right, " said the little bunny, dropping the two quarters in hisknapsack, and by and by, not so very far, he met Squirrel Nutcracker. "Where are you going?" asked the old gray squirrel. "Down to the Post Office, " answered the little rabbit. "Will you buy me a dollar's worth of Thrift Stamps, please, " saidSquirrel Nutcracker. So the little rabbit tucked the lettuce dollarbill in his waistcoat pocket and hopped along. And pretty soon, notso very far, he met Busy Beaver. He was plastering the top of hislittle mud house and was dreadfully busy, but when he heard whereLittle Jack Rabbit was going, he put his little muddy paw in hispocket and took out a fifty cent piece. "Please buy me two Thrift Stamps, I've no time to go to the village. Imust finish my house before the frost comes. " The little rabbit put the fifty cent piece in his knapsack and hoppedalong, and by and by Parson Owl, who sat winking and blinking in hisHollow Tree House, called out to the little rabbit as he hopped overthe dry leaves: "Hey, there! Where are you going?" "Down to the Post Office to buy stamps!" "Will you buy me ten dollars' worth if I give you the money?" asked thewinky, blinky old owl. Goodness me; it will take another story to tellwhat happened after that. MORE STAMPS Now let me see. We left little Billy Bunny on his way to the Post Officeto buy Thrift Stamps and the Rabbitville Gazette. And, oh dear me! I'mall mixed up. I can't remember whether Timmy Chipmunk gave the littlerabbit ten dollars or whether Old Parson Owl did. Or whether theSquirrel Brothers wanted two stamps, or whether it was Busy Beaverwho wanted three, or maybe four and perhaps five. Oh dear me again! But never mind. I guess the little rabbit wasn't mixed up, for he hoppedalong as happy as you please, and just before he came to Rabbitville, he heard a voice in the treetops say: "Where are you going, little Hoppity Hop, You're going so fast maybe you can't stop. " "Oh, yes, I can, " answered Little Jack Rabbit. "What do you want?" "That depends on where you are going, " said Professor Jim Crow, for itwas the old blackbird who had stopped the little rabbit, you see. "I'm going to the Post Office to buy Mother Three Thrift Stamps andUncle John the Rabbitville Gazette, and let me see. Oh, yes; oh, yes. Chippy Chipmunk gave me two quarters to buy him two Thrift Stamps, andSquirrel Nutcracker handed me a lettuce dollar bill to buy him four, andBusy Beaver gave me a fifty-cent piece to buy him two, and Parson Owljust now pinned in my inside pocket a ten-dollar lettuce bill to pay forforty stamps. " "I wonder what he wants so many stamps for?" said Professor Jim Crow. "Why doesn't he buy a Liberty Bond?" "Maybe he wants to give them away, " answered the little rabbit. "But Imustn't stop--I must be going. " "Wait, wait, " said Professor Jim Crow. "Here's some money. Buy me tenThrift Stamps, " and he handed over a two and one-half dollar lettucebill. "Don't lose the half, " added the wise old crow, and then he flewup into his old pine tree and cawed away right merrily. And after thatthe little rabbit hopped along and when he came to the Post Office, hewent up to the little stamp window and asked the old maid grasshopper, who was the postmistress, you remember--but if you don't, she was, justthe same, for Bobbie Redvest told me so--if there were any letters. Butthere was only the Rabbitville Gazette done up in a pink wrapper andyellow two-cent stamp. "Have you Thrift Stamps?" asked Bunny Boy. And when the lady grasshoppersaid yes, he told her just how many he wanted, for he could remembereverything, you see, which is more than I can, let me tell you, unlessI look back over this story. And after he had put the stamps carefullyin his knapsack with little pieces of wax paper between so that theywouldn't stick together, he started back for the Old Bramble Patch. Andin the next story, if all those stamps don't get angry and try to lickeach other, I'll tell you what happened after that. BUSY TIMES When Little Jack Rabbit finally reached home with the stamps and theRabbitville Gazette, he found his Uncle John singing at the piano thislovely song: The Autumn leaves are falling Along the Woodland ways, In scarlet, brown and yellow coats These cool November days. They rustle by the Old Rail Fence, They whisper in the lane, Or from the shivering half-clad trees They sing a sad refrain. But Mrs. Rabbit was too busy putting up carrot preserves and lettucepickles to even listen. All the little people of the Shady Forest andSunny Meadow were getting ready for Winter. The little feathered people were pruning their wings for a long flightto the warm Southland, and the four-footed folk were gathering nuts andgrain for their storehouses. The Squirrel Brothers had a bushel of nuts, and maybe more, laid awaycarefully in the old chestnut tree, and Chippy Chipmunk had filled hisunderground storeroom with nuts and corn. Granddaddy Bullfrog was almost ready to dive into the Old Duck Pond tohide in the soft warm mud. Teddy Turtle, too, would soon find forhimself a nice warm spot on the mud bottom of the mill pond before JackFrost touched the water with his icy fingers. And Mr. John Hare had telephoned to the Old Red Rooster to come over andput up Mrs. Rabbit's storm-door and bank the cellar windows with dryleaves. "Mother, " said Little Jack Rabbit, as he polished the brass doorknob, "Iguess Jack Frost will soon be around. " "Shouldn't wonder, " she replied, "but who's afraid of Jack Frost? DannyFox and Mr. Wicked Weasel, to say nothing of Hungry Hawk, are more tobe feared. " And that good lady rabbit began her ironing, for it wasTuesday, the day when all Rabbitville irons Monday's wash, I'm told. Just then Bobbie Redvest began to sing: The summer time is over, And all the golden hours, No more the roses crimson bloom Amid the garden bowers. The little birds have left their nests And now are strong of wing, They will not build themselves a home Until the lovely spring, But fly away to Southern lands, Where warmth and sunshine reign, They cannot brave the winter wind, The snow drifts in the lane. And little four-foot furry folks Will safely hide away, And sleep until the winter's past And Spring has come to stay. AN ACCIDENT Well, after Uncle John Hare had spent about a week at the Old BramblePatch, he thought it time to go home. So he called up his house andordered his Bunnymobile sent for him. "Now don't worry about Little Jack Rabbit, " he said to the anxious ladybunny, "I'll take good care of him and send him home safe and sound. " Then he put on his goggles while the little rabbit cranked up theBunnymobile, and off they went. You see, Uncle John was so fond of his little rabbit nephew that hejust had to take him out for a drive. But, goodness me. They had gone only a little way when they ran into aload of hay. And, oh dear me! It tumbled down on top of them and hidthe Bunnymobile from sight. Wasn't that dreadful? Well, I don't know what would have happened--they would have beensmothered or had hay fever, I guess--if a big Circus Elephant hadn'tcome hurrying along just then. Well, sir! He wound his trunk around that pile of hay and put it back onthe wagon. Then he dropped in his pocket the nickel the farmer gave him, but he wouldn't take the carrot cent that grateful Uncle John offeredhim. [Illustration: The Elephant Put the Hay Right Back on the Wagon. _Page_ 74] "I'm so nervous you'd better drive, " cried the old gentleman hare. SoLittle Jack Rabbit took the wheel and for a little while everything wentalong nicely. But pretty soon it grew dark, so the little rabbit hoppedout to light the lamps. But when he struck a match he found that thelamps were smashed to pieces. You see, they had hit the back of thehay wagon. "What shall we do?" "Get in and go along the best you can, " answered the old gentleman hare. "We ought to be pretty near home by this time. " And I guess they wouldhave reached his little red house in a few minutes if the Policeman Doghadn't stopped them. "What do you mean by running your Bunnymobile without lights?" hegrowled. "I'll fine you ten bones!" "Make it carrots and I'll pay you, " said Uncle John. But the Policeman Dog wouldn't take carrots. You see, he liked bonesmuch better. Then he jumped on the running board and told them to driveto Station House No. 13. But wasn't it lucky? They had gone only a little way when they came to abutcher shop, where Uncle John traded ten carrots for ten bones. Andwhen he gave them to the Policeman dog, he told them they might drivehome slowly. But, oh dear me. All of a sudden a big owl gave a hooty toot. No soonerdid the two little rabbits hear that dreadful noise than they hopped outof the Bunnymobile and into a hollow stump. "You'll be safe, now, " saida little grasshopper from her Clover Patch House, nearby. TWO PIGEONS Well, I'm going to tell you right away that the two little rabbits gotsafely home, although they had to hide all night in the hollow stumpfrom the old owl. But the grasshopper stayed in the clover patch andbuilt a little house with a front-door latch. Well, as soon as they had run the Bunnymobile in the garage, they wentinto the little red house, and had breakfast. After that was over LittleJack Rabbit said good-by and hopped off home to the Old Bramble Patch. And while he was hopping along who should come by but old Professor JimCrow with his little Black Book. "Helloa there, little rabbit, " said the wise old bird, and then heopened his little Black Book and, turning to page 23, he said: "Let me read you something about pigeons. " "Why?" asked the little bunny, wiggling his little pink nose so fastthat old Professor Jim Crow's eyes filled with tears, and he had to takeoff his spectacles and wipe them with his silk pocket handkerchief. "Because, " answered the old crow, "two pigeons have made their home inthe loft of your mother's old barn. " Then he put on his spectacles againand commenced to read aloud: "Pigeons always lay two eggs, and these produce a male and a female, sothey are mated from birth, and, could they remain so, they would be thehappiest of winged beings. " And then the old professor closed his book and said, "Better hurry homeand see the new pigeons. " So away hopped the little rabbit, clippertyclip, lipperty lip, over the Sunny Meadow until, by and by, afterawhile, he came to the Old Bramble Patch. There stood his mother in thebackyard. She had just placed a pan of water under a tree for thepigeons. "Don't make any noise, " she said, as the little rabbit drew near. Prettysoon Mr. Pigeon flew down to taste the water, and by and by Mrs. Pigeonfluttered down by his side. "Cock-a-doodle-do, Of pigeons we have two, But some day there'll be dozens more A-cooing by the old barn door, " sang the old Red Rooster who had come over from Uncle John's to helpMrs. Rabbit weed the carrot patch. After that she and her little bunny boy hopped up on the front porch tohear the canary bird in her gold cage sing: "I wouldn't be a pigeon And live in an old red barn, I'd rather be here when the weather is drear And watch Mrs. Bunny darn. " Which made the kind lady rabbit laugh, for she spent lots of time, letme tell you, darning the holes in her little bunny boy's golfstockings. MISS PUSSY The pumpkins in the cornfield Are as yellow as can be, And the apples, red and golden, Are hanging on the tree, The grapes in purple clusters Are swinging on the vine, And the old crow's nest is empty Upon the lonely pine. "Ha, ha, " shouted Little Jack Rabbit, as Billy Breeze blew across theSunny Meadow, and, let me tell you, Billy Breeze was just a little bitchilly, this cool November morning. "I wonder what I'll do, " thought the little rabbit, and he wiggled hislittle pink nose sideways, and then off he went, clipperty clip, lipperty lip, and by and by he came to an old hollow stump. So he peekedin, and then, all of a sudden, a purring voice asked: "What are you doing, Mr. Curious One?" "Oh, I wasn't doing anything wrong, " answered the little bunny. "I justwanted to see what was inside. " "Well, I'll show you, " answered the voice, and out popped a little blackcat, with green eyes and a pink ribbon. "Oh, it's you, Miss Pussy, " laughed the little rabbit. "I'm glad itwasn't a bear or a wildcat, " and he laughed some more and wiggled hislittle pink nose just for fun, you understand. "What are you doing out here?" "Looking for mice, " answered the little black pussy. "Don't you bother Timmy Meadowmouse, " said Little Jack Rabbit quickly;"he's a friend of mine. " And then, what do you suppose happened? Why, the Farmer's dog came by, and away went the little rabbit, and up went Miss Pussy Cat's back, andher tail grew so big that had she tried to get back into the hollowstump I guess she would have had to leave her tail behind her! But shedidn't. No sireemam. She just humped her back and meowed, and theFarmer's dog kept right on after Little Jack Rabbit, but of course henever caught him. Well, as soon as the little bunny was safe in the Shady Forest, helooked about him, and pretty soon, not so very long, he saw ProfessorJim Crow with his little Black Book under his wing. "Read me something, won't you please, " begged the little rabbit. So theold professor bird took out his book and turned over the pages until hecame to "The early worm must look out for the bird. " "Ha, ha, " laughed the little rabbit. "I must tell that to mother. Shealways tells it the other way 'round. " Then off he hopped, and the oldblack bird flew away to his tree in Kalamazoo. For that was the name ofthe little village where Professor Crow has his home, and where hetaught in the grammar school arithmetic and the Golden Rule, andsometimes Latin and sometimes Greek, and anything else that a bird canspeak. Goodness me, if my typewriter hasn't made up this poetry all byitself. I wonder where it went to school. A BUSY BEAVER "Bunny Boy!" called Little Jack Rabbit's mother, oh, so early, as Mr. Merry Sun climbed up the blue gray sky of the early morning, "Get up, little bunny!" So the little rabbit hopped out of bed; and after he had combed his hairwith a little chip, he ran downstairs to ask his mother about the earlyworm Professor Jim Crow had mentioned in the last story. After breakfasthe hopped out on the Sunny Meadow and looked about him. Mr. Merry Sunwas shining down on the frosty dew and Billy Breeze was very chilly, and the meadow grass brown and withered. It didn't look at all like thelovely Sunny Meadow. "Oh, dear, " sighed the little rabbit, "all the flowers are gone, andmost of the birds have flown to the sunny South. " Just then ProfessorJim Crow flew by with his little Black Book under his wing: "Helloa, there, little bunny, how are you this chilly day?" And thenthat old crow began to read out of his little book: "Little rabbit's coat of brown Soon will turn to white. Then among the snowy drifts He can hide from sight. "You see how Mother Nature looks after you, " said that wise oldblackbird. "In the summer your coat is brown like the dry grassand brambles. But when winter comes it turns white so that youwon't be seen so well against the snow. " Then away flew Professor Jim Crow to read his little Black Book tosomebody else, and the little rabbit hopped along and by and by hecame to the Bubbling Brook where the speckled trout swam in and outamong the rocks and the little fresh water crabs played in the quietpools. All of a sudden down fell a tree. "There, " said Busy Beaver, "I'll now have some logs to make a dam. " "Why do you want a dam? Do you want to spoil the Bubbling Brook?" "It won't spoil the brook, " answered the little beaver. "It will onlymake it deep so that when I build my house for the winter my front doorwon't freeze up tight. " "Oh, I see, " said Little Jack Rabbit, and he wiggled his little pinknose sideways. "And how soon will you have it finished?" "Oh, long before Old Mr. North Wind brings the snow, " answered BusyBeaver. Old Mr. North Wind On his Snow Horse, Swiftly is riding Down the golf course, Over the meadow And up the steep hill, Shouting so hoarsely; "Gid ap, there, Bill!" DON'T WORRY In the last story Little Jack Rabbit, of Old Bramble Patch, U. S. A. , was talking to Busy Beaver, who was making a dam across the BubblingBrook, you remember, to keep the water from freezing up his front doorin the cold winter time. "Every one is getting ready for the cold weather. It won't be longbefore my dam is finished and then I'll set to work and make my house ofmud and sticks, " and Busy Beaver jumped into the water with a flap ofhis broad tail and disappeared. So the little rabbit hopped along, andby and by he came to the cave where the Big Brown Bear made his home. "Helloa!" said Little Jack Rabbit, as the Big Brown Bear looked out ofhis front door. "Winter time will soon be here. " "Oh, that doesn't worry me, " said the Big Brown Bear. "But what will you eat?" asked the little rabbit. "When you're asleep you don't feel hungry. On a warm sunny day I maycome out for a little while and find something to eat. I don't worry. " Worry never makes you fat, Instead, it makes you lean. Never worry for a minute, -- Worry has the devil in it, -- Keep your mind serene. And if you don't know what "serene" means, take your father's dictionaryand look up, for the more words you know the wiser you'll grow. "Well, I don't have to worry about the cold weather, " laughed the littlerabbit. "Mother Nature will give me a new white fur overcoat, and theOld Bramble Patch will keep the wind away, and the cabbage leaves whichmother and I have stored away will last all winter. " And then away hewent to see more of his friends in the Shady Forest. Well, by and by, after a while, he heard the honk of an automobile horn. "I wonder whether that's Uncle John, " and Little Jack Rabbit stopped andlooked all around, and pretty soon, not very long, Mr. John Hare droveby in his Bunnymobile. He looked very fine in his polkadot handkerchiefand gold watch and chain and a great big immense diamond horseshoe pinin his pink cravat. Oh, my, yes! Uncle John was quite a dandy. He wasthe best dressed Hare in Harebridge, and why shouldn't he be when youconsider he was President of the bank and the Harum Scarum Club! "Helloa, there, little nephew, " he shouted. "Hop in and take a ride with me, We'll take a spin for a mile or three, And maybe we'll come where the lollypops grow, Pink and yellow, all in a row. " THE LITTLE FROSTY PAINTER There's a little frosty painter Who soon will come around To put a silver edging on The grasses on the ground, Upon the window pane he'll paint A fairy landscape, strange and quaint, And some cold morning you'll awake To find he's frosted Mother's cake. Now can you guess who this little frosty painter is? Why, it's JackFrost, the son of King Winter. "Ha, ha, " crowed the Weathercock on the Big Red Barn. "Jack Frost ishere, for I can see the silver frost upon the grass in the SunnyMeadow, " and then that gilded rooster turned his head to the North andblew on his gilt toes to keep them warm. Pretty soon Old Sic'em walked out of his little dog house and shookhimself. "Bow wow, " he said, "it's a chilly morning. " "Cock-a-doodle-do, " said Cocky Doodle, and then Henny Penny cackledloudly: "I've laid an egg so white and clean 'Twould grace a breakfast for a queen. But if a little girl should beg The farmer for my pretty egg, I'd tell him quick to let her go And take my egg as white as snow. " As the little hen finished her song, she noticed Little Jack Rabbit bythe Old Rail Fence. "Helloa, Mrs. Henny Penny, " he said. "I like your song. If I see anypoor little girl I'll tell her!" and then the little rabbit hoppedaway, for he just couldn't stay a moment in one place, let me tell you. He wanted to be on the hop, skip and jump all the time, just like lotsof little boys and girls I know. Well, by and by, after a while, he saw Old Professor Jim Crow scratchinghis head with his claw. "What's the matter?" asked the little rabbit. "I can't make out something I've written in my little Black Book, "answered the old black bird, and he scratched his head again and lookeddreadfully perplexed, which means worse than worried, you know. "Let me look, " said Little Jack Rabbit. And when the old blackbird hadflown down from his pine tree, the little bunny leaned over hisshoulder, and read: "Oh, oh, oh, Squirreltown!" "Why, that's the Squirrel Brothers telephone number, " he laughed. "So itis, " said Professor Jim Crow. "I'm so glad you told me! Let's call themup!" "'One, three, five, Chestnut Hill!' Keep on ringing, Central, till Some one answers, 'Hello! who Is calling up my Bungaloo!' "But if no one says a word; Not a twitter from a bird, Nor a chatter comes your way, Call again another day. " GRANDPA POSSUM But! gracious me! Central gave Little Jack Rabbit the wrong number, foras he stood in the Hollow Stump Telephone Booth, with the receiver tohis ear, he heard Grandpa Possum say: "I don't care how hard it snows, Nor how Old Mr. North Wind blows, For I'm as safe as safe can be In a big warm hole in the old nut tree. " "Ha, ha!" laughed the little rabbit, hopping out of the booth, justas Grandpa Possum poked his head out of his hollow tree house, "youcertainly look sleepy. What made you wake up?" "What woke me?" asked the possum gentleman angrily. "Why, those goodfor nothing Squirrel Brothers threw a snowball into my window. " Andthen Grandpa Possum shook the snow out of his left ear and lookedaround to find those naughty squirrels. All of a sudden, quicker than a wink, another snowball hit the oldhollow tree a tre-men-dous whack. "Goodness me!" said Grandpa Possum, "if I ever catch those peskysquirrels I'll make them wince, yes, I will, as sure as I'm twenty-one!" And he began to grin, for Grandpa Possum is full of good nature andnever can stay angry very long. "If you're good natured, every one Will love you more and more, So don't get mad, be always glad, And lend a helping paw, " sang Grandpa Possum, winking at Little Jack Rabbit, as Squirrel TwinkleTail peeked out and said: "Excuse me, Grandpa Possum, For throwing snow at you, 'Twould be too bad to make you mad Or just a little blue. " And then he and his mischievous brother Featherhead ran away and didn'tbother Grandpa Possum for a long time. "Well, I guess I'll be getting along, " said the little rabbit and hehopped away and by and by he came to the Shady Forest Pond where BusyBeaver had his home. But of course he wasn't anywhere to be seen. No, siree. He was in his little mud hut whose roof stuck up above the iceand whose cellar door was way down deep where the water was free fromice and he could swim in and out as he pleased. So the little rabbit didn't wait, but hopped along until he came to theedge of the forest, when he started to hop across the Sunny Meadow tothe Old Barn Yard where Henny Penny and Cocky Doodle lived all the year'round. But just then he heard the supper bell. So, instead, he hurriedhome to be in time for Aunt Jemima's angel cake. COUSIN CHATTERBOX Little Jack Rabbit loved the snow that covered the ground with a softwhite carpet. His feet never grew cold. No siree, they didn't. All thelittle Forest Folk liked the snow, for Loving Mother Nature had giventhem warm fur, and warm fur laughs at cold just as love laughs attroubles. Even Mrs. Grouse was happy. And if you've forgotten why, I'll tell youagain. It was because dear Mother Nature had given her a pair ofsnow-shoes. Yes, indeed. The skin had grown out between her toes untilshe could walk as nicely as you please over the snow. And what is more, Loving Mother Nature had taught her to dive into a snowbank where shecould stay for the night as snug and warm as you please, when Old Mr. North Wind blew upon his chilly horn. Neither did Squirrel Nutcracker care that the ground was covered withsnow, and he could find no more nuts. He had a supply hidden safely awayin the old hollow chestnut tree. But he did mind having other peopletake them. And when his cousin, Chatterbox, in his red fur coat, triedto break into his storehouse, Squirrel Nutcracker was as mad as madcould be. "Whoever steals a nut from me From out my storehouse in this tree, A friend of mine shall be no more, So let him stay outside my store. " Chatterbox grew very angry as he peeped down from the chestnut tree andsaw Little Jack Rabbit with a big smile on his face. It told the naughtyred squirrel that the little rabbit knew whom the little gray squirrelmeant. But when Little Jack Rabbit opened his knapsack and took out a lemonlollypop, you should have seen those two squirrels forget all abouttheir quarrel and scramble down the big chestnut tree. Yes, sir. Squirrel Nutcracker forgot that Chatterbox wanted to steal his nuts, andChatterbox forgot that he had been caught! And now that I come to thinkit over, perhaps that is the reason the little bunny laughed just beforehe opened his knapsack! I guess he knew how quickly those two littlesquirrels would forget everything when they saw a lemon lollypop! "Now promise me one thing to-day, You little squirrels, red and gray, That you will quarrel nevermore Nor steal a nut from any store. For he who steals will always end In having neither love nor friend. " Now don't you think it wonderful that the little rabbit could make upsuch lovely poetry? Well, I do, but the two little squirrels thoughtwhat he does in the next story even more wonderful. But you must not impatient get, If mother says, it's growing late. Just wait until another time, And kiss good-night your Auntie Kate. JIMMY JAY Now just as I finished the last story Little Jack Rabbit handed SquirrelNutcracker and Chatterbox each a lovely lemon lollypop. I would havetold you that before, only I had no more room, so I had to wait. Butit's a good thing the little Squirrels didn't have to wait, isn't it? Well, after the lemon lollypops were all gone, the little bunny wentupon his way, hipperty hop, lipperty lop, until he saw Jimmy Jay on theOld Rail Fence. Now you know that Jimmy Jay is a very mischievous little bird. Yes, sir, he certainly loves to tease. Grandmother Magpie is mischievous, too, but she's no worse than little Jimmy Jay. She does harm by meddling andJimmy Jay by teasing. Yes, it certainly is too bad that such a pretty bird as Jimmy Jay shouldcause so much trouble. Why, his coat's as blue as the summer sky whenMr. Merry Sun is shining at his best. "Hip, hip, hurray, I'm Jimmy Jay, And I'm proud of my coat of blue. Go on your way, I'm Jimmy Jay, I've no time to talk to you. " "You're too fond of yourself, Jimmy Jay, " said Little Jack Rabbit, andhe wiggled his pink nose till the little Jay bird almost fell off therail. You see, Little Jack Rabbit had the habit of wiggling his nose sofast that it made everybody dizzy to look at it. "Mother says it's not the clothes You wear that make you good; It's having a contented mind And doing what you should. " Then away hopped the little rabbit, leaving Jimmy Jay to think it over. Perhaps it kept that mischievous little Jay Bird from looking at himselfin the Bubbling Brook. Or maybe it was because it was all frozen overwith a thick coat of ice. Well, anyway, the little rabbit hopped along for maybe a mile or maybeless, until he came to a little hole in snow, when, all of a sudden, outpopped Timmy Meadowmouse. You see in the winter time, Timmy Meadowmousemakes little tunnels under the snow, and every once in a while, hereand there, he climbs up a stiff stalk of grass and pokes out his head tolook around. And wasn't he glad to see the little rabbit. Well, I justguess he was. But if he had seen Danny Fox instead he wouldn't have beenso pleased. No sireemam. And in the next story, if the littlemeadowmouse doesn't play hide-and-seek in the snow till that sly old foxcomes around, I'll tell you what happened after this. THE TIP OF A TAIL Now let us see--oh, yes, I remember now. We left off just when littleTimmy Meadowmouse poked his head up through the snow and said, "Helloa!" "Howdy, Timmy Meadowmouse, Through the chimney of your house Looking o'er the meadow white, Glancing round from left to right, You might lose your woollen socks If 't weren't I, but Danny Fox, " laughed Little Jack Rabbit, kicking up his strong hind legs until a bigsnowball hit Timmy Meadowmouse, knocking the hat off his head into asnowbank. "Look out! What are you doing, " cried Timmy Meadowmouse. "That's the newhat Mother gave me for Xmas. " Pretty soon he began to laugh, too, forhe's a merry little fellow and a good friend. "My, but it's lonely these long winter days, " sighed the little bunny. "Everybody's sound asleep in his winter home. Only you and I and a fewothers are about, " and the little rabbit sighed again, for what he saysis true, let me tell you. For in the good Old Summer time 'Most everybody's round, The feathered folk are in the trees, The furry on the ground. And all the sweet and verdant dells Are ringing with the flower bells. "Cheer up, little rabbit, " said the merry little Meadowmouse, "springwill soon be here. The buds on the trees are waiting for little MissSouth Wind to open them, " and after that the little meadowmousedisappeared into his tunnel and the little bunny hopped away, clippertyclip, over the snow till he came to the Shady Forest. And after he hadgone in a little way, not so very far, he saw something that made hisheart go pitter, pat. And what do you suppose it was? I'll give youthree guesses and then I'll tell you. The footprints of Danny Fox. Yes, sir! Right there in the snow were the marks of that sly old fox's feet. Little Jack Rabbit stopped right then and there to look about him. But Danny Fox was nowhere in sight, but that was no reason why hemight not be, at that very moment, hiding behind a tree. The littlerabbit looked again at the footprints in the snow. There they were, but, thank goodness! They led away, far away, into the Shady Forest. Just then, all of a sudden, the Miller's Boy jumped out from behinda clump of bushes. "Run! run!" screamed Jimmy Jay, who happened by just then. Andthe little rabbit did. He went so fast that his shadow couldn'tkeep up with him and neither could the Miller's Boy. But, oh, dear me! The Miller's dog did. Yes, sir! He kept so close thatbefore he popped into the Old Bramble Patch he caught the endof the little rabbit's tail. OLD BARNEY OWL Well, I'm mighty glad the little rabbit lost only the fur tip to histail. That was bad enough, but he forgot all about it the next morningwhen the Squirrel Brothers invited him over the 'phone to meet them atthe Shady Forest Pond. He spent no time at all getting out his skates, but his mother took two minutes and a half tying a woolen muffler aroundhis neck. She knew, like all wise mothers, that it's lots more fun toskate when one is nice and warm. When he reached the pond the Squirrel Brothers were already there, skating merrily over the ice. Busy Beaver in his winter home below could hear them whirring along, cutting fancy figures in the ice, and calling merrily to one another. After a while, when the little rabbit and the squirrel brothers hadgrown tired of skating, they ran over to make a call on Old Barney Owl, who lived in the Big Chestnut Tree on a small island, right in themiddle of the pond. Although it was now pretty late in the afternoon, the old gentlemanowl was still asleep, and when he opened the door, his eyes winked andblinked, and at first he didn't know them at all. In fact, he shut thedoor right in their faces. I suppose he thought they had knocked just towake him up. Perhaps they had, for when the door closed with a bang theyall began to laugh. [Illustration: Little Jack and The Squirrel Brothers Skated Merrily. _Page_ 113] By and by Featherhead knocked again, and when Old Barney Owl opened ita second time, the naughty little squirrel said: "Here is a nice fresh egg!" Goodness me! When the old owl, whose eyes were still very blinky, foundout it wasn't an egg, but a snowball, he dropped it on the littlesquirrel's head, and slammed the door again. Now, if Featherhead had only gone back to his skating, all would havebeen well. But he didn't. No, indeed. Instead, he knocked again, andwhen the old owl opened the door, that naughty squirrel dropped asnowball down his collar. Goodness gracious me! What a scuffle therewas all at once, and, just like that! the old owl pulled the littlesquirrel into his house and closed the door. Oh, what a scowl had Mr. Owl, And Featherhead felt nearly dead. He was so scared at what he'd done He couldn't move his feet to run. And, goodness gracious! so would I Have felt as if I'd surely die, If some big giant from his tree Had through his doorway pulled poor me. From head to toe I'd surely quake, And feel my frightened heart would break. But now let's turn the page to see If ever Featherhead gets free. "HELP! HELP!" Little Jack Rabbit threw himself against the door as soon as it closedon Featherhead. But Old Barney Owl had fastened the latch and itwouldn't open. My! What a dreadful scuffling was going on inside. "Open the door! Open the door!" shouted the little rabbit, pounding onthe wooden panels with his strong hind feet. But Old Barney Owl paid noattention. Maybe he had all he could do to hold Featherhead. By and by it grew very quiet and Twinkle Tail peeped in through thekeyhole, but he couldn't see anything. "Oh, dear me!" cried Little Jack Rabbit. "Perhaps Old Barney Owl haseaten Featherhead!" Poor Twinkle Tail's heart almost stopped beating. Maybe it would have if he had known that the old owl had dragged hislittle brother squirrel upstairs by the tail. "Snowballs and eggs! Snowballs and eggs!" muttered Old Barney, shakingFeatherhead until his teeth rattled. "You little rascal! You thought Icouldn't tell a snowball from an egg, eh?" and he gave the littlesquirrel another shake. "Now I'm going to skin you and eat you for supper!" Oh, dear me! How Featherhead trembled when he heard that. Just then there came a tremendous crash downstairs, and as the old owllooked over the railing, Twinkle Tail and Little Jack Rabbit broke inthe door. "Help! Help!" shouted Featherhead. "Rats and mice! Rats and mice!" cried Old Barney Owl, still keeping atight hold on the little squirrel's tail. He knew there was going to be trouble, but he wasn't going to let hissupper get away from him without a fight, let me tell you. No, siree. Old Barney Owl was too hungry for that. But he changed his mind prettyquickly. Yes, siree. When Little Jack Rabbit let fly his hind feet, thumpty-thump, thumpty-thump! knocking the old owl head over heels, hechanged his mind. He let go of Featherhead, and before he could changeit again there was nobody in the house except himself. Gracious me! How the Squirrel Brothers scurried home. And the littlerabbit lost no time, either. He went to bed early and in the middle ofthe night, when Old Barney Owl went "Hooty, toot!" he shivered andpulled the bedclothes up over his head. "Toot, toot, hoot!" Old Barney plays his flute. It sounds so shivery in the dark, The firefly's tiny gleaming spark, Goes out because the firefly Is frightened by the old owl's cry. PUMPKIN PLACE P. O. "Little Jack Rabbit!" said his mother, the next morning, "run down tothe post office and see if there's a letter for me. " So the little rabbitput on his khaki cap and his little knapsack and started off, and by andby, after a while, he came to Rabbitville, where the post office stood onthe corner of Pumpkin Place and Corn Cob Lane. "Is there a letter for Mrs. John Rabbit, Old Bramble Patch, RailFence Corner, U. S. A. ?" he asked the lady postmistress, an old maidgrasshopper who worked for Uncle Sam in the winter and in the summerplayed in the wheat field. "I think there is, " she said, looking in box 13, and, sure enough, therewas. Then she handed the letter to the little rabbit, and shut the doorof the little window and after that she took out her vanity bag andpowdered her nose. The little rabbit put the letter in his knapsack and started home, butjust as he reached the Shady Forest, whom should he see but SquirrelNutcracker. The old gray squirrel had come out of his hollow tree fora little run in the sun. You see, on cold days he curled himself up ina ball and kept very quiet, but on warm days he came out and jumpedfrom limb to limb to get the cramps out of his leg muscles. "Where are you going, little rabbit?" he asked, and then he took a nutout of his pocket and cracked it with his sharp teeth without a bit oftrouble. "I've got a letter for mother, " said Little Jack Rabbit, "and I mustn'tstop to talk to any one, " and he hopped along as fast as he could, forhe was afraid he might lose the letter, you see. Well, pretty soon, notso very long, he came to the Old Bramble Patch, and after he had giventhe letter to his mother he hopped out on the Sunny Meadow, and justthen, all of a sudden, Old Professor Jim Crow flew by. He had his littleBlack Book under his wing, and as soon as he saw the little rabbit helighted on a bush and turned to page 23. "Let me read you something, " he said, putting on his spectacles, andafter he had cawed three times and a half he began: "Little rabbits should take care To every morning comb their hair. They always should be clean and neat And keep their dispositions sweet. " And then that wise old bird looked up over his spectacles and winked atthe little rabbit. "Did you comb your hair this morning?" he asked. Andwasn't it lucky that Little Jack Rabbit hadn't forgotten to? Well, Ijust guess it was. AN ICE CREAM PINE CONE Pretty soon it began to snow and soon the Sunny Meadow was just aswhite and smooth as Mrs. Rabbit's best table cloth, for the featherysnowflakes fell so softly you could almost hear the stillness. LittleJack Rabbit opened his knapsack and pulled out his rubber boots. Then heput on his ear muffs and his nice warm mittens and slung his knapsackover his back, but very carefully, for there were lots of nice things toeat in that knapsack. Yes, siree. His kind mother always filled it upwith cakes and sweets. I guess the little rabbit knew that very morninghis dear mother had baked lettuce cakes, and how he did love lettucecakes. Yes, indeed he did, and so would you and so would I if we couldonly get one, I'm sure. Well, after he had hopped along a little way, he began to sing, "Three little bunnies a-sliding went On a winter's day, The ice was thin, and two fell in, And the third one ran away. " "Ha, ha!" cawed an old crow from a tree top, "that's a very fine song!" "Well, if you think it's such a fine song, throw me down an ice creampine cone, " said the little rabbit. But the selfish old crow wanted itfor himself, and instead threw down a snowball, which hit the littlerabbit on the tip of his tail. The little rabbit wasn't going to stay there and have snowballs thrownat him. No, sireemam, he wasn't. And pretty soon, not so very far, hemet Jimmy Mink creeping along by the Old Duck Pond. "I have to be very careful these winter days, " said the little mink. "Everybody wants to wear fur in the winter time, you know, and if thatdreadful Miller's Boy sees me, he might shoot me and sell my fur for amuff!" "They set traps for me, " answered the little rabbit. "And Danny Fox andMr. Wicked Weasel are always after me. And Hungry Hawk, too. You're notthe only one who has to look out for himself. " Then the little rabbit took a lovely lollypop out of his knapsack andgave it to Jimmy Mink, and asked him to make a visit at the Old BramblePatch. "I'll get Uncle John to take us riding in his Bunnysnowbile. " Thistickled the little mink almost to pieces, for he'd never ridden ina Bunnysnowbile, and neither have I and neither have you, but perhapssome day we will if we happen to be around when Mr. John Hare comes by. And in the next book, if the smoke doesn't blow down our chimney andchoke the cook so that she can't bake the biscuits for breakfast, I'lltell you more about Little Jack Rabbit and his friends who live inBunnyville, U. S. A. THE END LITTLE JACK RABBIT BOOKS (Trademark Registered. ) By DAVID CORY Colored Wrapper and Text Illustrations Drawn byH. S. BARBOUR * * * * * PRINTED IN LARGE TYPE EASY TO READ. FORCHILDREN FROM 3 TO 8 YEARS * * * * * A unique series, about the furred and feathered little people of thewoods and meadows. LITTLE JACK RABBIT'S ADVENTURES Little Jack Rabbit is a jolly fellow, but he has to keep away from DannyFox, Wicked Weasel and Hungry Hawk. LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND DANNY FOX Many a hairbreadth escape has Little Jack Rabbit from this old rascal, who lives on the woody hillside under a pile of rocks. LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE SQUIRREL BROTHERS Mr. Squirrel Nutcracker's two boys are great friends of Little Jack, butold Barney Owl makes a lot of trouble for all three. LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND CHIPPY CHIPMUNK Little Jack Rabbit visits Chippy Chipmunk's store, but you should readabout what happens to the sign over the door. LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE BIG BROWN BEAR The Big Brown Bear is a particular friend of Little Jack Rabbit. CoseyCave, where he lives, is well stored with honey and lollypops. LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND UNCLE JOHN HARE Tells all about the bunnymobile, Ragged Rabbit Giant and the RabbitFairies. LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND PROFESSOR CROW Professor Crow, with his Wisdom Book, teaches Little Jack Rabbit manyinteresting things. * * * * * GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK * * * * * LITTLE JOURNEYS TO HAPPYLAND (Trademark Registered) By DAVID CORY Individual Colored Wrappers. Profusely Illustrated * * * * * =Printed in large type--easy to read. For children from 4 to 8 years. = * * * * * A new series of exciting adventures by the author of LITTLE JACK RABBITbooks. The Happyland is reached by various routes: If you should happen to missthe Iceberg Express maybe you can take the Magic Soap Bubble, or in casethat has already left, the Noah's Ark may be waiting for you. This series is unique in that it deals with unusual and excitingadventures on land and sea and in the air. The Cruise of the Noah's Ark This is a good rainy day story. On just such a day Mr. Noah invitesMarjorie to go for a trip in the Noah's Ark. She gets aboard just intime and away it floats out into the big wide world. The Magic Soap Bubble The king of the gnomes has a magic pipe with which he blows a wonderfulbubble and taking Ed. With him they both have a delightful time inGnomeland. The Iceberg Express The Mermaid's magic comb changes little Mary Louise into a mermaid. ThePolar Bear Porter on the iceberg Express invites her to take a trip withhim and away they go on a little journey to Happyland. * * * * * GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK * * * * *