So now they were very proud to think that one of their own numberactually had frightened him, and they began to look on Buster Bear as areal hero. They tried in ever so many ways to show him how friendly theyfelt and went quite out of their way to do him favors. Whenever they metone another, all they could talk about was the smartness and thegreatness of Buster Bear.
"Now I guess Farmer Brown's boy will keep away from the Green Forest,and we won't have to be all the time watching out for him," said BobbyCoon, as he washed his dinner in the Laughing Brook, for you know he isvery neat and particular.
"And he won't dare set any more traps for me," gloated Billy Mink.
"Ah wish Brer Bear would go up to Farmer Brown's henhouse and scareFarmer Brown's boy so that he would keep away from there. It would be afavor to me which Ah cert'nly would appreciate," said Unc' Billy Possumwhen he heard the news.
"Let's all go together and tell Buster Bear how much obliged we are forwhat he has done," proposed Jerry Muskrat.
"That's a splendid idea!" cried Little Joe Otter. "We'll do it rightaway."
"Caw, caw caw!" broke in Blacky the Crow. "I say, let's wait and see forourselves if it is all true."
"Of course it's true!" snapped Little Joe Otter. "Don't you believe I'mtelling the truth?"
"Certainly, certainly. Of course no one doubts your word," repliedBlacky, with the utmost politeness. "But you say yourself that FarmerBrown's boy didn't see Buster Bear, but only his footprint. Perhaps hedidn't know whose it was, and if he had he wouldn't have been afraid.Now I've got a plan by which we can see for ourselves if he really isafraid of Buster Bear."
"What is it?" asked Sammy Jay eagerly.
Blacky the Crow shook his head and winked. "That's telling," said he. "Iwant to think it over. If you meet me at the Big Hickory-tree at sun-upto-morrow morning, and get everybody else to come that you can, perhapsI will tell you."
XI
BLACKY THE CROW TELLS HIS PLAN
Blacky is a dreamer! Blacky is a schemer! His voice is strong; When things go wrong Blacky is a screamer!
It's a fact. Blacky the Crow is forever dreaming and scheming and almostalways it is of mischief. He is one of the smartest and cleverest of allthe little people of the Green Meadows and the Green Forest, and all theothers know it. Blacky likes excitement. He wants something going on.The more exciting it is, the better he likes it. Then he has a chance touse that harsh voice of his, and how he does use it!
So now, as he sat in the top of the Big Hickory-tree beside the SmilingPool and looked down on all the little people gathered there, he wasvery happy. In the first place he felt very important, and you knowBlacky dearly loves to feel important. They had all come at hisinvitation to listen to a plan for seeing for themselves if it werereally true that Farmer Brown's boy was afraid of Buster Bear.
On the Big Rock in the Smiling Pool sat Little Joe Otter, Billy Mink,and Jerry Muskrat. On his big, green lily-pad sat Grandfather Frog. Onanother lily-pad sat Spotty the Turtle. On the bank on one side of theSmiling Pool were Peter Rabbit, Jumper the Hare, Danny Meadow Mouse,Johnny Chuck, Jimmy Skunk, Unc' Billy Possum, Striped Chipmunk and OldMr. Toad. On the other side of the Smiling Pool were Reddy Fox, Diggerthe Badger, and Bobby Coon. In the Big Hickory-tree were Chatterer theRed Squirrel, Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel, and Sammy Jay.
Blacky waited until he was sure that no one else was coming. Then hecleared his throat very loudly and began to speak. "Friends," said he.
Everybody grinned, for Blacky has played so many sharp tricks that noone is really his friend unless it is that other mischief-maker, SammyJay, who, you know, is Blacky's cousin. But no one said anything, andBlacky went on.
"Little Joe Otter has told us how he saw Farmer Brown's boy hurry homewhen he found the footprint of Buster Bear on the edge of the LaughingBrook, and how all the way he kept looking behind him, as if he wereafraid. Perhaps he was, and then again perhaps he wasn't. Perhaps he hadsomething else on his mind. You have made a hero of Buster Bear, becauseyou believe Little Joe's story. Now I don't say that I don't believe it,but I do say that I will be a lot more sure that Farmer Brown's boy isafraid of Buster when I see him run away myself. Now here is my plan:
"To-morrow morning, very early, Sammy Jay and I will make a great fussnear the edge of the Green Forest. Farmer Brown's boy has a lot ofcuriosity, and he will be sure to come over to see what it is all about.Then we will lead him to where Buster Bear is. If he runs away, I willbe the first to admit that Buster Bear is as great a hero as some of youseem to think he is. It is a very simple plan, and if you will all hidewhere you can watch, you will be able to see for yourselves if LittleJoe Otter is right. Now what do you say?"
Right away everybody began to talk at the same time. It was such asimple plan that everybody agreed to it. And it promised to be soexciting that everybody promised to be there, that is, everybody butGrandfather Frog and Spotty the Turtle, who didn't care to go so faraway from the Smiling Pool. So it was agreed that Blacky should try hisplan the very next morning.
XII
FARMER BROWN'S BOY AND BUSTER BEAR GROW CURIOUS
Ever since it was light enough to see at all, Blacky the Crow had beensitting in the top of the tallest tree on the edge of the Green Forestnearest to Farmer Brown's house, and never for an instant had he takenhis eyes from Farmer Brown's back door. What was he watching for? Why,for Farmer Brown's boy to come out on his way to milk the cows.Meanwhile, Sammy Jay was slipping silently through the Green Forest,looking for Buster Bear, so that when the time came he could let hiscousin, Blacky the Crow, know just where Buster was.
By and by the back door of Farmer Brown's house opened, and out steppedFarmer Brown's boy. In each hand he carried a milk pail. Right awayBlacky began to scream at the top of his lungs. "Caw, caw, caw!" shoutedBlacky. "Caw, caw, caw!" And all the time he flew about among the treesnear the edge of the Green Forest as if so excited that he couldn't keepstill. Farmer Brown's boy looked over there as if he wondered what allthat fuss was about, as indeed he did, but he didn't start to go overand see. No, Sir, he started straight for the barn.
Blacky didn't know what to make of it. You see, smart as he is andshrewd as he is, Blacky doesn't know anything about the meaning of duty,for he never has to work excepting to get enough to eat. So, when FarmerBrown's boy started for the barn instead of for the Green Forest,Blacky didn't know what to make of it. He screamed harder and louderthan ever, until his voice grew so hoarse he couldn't scream any more,but Farmer Brown's boy kept right on to the barn.
"I'd like to know what you're making such a fuss about, Mr. Crow, butI've got to feed the cows and milk them first," said he.
Now all this time the other little people of the Green Forest and theGreen Meadows had been hiding where they could see all that went on.When Farmer Brown's boy disappeared in the barn, Chatterer the RedSquirrel snickered right out loud. "Ha, ha, ha! This is a great plan ofyours, Blacky! Ha, ha, ha!" he shouted. Blacky couldn't find a word tosay. He just hung his head, which is something Blacky seldom does.
"Perhaps if we wait until he comes out again, he will come over here,"said Sammy Jay, who had joined Blacky. So it was decided to wait. Itseemed as if Farmer Brown's boy never would come out, but at last hedid. Blacky and Sammy Jay at once began to scream and make all the fussthey could. Farmer Brown's boy took the two pails of milk into thehouse, then out he came and started straight for the Green Forest. Hewas so curious to know what it all meant that he couldn't wait anotherminute.
Now there was some one else with a great deal of curiosity also. He hadheard the screaming of Blacky the Crow and Sammy Jay, and he hadlistened until he couldn't stand it another minute. He just _had_ toknow what it was all about. So at the same time Farmer Brown's boystarted for the Green Forest, this other listener started towards theplace where Blacky and Sammy were making such a racket. He walked verysoftly so as not to make a sound. It was Buster Bear.
XIII
FARMER BROWN'S BOY AND BUSTER B
EAR MEET
If you should meet with Buster Bear While walking through the wood, What would you do? Now tell me true, _I'd_ run the best I could.
That is what Farmer Brown's boy did when he met Buster Bear, and a lotof the little people of the Green Forest and some from the Green Meadowssaw him. When Farmer Brown's boy came hurrying home from the LaughingBrook without any fish one day and told about the great footprint he hadseen in a muddy place on the bank deep in the Green Forest, and had saidhis was sure that it was the footprint of a Bear, he had been laughedat. Farmer Brown had laughed and laughed.
"Why," said he, "there hasn't been a Bear in the Green Forest for yearsand years and years, not since my own grandfather was a little boy, andthat, you know, was a long, long, long time ago. If you want to find Mr.Bear, you will have to go to the Great Woods. I don't know who made thatfootprint, but it certainly couldn't have been a Bear. I think you musthave imagined it."
Then he had laughed some more, all of which goes to show how easy it isto be mistaken, and how foolish it is to laugh at things you reallydon't know about. Buster Bear _had_ come to live in the Green Forest,and Farmer Brown's boy _had_ seen his footprint. But Farmer Brownlaughed so much and made fun of him so much, that at last his boy beganto think that he must have been mistaken after all. So when he heardBlacky the Crow and Sammy Jay making a great fuss near the edge of theGreen Forest, he never once thought of Buster Bear, as he started overto see what was going on.
When Blacky and Sammy saw him coming, they moved a little farther in tothe Green Forest, still screaming in the most excited way. They feltsure that Farmer Brown's boy would follow them, and they meant to leadhim to where Sammy had seen Buster Bear that morning. Then they wouldfind out for sure if what Little Joe Otter had said was true,--thatFarmer Brown's boy really was afraid of Buster Bear.
Now all around, behind trees and stumps, and under thick branches, andeven in tree tops, were other little people watching with round,wide-open eyes to see what would happen. It was very exciting, the mostexciting thing they could remember. You see, they had come to believethat Farmer Brown's boy wasn't afraid of anybody or anything, and asmost of them were very much afraid of him, they had hard work to believethat he would really be afraid of even such a great, big, strong fellowas Buster Bear. Every one was so busy watching Farmer Brown's boy thatno one saw Buster coming from the other direction.
You see, Buster walked very softly. Big as he is, he can walk withoutmaking the teeniest, weeniest sound. And that is how it happened that noone saw him or heard him until just as Farmer Brown's boy stepped outfrom behind one side of a thick little hemlock-tree, Buster Bear steppedout from behind the other side of that same little tree, and there theywere face to face! Then everybody held their breath, even Blacky theCrow and Sammy Jay. For just a little minute it was so still there inthe Green Forest that not the least little sound could be heard. Whatwas going to happen?
XIV
A SURPRISING THING HAPPENS
Blacky the Crow and Sammy Jay, looking down from the top of a tall tree,held their breath. Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and his cousin,Chatterer the Red Squirrel, looking down from another tree, held _their_breath. Unc' Billy Possum, sticking his head out from a hollow tree,held _his_ breath. Bobby Coon, looking through a hole in a hollow stumpin which he was hiding, held _his_ breath. Reddy Fox, lying flat downbehind a heap of brush, held _his_ breath. Peter Rabbit, sitting boltupright under a thick hemlock branch, with eyes and ears wide open, held_his_ breath. And all the other little people who happened to be wherethey could see did the same thing.
You see, it was the most exciting moment ever was in the Green Forest.Farmer Brown's boy had just stepped out from behind one side of a littlehemlock-tree and Buster Bear had just stepped out from behind theopposite side of the little hemlock-tree and neither had known that theother was anywhere near. For a whole minute they stood there face toface, gazing into each other's eyes, while everybody watched and waited,and it seemed as if the whole Green Forest was holding its breath.
Then something happened. Yes, Sir, something happened. Farmer Brown'sboy opened his mouth and yelled! It was such a sudden yell and such aloud yell that it startled Chatterer so that he nearly fell from hisplace in the tree, and it made Reddy Fox jump to his feet ready to run.And that yell was a yell of fright. There was no doubt about it, forwith the yell Farmer Brown's boy turned and ran for home, as no one everhad seen him run before. He ran just as Peter Rabbit runs when he hasgot to reach the dear Old Briar-patch before Reddy Fox can catch him,which, you know, is as fast as he can run. Once he stumbled and fell,but he scrambled to his feet in a twinkling, and away he went withoutonce turning his head to see if Buster Bear was after him. There wasn'tany doubt that he was afraid, very much afraid.
Everybody leaned forward to watch him. "What did I tell you? Didn't Isay that he was afraid of Buster Bear?" cried Little Joe Otter, dancingabout with excitement.
"You were right, Little Joe! I'm sorry that I doubted it. See him go!Caw, caw, caw!" shrieked Blacky the Crow.
For a minute or two everybody forgot about Buster Bear. Then there was agreat crash which made everybody turn to look the other way. What do youthink they saw? Why, Buster Bear was running away too, and he wasrunning twice as fast as Farmer Brown's boy! He bumped into trees andcrashed through bushes and jumped over logs, and in almost no time atall he was out of sight. Altogether it was the most surprising thingthat the little people of the Green Forest ever had seen.
Buster Bear was running away, too. Page _71_.]
Sammy Jay looked at Blacky the Crow, and Blacky looked at Chatterer,and Chatterer looked at Happy Jack, and Happy Jack looked at PeterRabbit, and Peter looked at Unc' Billy Possum, and Unc' Billy looked atBobby Coon, and Bobby looked at Johnny Chuck, and Johnny looked at ReddyFox, and Reddy looked at Jimmy Skunk, and Jimmy looked at Billy Mink,and Billy looked at Little Joe Otter, and for a minute nobody could saya word. Then Little Joe gave a funny little gasp.
"Why, why-e-e!" said he, "I believe Buster Bear is afraid too!" Unc'Billy Possum chuckled. "Ah believe yo' are right again, Brer Otter,"said he. "It cert'nly does look so. If Brer Bear isn't scared, he musthave remembered something impo'tant and has gone to attend to it in apowerful hurry."
Then everybody began to laugh.
XV
BUSTER BEAR IS A FALLEN HERO
A fallen hero is some one to whom every one has looked up as very braveand then proves to be less brave than he was supposed to be. That wasthe way with Buster Bear. When Little Joe Otter had told how FarmerBrown's boy had been afraid at the mere sight of one of Buster Bear'sbig footprints, they had at once made a hero of Buster. At least some ofthem had. As this was the first time, the very first time, that they hadever known any one who lives in the Green Forest to make Farmer Brown'sboy run away, they looked on Buster Bear with a great deal of respectand were very proud of him.
But now they had seen Buster Bear and Farmer Brown's boy meet face toface; and while it was true that Farmer Brown's boy had run away as fastas ever he could, it was also true that Buster Bear had done the samething. He had run even faster than Farmer Brown's boy, and had hidden inthe most lonely place he could find in the very deepest part of theGreen Forest. It was hard to believe, but it was true. And right awayeverybody lost a great deal of the respect for Buster which they hadfelt. It is always that way. They began to say unkind things about him.They said them among themselves, and some of them even said them toBuster when they met him, or said them so that he would hear them.
Of course Blacky the Crow and Sammy Jay, who, because they can fly,have nothing to fear from Buster, and who always delight in making otherpeople uncomfortable, never let a chance go by to tell Buster andeverybody else within hearing what they thought of him. They delightedin flying about through the Green Forest until they had found BusterBear and then from the safety of the tree tops screaming at him.
"Buster Bear is big and strong; His teeth are big; his claws are long; In s
pite of these he runs away And hides himself the livelong day!"
A dozen times a day Buster would hear them screaming this. He wouldgrind his teeth and glare up at them, but that was all he could do. Hecouldn't get at them. He just had to stand it and do nothing. But whenimpudent little Chatterer the Red Squirrel shouted the same thing froma place just out of reach in a big pine-tree, Buster could stand it nolonger. He gave a deep, angry growl that made little shivers run overChatterer, and then suddenly he started up that tree after Chatterer.With a frightened little shriek Chatterer scampered to the top of thetree. He hadn't known that Buster could climb. But Buster is a splendidclimber, especially when the tree is big and stout as this one was, andnow he went up after Chatterer, growling angrily.
How Chatterer did wish that he had kept his tongue still! He ran to thevery top of the tree, so frightened that his teeth chattered, and whenhe looked down and saw Buster's great mouth coming nearer and nearer, henearly tumbled down with terror. The worst of it was there wasn'tanother tree near enough for him to jump to. He was in trouble thistime, was Chatterer, sure enough! And there was no one to help him.