Produced by Stephen Schulze and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
HAPPY JACK
BY
THORNTON W. BURGESS
_With Illustrations by HARRISON CADY_
This book, while produced under wartime conditions, in full compliancewith government regulations for the conservation of paper and otheressential materials, is COMPLETE AND UNABRIDGED.
_1918,_
TO
DR. WILLIAM T. HORNADAY
TO WHOM POSTERITY WILL OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS VALIANT FIGHT TOPRESERVE AMERICAN WILD LIFE, WHO HAS BEEN A LIFELONG CHAMPION OF HAPPYJACK SQUIRREL, AND TO WHOM THE AUTHOR IS DEEPLY INDEBTED FORENCOURAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE THIS BOOK IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED
CONTENTS
I. HAPPY JACK DROPS A NUT
II. THE QUARREL
III. STRIPED CHIPMUNK Is KEPT VERY BUSY
IV. HAPPY JACK AND CHATTERER FEEL FOOLISH
V. HAPPY JACK SUSPECTS STRIPED CHIPMUNK
VI. HAPPY JACK SPIES ON STRIPED CHIPMUNK
VII. STRIPED CHIPMUNK HAS FUN WITH HAPPY JACK
VIII. HAPPY JACK TURNS BURGLAR
IX. HAPPY JACK SQUIRREL'S SAD MISTAKE
X. STRIPED CHIPMUNK'S HAPPY THOUGHT
XI. STRIPED CHIPMUNK'S THANKSGIVING DINNER
XII. HAPPY JACK DOES SOME THINKING
XIII. HAPPY JACK GETS A WARNING
XIV. HAPPY JACK'S RUN FOR LIFE
XV. WHO SAVED HAPPY JACK SQUIRREL?
XVI. HAPPY JACK MISSES FARMER BROWN'S BOY
XVII. TOMMY TIT BRINGS NEWS
XVIII. HAPPY JACK DECIDES TO MAKE A CALL
XIX. TOMMY TIT AND HAPPY JACK PAY A VISIT
XX. WHAT WAS THE MATTER WITH FARMER BROWN'S BOY?
XXI. HAPPY JACK SQUIRREL GROWS VERY BOLD
XXII. HAPPY JACK DARES TOMMY TIT
XXIII. SAMMY JAY IS QUITE UPSET
XXIV. A DREAM COMES TRUE
XXV. HAPPY JACK HAS A HAPPY THOUGHT
XXVI. FARMER BROWN'S BOY WAKES WITH A START
XXVII. HAPPY JACK IS AFRAID TO GO HOME
XXVIII. HAPPY JACK FINDS A NEW HOME
XXIX. FARMER BROWN'S BOY TAKES A PRISONER
XXX. A PRISONER WITHOUT FEAR
XXXI. WHAT FARMER BROWN'S BOY DID WITH SHADOW
XXXII. HAPPY JACK IS PERFECTLY HAPPY
XXXIII. SAMMY JAY UPSETS HAPPY JACK
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Peter Rabbit, who happened along just then, put his hands over his ears
Happy Jack tried every trick he knew to get away from Shadow the Weasel
"Did you find out anything?" asked Happy Jack eagerly
It wasn't long before Shadow began to receive many visitors
HAPPY JACK
CHAPTER I
HAPPY JACK DROPS A NUT
Save a little every day, And for the future put away.
_Happy Jack._
Happy Jack Squirrel sat on the tip of one of the highest branches of abig hickory tree. Happy Jack was up very early that morning. In fact,jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was still in his bed behind the Purple Hillswhen Happy Jack hopped briskly out of bed. He washed himself thoroughlyand was ready for business by the time Mr. Sun began his climb up inthe blue, blue sky.
You see, Happy Jack had found that big hickory tree just loaded withnuts all ripe and ready to gather. He was quite sure that no one elsehad found that special tree, and he wanted to get all the nuts beforeany one else found out about them. So he was all ready and off he racedto the big tree just as soon as it was light enough to see.
"The nuts that grow in the hickory tree-- They're all for me! They're all for me!"
Happy Jack was humming that little song as he rested for a few minutes'way up in the top of the tree and wondered if his storehouse would holdall these big, fat nuts. Just then he heard a great scolding a littleway over in the Green Forest. Happy Jack stopped humming and listened.He knew that voice. It was his cousin's voice--the voice of Chattererthe Red Squirrel. Happy Jack frowned. "I hope he won't come over thisway," muttered Happy Jack. He does not love his cousin Chatterer anyway,and then there was the big tree full of hickory nuts! He didn't wantChatterer to find that.
I am afraid that Happy Jack was selfish. There were more nuts than hecould possibly eat in one winter, and yet he wasn't willing that hiscousin, Chatterer the Red Squirrel, should have a single one. NowChatterer is short-tempered and a great scold. Some one or somethinghad upset him this morning, and he was scolding as fast as his tonguecould go, as he came running right towards the tree in which Happy Jackwas sitting. Happy Jack sat perfectly still and watched. He didn't moveso much as the tip of his big gray tail. Would Chatterer go past and notsee that big tree full of nuts? It looked very much as if he would, forhe was so busy scolding that he wasn't paying much attention to otherthings.
Happy Jack smiled as Chatterer came running under the tree without oncelooking up. He was so tickled that he started to hug himself and didn'tremember that he was holding a big, fat nut in his hands. Of course hedropped it. Where do you think it went? Well, Sir, it fell straightdown, from the top of that tall tree, and it landed right on the head ofChatterer the Red Squirrel!
"My stars!" cried Chatterer, stopping his scolding and his runningtogether, and rubbing his head where the nut had hit him. Then he lookedup to see where it had come from. Of course, he looked straight up atHappy Jack.
"You did that purposely!" screamed Chatterer, his short temper flaringup.
"I didn't!" snapped Happy Jack.
"You did!"
"I didn't!"
Oh, dear, oh, dear, such a sight! two little Squirrels, one in a graysuit and one in a red suit, contradicting each other and calling names!It was such a sad, sad sight, for you know they were cousins.
CHAPTER II
THE QUARREL
It's up to you and up to me To see how thrifty we can be. To do our bit like soldiers true It's up to me and up to you.
_Happy Jack._
Two angry little people were making a dreadful noise in the GreenForest. It was a beautiful morning, a very beautiful fall morning, butall the beauty of it was being spoiled by the dreadful noise these twolittle people. You see they were quarreling. Yes, Sir, they werequarreling, and it wasn't at all nice to see or nice to hear.
You know who they were. One was Happy Jack Squirrel, who wears a coatof gray, and the other was Chatterer the Red Squirrel, who always wearsa red coat with vest of white. When Happy Jack had dropped that nut fromthe tiptop of the tall hickory tree and it had landed right on top ofChatterer's head it really had been an accident. All the time Happy Jackhad been sitting as still as still could be, hoping that his cousinChatterer would pass by without looking up and so seeing the big fatnuts in the top of that tree. You see Happy Jack was greedy and wantedall of them himself. Now Chatterer the Red Squirrel has a sharp temper,and also he has sharp eyes. All the time he was scolding Happy Jack andcalling him names Chatterer's bright eyes were taking note of all thosebig, fat hickory-nuts and his mouth began to water. Without wasting anymore time he started up the tree to get some.
Happy Jack grew very angry, very angry indeed. He hurried down to meetChatterer the Red Squirrel and to prevent him climbing the tree.
"You keep out of this tree; it's mine!" he shrieked.
"No such thing! You don't own the tree and I've got just as much righthere as you have!" screamed Chatterer, dodging around to the other sideof the tree.
"'Tis, too, mine! I found it first!" shouted Happy Jack. "You're athief, so there!"
"I'm not!"
"You are!"
"Y
ou're a pig, Happy Jack! You're just a great big pig!"
"I'm not a pig! I found these nuts first and I tell you they're mine!"shrieked Happy Jack, so angry that every time he spoke he jerked histail. And all the time he was chasing round and round the trunk of thetree trying to prevent Chatterer getting up.
Now Happy Jack is ever so much bigger than his cousin Chatterer but heisn't as spry. So in spite of him Chatterer got past, and like a littlered flash was up in the top of the tree where the big, fat nuts were.But he didn't have time to pick even one, for after him came Happy Jackso angry that Chatterer knew that he would fare badly if Happy Jackshould catch him. Round and round, over and across, this way and thatway, in the top of the tall hickory tree raced Chatterer the RedSquirrel with his cousin, Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel, right at hisheels, and calling him everything bad to be thought of. Yes, indeed itwas truly dreadful, and Peter Rabbit, who happened along just then, puthis hands over his ears so as not to hear such a dreadful quarrel.
PETER RABBIT, WHO HAPPENED ALONG JUST THEN, PUT HIS HANDSOVER HIS EARS.]
CHAPTER III
STRIPED CHIPMUNK IS KEPT VERY BUSY
I prefer big acorns but I never refuse little ones.They fit in between.
_Happy Jack._
Striped Chipmunk was sitting just inside a hollow log, studying abouthow he could fill up his new storehouse for the winter. Striped Chipmunkis very thrifty. He likes to play, and he is one of the merriest of allthe little people who live on the Green Meadows or in the Green Forest.He lives right on the edge of both and knows everybody, and everybodyknows him. Almost every morning the Merry Little Breezes of Old MotherWest Wind hurry over to have a frolic with him the very first thing. Butthough he dearly loves to play, he never lets play interfere with work.Whatever he does, be it play or work, he does with all his might.
"I love the sun; I love the rain; I love to work; I love to play. Whatever it may bring to me I love each minute of each day."
So said Striped Chipmunk, as he sat in the hollow log and studied how hecould fill that splendid big new storehouse. Pretty soon he pricked uphis funny little ears. What was all that noise over in the GreenForest? Striped Chipmunk peeped out of the hollow log. Over in the topof a tall hickory tree a terrible fuss was going on. Striped Chipmunklistened. He heard angry voices, such angry voices! They were the voicesof his big cousins, Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the RedSquirrel.
"Dear me! Dear me! How those two do quarrel! I must go over and see whatit is all about," thought Striped Chipmunk.
So, with a flirt of his funny, little tail, he scampered out of thehollow log and over to the tall hickory tree. He knew all about thattree. Many, many times he had looked up at the big fat nuts in the topof it, watching them grow bigger and fatter, and hoping that when theygrew ripe, Old Mother West Wind would find time to shake them down tohim. You know Striped Chipmunk is not much of a climber, and so hecannot go up and pick the nuts as do his big cousins, Happy Jack andChatterer.
When he reached the tall hickory tree, what do you think was happening?Why, those big, fat nuts were rattling down to the ground on every side,just as if Old Mother West Wind was shaking the tree as hard as shecould. But Old Mother West Wind wasn't there at all. No, Sir, therewasn't even one of the Merry Little Breezes up in the tree-tops. Thebig fat nuts were rattling down just on account of the dreadful quarrelof Striped Chipmunk's two foolish cousins, Happy Jack and Chatterer.
It was all because Happy Jack was greedy. Chatterer had climbed thetree, and now Happy Jack, who is bigger but not so spry, was chasingChatterer round and round and over the tree-top, and both were so angrythat they didn't once notice that they were knocking down the very nutsover which they were quarreling.
Striped Chipmunk didn't stop to listen to the quarrel. No, Sir-ee! Hestuffed a big fat nut in each pocket in his cheeks and scampered backto his splendid new storehouse as fast as his little legs would takehim. Back and forth, back and forth, scampered Striped Chipmunk, and allthe time he was laughing inside and hoping his big cousins would keepright on quarreling.
CHAPTER IV
HAPPY JACK AND CHATTERER FEEL FOOLISH
If you get and spend a penny, Then of course you haven't any. Be like me--a Happy Jack-- And put it where you'll get it back.
_Happy Jack._
Happy Jack and Chatterer were out of breath. Happy Jack was puffing andblowing, for he is big and fat, and it is not so easy for him to raceabout in the tree-tops as it is for his smaller, slim, nimble cousin,Chatterer. So Happy Jack was the first to stop. He sat on a branch 'wayup in the top of the tall hickory tree and glared across at Chatterer,who sat on a branch on the other side of the tall tree.
"Couldn't catch me, could you, smarty?" taunted Chatterer.
"You just wait until I do! I'll make you sorry you ever came near myhickory tree," snapped Happy Jack.
"I'm waiting. Besides, it isn't your tree any more than it's mine,"replied Chatterer, and made a face at Happy Jack.
Happy Jack hopped up as if he meant to begin the chase again, but he hada pain in his side from running so hard and so long, and so he sat downagain. Right down in his heart Happy Jack knew that Chatterer wasright, that the tree didn't belong to him any more than to his cousin.But when he thought of all those big, fat nuts with which the tallhickory tree had been loaded, greedy thoughts chased out all thoughts ofright and he said to himself again, as he had said when he first saw hiscousin, that Chatterer shouldn't have _one_ of them. He stopped scoldinglong enough to steal a look at them, and then--what do you think HappyJack did? Why, he gave such a jump of surprise that he nearly lost hisbalance. Not a nut was to be seen! Happy Jack blinked. Then, he rubbedhis eyes and looked again. He couldn't see a nut anywhere!
There were the husks in which the nuts had grown big and fat until theywere ripe, but now every husk was empty. Chatterer saw the queer look onHappy Jack's face, and he looked too. Now Chatterer the Red Squirrel hadvery quick wits, and he guessed right away what had happened. He knewthat while they had been quarreling and racing over the top of the tallhickory tree, they must have knocked down all the nuts, which were justready to fall anyway. Like a little red flash, Chatterer started downthe tree. Then Happy Jack guessed too, and down he started as fast as hecould go, crying, "Stop, thief!" all the way.
When he reached the ground, there was Chatterer scurrying around andpoking under the fallen leaves, but he hadn't found a single nut. HappyJack couldn't stop to quarrel any more, because you see he was afraidthat Chatterer would find the biggest and fattest nuts, so he began toscurry around and hunt too. It was queer, very queer, how those nutscould have hidden so! They hunted and hunted, but no nuts were to befound. Then they stopped and stared up at the top of the tall hickorytree. Not a nut could they see. Then they stared at each other, andgradually a foolish, a very foolish look crept over each face.
"Where--where do you suppose they have gone?" asked Happy Jack in aqueer-sounding voice.
Just then they heard some one laughing fit to kill himself. It was PeterRabbit.
"Did you take our hickory nuts?" they both shouted angrily.
"No," replied Peter, "no, I didn't take them, though they were notyours, anyway!" And then he went off into another fit of laughter, forPeter had seen Striped Chipmunk very hard at work taking away those verynuts while his two big cousins had been quarreling in the tree-top.
CHAPTER V
HAPPY JACK SUSPECTS STRIPED CHIPMUNK
Thrift is one test of true loyalty to your country.
_Happy Jack._
Happy Jack didn't look happy a bit. Indeed, Happy Jack looked veryunhappy. You see, he looked just as he felt. He had set his heart onhaving all the big, fat nuts that he had found in the top of that tallhickory tree, and now, instead of having all of them, he hadn't any ofthem. Worse still, he knew right down in his heart that it was his ownfault. He had been too greedy. But what _had_ become of those nuts?
Happy Jack was studying ab
out this as he sat with his back against abig chestnut tree. He remembered how hard Peter Rabbit had laughed whenHappy Jack and his cousin, Chatterer the Red Squirrel, had been sosurprised because they could not find the nuts they had knocked down.Peter hadn't taken them, for Peter has no use for them, but he must knowwhat had become of them, for he was still laughing as he had gone offdown the Lone Little Path. While he was thinking of all this, HappyJack's bright eyes had been wide open, as they usually are, so that nodanger should come near. Suddenly they saw something moving among thebrown-and-yellow leaves on the ground. Happy Jack looked sharply, andthen a sudden thought popped into his head.
"Hi, there, Cousin Chipmunk!" he shouted.
"Hi, there, your own self!" replied Striped Chipmunk, for it was he.
"What are you doing down there?" asked Happy Jack.
"Looking for hickory nuts," replied Striped Chipmunk, and his eyestwinkled as he said it, for there wasn't a hickory tree near.
Happy Jack looked hard at Striped Chipmunk, for that sudden thoughtwhich had popped into his head when he first saw Striped Chipmunk wasgrowing into a strong, a very strong, suspicion that Striped Chipmunkknew something about those lost hickory nuts. But Striped Chipmunklooked back at him so innocently that Happy Jack didn't know just whatto think.
"Have you begun to fill your storehouse for winter yet?" inquired HappyJack.
"Of course I have. I don't mean to let Jack Frost catch me with an emptystorehouse," replied Striped Chipmunk.