THE Dunce teased the Chinaman a great deal after his experience with the
pinching-bug, but the little fellow took it in good humor.
“Allee same me havee chance to laughee at you sometime maybe,” said the
Chinaman. “Me no get mad but me likee chance to laugh at you.”
“All right Chink,” laughed the Dunce, “if I ever get a pinchin’-bug on
my shirt tail you can laugh yourself sore.”
“Well me waitee; maybe time come when me allee same laughee,” said the
Chinaman.
The Chinaman’s chance came sooner than he expected. Every Sunday
afternoon the Teenie Weenies took a long walk, for it was healthful to
walk in the fresh air, and besides it made them hungry for the fine
dinner which the Cook always prepared.
One Sunday during their walk the little people stopped to pay a short
call on an old hen and her chickens who lived some little distance from
the shoe house. After chatting with the hen and her children for some
time the little people continued their walk through a big open field
where they finally sat down to rest on a soft, mossy bank.
“Where’s the Dunce?” asked the General, as he sat down beside the Lady
of Fashion.
“I haven’t seen him since we left the old hen,” answered the little
lady.
“He’s back there teasing those chickens,” announced Gogo. “I told him
he’d better look out, or the first thing he knew he’d get a powerful
good peckin’, for one of them fuzzy chickens looked mighty mad, that’s
what she did.”
“It would just serve him right,” laughed the General. “And maybe it
would teach him a lesson—”
“H-e-l-p! H-e-l-p!” came a voice from over a bank of earth, and suddenly
the Dunce dashed into view followed by a very angry young chicken. The
frightened Dunce was covering the ground in great leaps, and just as he
ran into the midst of the startled Teenie Weenies the chicken overtook
him.
“There, you little rascal!” shouted the chicken, giving the Dunce a peck
with her beak which sent the little chap sprawling in the dirt.
“What’s the trouble?” asked the General, jumping to his feet.
“He was callin’ me ‘fuzzy-wuzzy’ and throwing things at me—that’s what
he was,” said the chicken, “and I stood it just as long as I could and I
chased him, that’s what I did, and I’ll do it again, too, if he ever
teases me again.”
“You did exactly the right thing,” said the General, “and I hope this
will be a lesson to him.”
“I suppose I shouldn’t have lost my temper, but I couldn’t stand it
another minute,” said the chicken as she trotted away in the direction
of her home.
“J-J-J-Jimminie C-C-C-Christmas!” exclaimed the Dunce, “but that fool
chicken gave me an awful wallop.”
[‡Illustration: The Chicken]
That night there was a big black and blue spot on the Dunce’s back and
the Doctor had to rub it with salve, but it really did the foolish
fellow a lot of good, for he has done no teasing since.
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