Reddy pricked up his sharp little ears.
"What secret?" he demanded.
"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell," retorted Sammy Jay, justas if he knew all about it, and off he flew to hunt up his cousin,Blacky the Crow. Blacky knew nothing about Peter Rabbit's secret, nordid Shadow the Weasel, whom he met by the way. But Sammy Jay was notin the least bit discouraged.
"I'll try Johnny Chuck; he'll know," said Sammy to himself.
He found Johnny sitting on his doorstep, watching the world go by.
"Good morning, Johnny Chuck," said Sammy, with a low bow.
"Good morning," replied Johnny Chuck, who always is polite.
"Isn't that a fine secret of Peter Rabbit's?" exclaimed Sammy, just asif he knew all about it.
Johnny Chuck raised his eyebrows and put on the most surprised look.
"Do tell me what it is!" he begged.
"Oh, if you don't know, I won't tell, for that wouldn't be fair,"replied Sammy, and tried to look very honest and innocent, and then heflew over to the Green Forest. And as he flew, he said to himself:"Johnny Chuck can't fool me; he does know Peter Rabbit's secret."
Over in the Green Forest he found Drummer the Woodpecker making agreat racket on the hollow limb of an old chestnut. Sammy sat downnear by and listened. "My, that's fine! I wish I could do that. Youmust be practising," said Sammy at the end of a long rat-a-tat-tat.
Drummer the Woodpecker felt very much flattered. "I am," said he. "I'mpractising for Peter Rabbit's party."
"I thought so," replied Sammy Jay. Of course he hadn't thoughtanything of the kind.
"Won't Unc' Billy Possum be surprised?" remarked Drummer theWoodpecker, as he sat down to rest.
"He surely will," replied Sammy Jay, and then he flattered andflattered Drummer the Woodpecker until finally Drummer told all aboutPeter's plan for a surprise party for Unc' Billy Possum.
By and by, as he flew home, Sammy Jay chuckled and said:
"You've got to rise 'fore break of day If you want to fool old Mr. Jay."
VII
FOUR LITTLE SCAMPS PLAN MISCHIEF
"Some folks think they're mighty smart-- Oh, la me! Oh, la me! Like the knave who stole the tart-- Oh, la me! Oh, la me! Some folks will waken up some day-- And find they can't fool Mr. Jay!"
Sammy Jay was mightily pleased with himself. He had found out allabout Peter Rabbit's plan to give Unc' Billy Possum a surprise partywhen his family came up from "Ol' Virginny." He had found out that allthe little forest and meadow people but himself and his cousin, Blackythe Crow, and Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel had been invited, andthat each was to bring something good to eat. Sammy Jay smacked hislips as he thought of this. Then he looked up at jolly, round, red Mr.Sun and winked.
Now on all the Green Meadows and in all the Green Forest, there liveno greater scamps than Sammy Jay and Blacky the Crow and Reddy Fox andShadow the Weasel. The worst of it is, they are not honest. They stealwhenever they get a chance, and always they try to get others intotrouble. That was why Peter Rabbit had left them out, when he plannedhis surprise party for Unc' Billy Possum.
Sammy Jay called the three others together under the Lone Pine andtold them all about Peter Rabbit's plan and how they had been leftout. Of course Blacky the Crow and Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weaselwere angry, very angry indeed, for no one likes to be left out of agood time. The more Sammy Jay told them, the angrier they grew; andthe angrier they grew, the more Sammy Jay chuckled, way down inside.Sammy had a plan, and the angrier the others grew, the more likelywere they to help him.
"You wait till I catch Peter Rabbit!" said Reddy Fox and showed allhis teeth. He quite forgot that, despite all his smartness, he neveryet had caught Peter Rabbit.
Blacky the Crow scratched his head thoughtfully. "We can spoil hissurprise by telling Unc' Billy Possum all about it beforehand," saidhe.
Sammy Jay winked at each of the others. He cleared his throat andlooked all around, to make sure that no one else was near. Then heleaned forward and whispered: "Let's invite ourselves to the party."
"What do you mean?" exclaimed the others, all together.
"Just what I say," replied Sammy. "We'll be the real surprise. Beforethe party begins, you will hide close to where it is to be. Wheneverybody has got there and brought all the good things to eat, I'llcome flying along and scream: 'Here comes Bowser the Hound!' Of courseevery one will run away, and we'll have all the good things to eat."
"Haw! haw! haw! The very thing! We'll all be there," cried Blacky theCrow.
The four little scamps shook hands and separated. As they went acrossthe Green Meadows, Sammy Jay's voice floated back to the Lone Pine. Hewas singing, although he has a very poor voice for singing, and thiswas his song:
"What do you mean?" exclaimed the others alltogether.]
"Some folks think they're mighty smart-- Oh, la me! Oh, la me! Like the knave who stole the tart-- Oh, la me! Oh, la me! Some folks will waken up some day-- And find they can't fool Mr. Jay!"
"Is that so? Really now, I want to know," said old Mr. Toad, crawlingfrom under the very piece of bark on which Sammy Jay had sat when hetold his plan. Then old Mr. Toad winked slowly and solemnly at jolly,round, red Mr. Sun and started off to find Peter Rabbit.
VIII
PETER RABBIT SENDS OUT WORD
It was a beautiful morning. Everybody said so, and what everybody saysis usually so. Peter Rabbit wore the broadest kind of a smile. Hehopped and skipped all the way down the Lone Little Path on to theGreen Meadows and was waiting there when Old Mother West Wind camedown from the Purple Hills and, turning her big bag upside down,tumbled out all her children, the Merry Little Breezes, to play. Peterstopped them before they had a chance to run away. He whispered toeach, and each in turn started to dance across the Green Meadows tocarry the news that this was the day of Peter Rabbit's surprise partyfor Unc' Billy Possum, whose family would arrive that very morningfrom way down in "Ol' Virginny."
Sammy Jay had risen very early that morning. Almost at once his sharpeyes had seen Peter Rabbit sending out the Merry Little Breezes.Sammy's wits are as sharp as his eyes, and you know it is very hard toreally fool sharp wits. Right away Sammy had guessed what the MerryLittle Breezes were hurrying so for, but he sat and waited andlistened. Pretty soon he heard Drummer the Woodpecker start a longrat-a-tat-tat over by Unc' Billy Possum's hollow tree. Then Sammy wassure that this was the day of Peter Rabbit's party. Sammy grinned ashe hurried off to find Blacky the Crow and Reddy Fox and Shadow theWeasel.
Reddy was not yet out of bed, but when he heard Sammy Jay at hisdoor, he tumbled out in a hurry. He didn't stop to get any breakfast,because he had planned to get all he could eat at the party. So hehurried over to where the party was to be. Very cautiously he creptup, and when he was quite sure that no one was about, he crawled intoa hollow log which was open at one end. There he stretched himself outand made himself as comfortable as he could.
Pretty soon Shadow the Weasel joined Reddy Fox in the hollow log, andthey whispered and chuckled while they waited. They knew that Blackythe Crow was safely hidden in the top of a tall pine, where he couldsee all that went on, and that Sammy Jay was flying about over theGreen Meadows and through the Green Forest, pretending that he wasattending wholly to his own business, but really watching all thepreparations for Peter Rabbit's party. At the foot of a tree, in thetop of which Prickly Porky the Porcupine was eating his breakfast, satold Mr. Toad, nodding sleepily. Sammy Jay saw him there but, smart asSammy is, he didn't once suspect innocent-looking old Mr. Toad. Yousee, he didn't know that old Mr. Toad had overheard all of his plans.
IX
MR. TOAD AND PRICKLY PORKY PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER
Slowly Prickly Porky the Porcupine climbed down from the top of thetall poplar tree where he had been getting his breakfast of tenderyoung bark. He grunted as he worked his way down, for he had with hima bundle of bark to take over to Peter Rabbit's surprise party.
Whenhe reached the ground, Prickly Porky shook himself until he rattledthe thousand little spears hidden in his long coat.
"Tee-hee-hee!"
"Who dares to laugh at me?" demanded Pricky Porky, shaking himselfuntil all the little spears rattled again, and some of them began topeep out of his long coat.
"No one is laughing at you," replied a voice right behind him.
Prickly Porky turned around. There sat old Mr. Toad. His big mouth wasstretched wide open, and he was laughing all to himself. Something wastickling old Mr. Toad mightily.
Prickly Porky scowled, and a few more little spears peeped out of hislong coat. You know no one likes to be laughed at, and it certainlydid look as if old Mr. Toad was laughing at him.
Mr. Toad stopped laughing and hopped a step nearer. "It's a joke,"said he, and slowly winked one eye.
"I don't see any joke," said Prickly Porky, and his voice was veryfretful.
Mr. Toad hopped a step nearer. "Are you going to Peter Rabbit'sparty?"
"Of course I am. What a foolish question," replied Prickly Porky.
"To be sure, a very foolish question, a very foolish question,indeed," assented Mr. Toad. "Do you know that Sammy Jay and Blacky theCrow and Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel, who have not been invited,are planning to break up the party and then gobble up all the goodthings to eat?" he continued.
Prickly Porky laid down his bundle of tender young bark and stared atold Mr. Toad, "How do you know?" he demanded.
Old Mr. Toad chuckled deep down in his throat. "I was underneath apiece of bark on which Sammy Jay was sitting when the plan was made.Of course he didn't know I was there, and of course I didn't tellhim."
"Of course not," interrupted Prickly Porky, beginning to grin.
"Of course not," continued Mr. Toad, grinning, too. Then he toldPrickly Porky all about the plan he had overheard, how Reddy Fox andShadow the Weasel and Blacky the Crow were to hide near Unc' BillyPossum's hollow tree, and how Sammy Jay was to frighten away everybodyelse by pretending that Bowser the Hound was coming.
"Have you told Peter Rabbit?" asked Prickly Porky.
"Not yet, but I'm going to, by and by," replied old Mr. Toad. "Butfirst, I want you to help me fool Sammy Jay and Blacky the Crow andReddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel. Will you?"
"Of course I will if I can, but how can I?" answered Prickly Porkypromptly.
Old Mr. Toad hopped up, and stretching up on tiptoe, whispered in oneof Prickly Porky's ears. Prickly Porky began to smile. Then he beganto chuckle. Finally he laughed until he had to hold his sides.
"Will you do it?" asked Mr. Toad.
Prickly Porky reached for his bundle of tender young bark. "Of courseI will," said he, still chuckling. "Come on, Mr. Toad, it's time wewere going."
X
THE RUNAWAY CABBAGE
Reddy Fox, hiding with Shadow the Weasel in a hollow log near Unc'Billy Possum's home, nudged Shadow with his elbow.
"I hear some one coming," he whispered.
Shadow peeped out. "It's old Mr. Toad and Prickly Porky," he whisperedback.
Something that sounded very much like a growl sounded way down deep inthe throat of Reddy Fox, for Reddy has no love for Prickly Porky.
"And there comes Jimmy Skunk, with a big-goose egg under each arm!"continued Shadow, smacking his lips. Reddy Fox wriggled up where hecould peep out, too.
"My goodness! What's that coming down the Lone Little Path?" whisperedReddy.
Shadow looked. Then he began to laugh, and Reddy began to laugh, too.But it was laughter that made no sound, for Reddy and Shadow didn'twant any one to know that they were hiding there. It was a funny sightthey were peeping out at. It certainly was a funny sight. Down theLone Little Path came Peter Rabbit and his cousin, Juniper the Hare,rolling a huge cabbage.
Right at the top of a little hill the cabbage got away from them. Downit started, rolling and bounding along, with Peter Rabbit and Jumperthe Hare frantically trying to catch it. Just ahead was Johnny Chuckwith a big bundle of sweet clover, which he was bringing to PeterRabbit's party. He didn't see the big cabbage coming. It knocked hisfeet from under him, and down he went with a thump, flat on his back.Right on top of him fell Jumper the Hare, who was close behind therunaway cabbage and had no time to turn aside. Over the two of themfell Peter Rabbit. Such a mix-up!
And the big cabbage kept right on running away. Jimmy Skunk, who neverhurries, heard the noise behind him and turned to see what it allmeant. But he didn't have time to more than blink his eyes before therunaway cabbage hit him full in the stomach. Down went Jimmy Skunkwith a grunt. One big egg flew over against a tree and broke. Jimmylanded on the other, and this broke, too.
Such a sight as Jimmy Skunk was! Egg dripped from every part of hishandsome black and white coat. It was in his eyes and all over hisface and dripped from his whiskers. Shadow the Weasel and Reddy Fox,hiding in the hollow log, laughed until the tears rolled down theircheeks, though down in the heart of Shadow was bitter disappointment,for he had planned to steal those very eggs.
Just a little way beyond Jimmy Skunk the runaway cabbage brought upwith a thump against a stump on which sat Striped Chipmunk, with thepockets in his cheeks filled full of yellow corn. The sudden bump ofthe big cabbage made Striped Chipmunk lose his balance, and off hetumbled, right down on to old Mr. Toad, who had just sat down behindthe stump for a few minutes of rest. It knocked all the wind out ofMr. Toad, and of course Striped Chipmunk spilled all his corn.
Prickly Porky the Porcupine heard the noise. He looked up to see astrange thing bounding down the Lone Little Path. Prickly Porkydidn't wait to see what it was. He did just what he always does whenhe thinks there may be danger; he rolled himself up with his facehidden in his waistcoat, and when he did that, the thousand littlespears hidden in his coat stood out until he looked like a giantchestnut burr.
The runaway cabbage bounced off the stump and hit Prickly Porky. Thenit stopped. Where it had touched Prickly Porky, the sharp littlespears had stuck into it, so that when Peter Rabbit and Jumper theHare hurried up, there lay the runaway cabbage, looking for all theworld like a great green pincushion.
XI
REDDY FOX GOES HUNGRY
Like a great green pincushion lay the runaway cabbage of Peter Rabbitand Jumper the Hare. Every one thought it was the very best joke ever.Jimmy Skunk had gone off to take a bath and get two more eggs forPeter Rabbit's party. Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel, peeping outfrom the hollow log where they were hiding, could see Jimmy on his wayback with a big goose egg under each arm. Shadow smacked his lips. Hemeant to have those eggs himself.
Pretty soon all the little forest and meadow people whom Peter Rabbithad invited were gathered around the foot of Unc' Billy Possum'shollow tree, and each had brought something good to eat. My, such afeast as was spread out there! Now they were waiting for Unc' BillyPossum, who had gone to meet his family, coming up from "Ol'Virginny."
Over in the top of a tall pine tree Blacky the Crow was hiding andchuckling to himself as he watched. Reddy Fox was getting impatient.He was hungry. He had had no breakfast, and as he lay hiding in thehollow log, he could peep out and see all the good things, and hecould smell them, too. It seemed as if his stomach would just give himno peace at all. He wished that Sammy Jay would bring the falsemessage that Bowser the Hound was coming, so as to frighten all therest away.
"I'm nearly starved!" whispered Reddy Fox. "I hope Sammy Jay willhurry up."
Just then they noticed that Peter Rabbit was very busy. He hopped fromguest to guest and whispered in the ear of each.
"Now I wonder what Peter Rabbit is whispering about," said Reddy.
Suddenly the light at the end of the hollow log disappeared. There wasa queer rattling sound that sent shivers up and down Reddy's backbone.Prickly Porky the Porcupine had sat down with his back against the endof the hollow log, and the queer rattling sound was made by thethousand little spears in his long coat. Reddy Fox and Shadow theWeasel were in a prison. You see there was no other opening to
thehollow log.
"Never mind," whispered Shadow the Weasel, "he'll go away when SammyJay shouts that Bowser the Hound is coming."
Blacky the Crow, hidden in the top of the tall pine, was alsowondering what Peter was whispering. His sharp eyes watched Peter, andevery time that Peter whispered in the ear of one of the little meadowor forest people, they would laugh.
Now, Sammy Jay knew nothing about all this. By and by, when he thoughtthat every one was there, Sammy came flying through the Green Forest,just as if he knew nothing about Peter Rabbit's party. Now, Sammy,with all his faults, is one of the best watchmen in the Green Forest.If there is any danger which his sharp eyes discover, he alwaysscreams at the top of his lungs. So, though he steals and plays tricksand makes life very uncomfortable for the others, they always stop tolisten when Sammy sounds a warning. Because Sammy knew this he feltsure of breaking up this party.
As soon as he came in sight of all the little meadow and forestpeople, he began to shriek at the top of his lungs.
"Run! run! run! Here comes Bowser the Hound," he shouted.
No one moved, and this puzzled Sammy so that he hardly knew what todo, but he kept right on shrieking, just as if Bowser was right closeat hand. Still no one moved. Sammy stopped on a tall pine andpretended to be terribly excited.
"You had better run before Bowser gets here," he shouted.
What do you think happened then? Why, everybody set up a great shout."Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Peter Rabbit.
"Ho! ho! ho!" shouted Johnny Chuck.