BAD NEWS
When Ready opened his eyes, he found himself in the loveliest little
bed in the world. The animals by digging, gnawing, and scratching had
made a large hollow place in the ground, and the birds had lined it
with feathers. Even the flowers had given some of their leaves for the
pillow.
You have no idea how comfortable it was. The Eagle’s trained nurse was
giving Ready a teaspoonful of medicine every other minute. A special
dog doctor was taking his pulse, and hundreds of birds were standing by
waiting for orders. Ready really felt very comfortable.
[Illustration: A special dog doctor was taking his pulse]
“He is better,” said the dog doctor, “but not yet on his feet.” Of
course that was quite true, was it not?
“Is there anything you would like?” asked the trained nurse.
Ready raised his head and said anxiously, “May I still have my first
wish granted, if I ask for anything else?”
“Certainly,” said the Eagle.
“Certainly,” said all the others.
“I very much want something to eat,” said Ready, falling back upon the
pillows.
Such a commotion as there was then! Twenty blue-birds at once brought
in a tray of liver. A course of bones followed, and a large dish of
milk was served for dessert. Ready was a very happy dog indeed.
Then the Eagle said, “We will all have recess and refreshments.”
[Illustration: Twenty blue birds brought in a tray of liver]
Now there was much moving about, eating, and talking. Every one came
up to Ready and spoke to him. Many begged him to make week-end visits.
Some asked him to house parties, and all the young dogs wanted his
photograph.
At last the Eagle raised his rod and every one came to order. “We will
now,” he said in a businesslike manner, “try to find Master Dick’s
home at the seashore.”
Ready then told him all he knew about it, which, of course, was very
little. It was a red house near the sea with a pine tree in front of it.
“That is quite enough,” said the Eagle, “I will send out my messengers
to find it.”
The Eagle now called together his trusty messengers. There were five of
them. A Blue Heron for watchfulness; a Crow for good judgment; a Swift
for rapid flight; a Night Hawk for keen eyesight; and a little Sparrow
for running the errands.
The Eagle talked to them all in a low tone for a few minutes, giving
them directions and money for the journey.
Then the dance began, and who do you think was Ready’s partner this
time? Why, the Eagle of course! It is a splendid thing to dance with
the King of Birds, and a rare thing for a dog.
It seemed to be dog night, for the Owl, who had not danced for years,
stepped out with a dog. The Owl knew only one dance, an old-fashioned
hop waltz. The dog knew no dance at all. He jostled about on his hind
legs.
They really looked so ridiculous that some gay young cat-birds laughed
aloud, and called out, “Toddle, toddle, don’t just waddle.”
[Illustration: They were immediately cuffed by their elders]
They were immediately cuffed by their elders for such bad manners, and
made to sit out a whole dance in the dressing room, which was curtained
off from the rest of the place by a row of young pine trees.
[Illustration: Telegram for the Eagle]
Suddenly the dance was interrupted by the entrance of the young
Sparrow, who had returned with a telegram for the Eagle.
Everything stopped at once and the Eagle’s grandson immediately flew
to the top of the great oak tree, where his honored grandfather’s
spectacles had been placed in an oriole’s nest for safe-keeping.
He returned in twenty seconds and found everybody waiting breathlessly.
The Eagle looked troubled after he had read the telegram. Then he and
the Owl whispered silently together.
“Bad news,” cawed the crows.
“Bad news,” shrieked the blue jays.
“Bad news,” squeaked the field mice.
The noise was terrific, and the Eagle waved his rod angrily, crying,
“Silence!”
“We are having trouble with the moths, butterflies and bats,” he
continued sternly, hitting at a restless young pullet.
“You remember, that once we asked them to join our gathering, but the
bats behaved so badly by bumping into everything that it broke up the
dancing.
[Illustration: “Bad news,” cawed the crows and shrieked the blue jays]
“The moths also were too silly for words. They almost stopped the
orchestra by hitting them all the time. As for the butterflies, they
went to bed as usual without even taking the trouble to send regrets.”
“Shameful, shameful!” hissed everybody.
“And so,” continued the Eagle, “we have never given them another
invitation.”
“Why should we?” sang a king bird shrilly.
“Why should we?” squeaked and piped, barked and crowed, chirped and
croaked, the whole company.
“But,” the Eagle went on, waving his rod for silence, “the bats did
not like being left out, and now they refuse to carry my messages over
their telegraph wires. They have formed a union against us, and I can
get nothing through to the Sandpiper because it is over a wire which
they control. The telegram reads:
“REFUSE TO SEND SANDPIPER MESSAGE UNLESS ADMITTED TO MEETING TO-NIGHT.”
Of course no one understood a word of this message except the Owl, who
kept a Book of Knowledge in his nest and always brought it with him
in case it should be needed. He now explained that the message meant
that they would not be able to get Ready back to Master Dick unless the
moths and bats were allowed to come to the meeting that night.
[Illustration: The Owl kept a Book of Knowledge]
He also explained that this telegram had been written by the oldest Bat
in the world, who, for several years, had made his home in the attic
of one of the offices of the Western Union Telegraph Company. That is
where he had learned all the big words to put in telegrams, and also
that no self-respecting telegram could have more than ten words in it.
The Owl explained this very clearly to everyone. He even pointed out
the words in the telegram and they all counted them aloud: “1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.”
“Your Majesty, I think there is but one thing to do,” said the Owl at
last in a firm voice, “and that is to grant them admittance to-night.”
“We will put it to a vote,” said the Eagle, stepping up to his throne
and rapping loudly for order. Then he shouted, “All in favor of getting
Ready home by admitting these bats, moths and butterflies, say ‘Aye.’”
“Aye,” shouted everybody and everything.
Ready felt that he ought not to vote on such a delicate matter, but he
could not help wagging his tail.
“Contrary ‘No,’” shrieked the Eagle.
Silence from everybody, for they were quite used to public meetings
now, and the wiser birds and beasts always watched the foolish ones and
cuffed them if they made a sound.
“The motion is carried,” said the Eagle. “The Owl will now send a
telegram to admit them. The message will reach the Sandpiper and all
will be right in ten minutes.”
The Owl, being a wise old bird, had the telegram prepared beforehand.
It said:
ACCEPT TERMS. SEND MESSAGE TO SANDPIPER AND COME AT ONCE.
If you will count, you will see that this telegram has exactly ten
words. Wasn’t that very clever of the Owl?
The ten minutes passed very quickly, as everybody was talking in little
groups about telegrams. Many tried to write them. You could hear a
group of young crows counting the words, “Caw, caw, caw.”
[Illustration: The oldest Bat in the world appeared]
Suddenly, without a word of warning, the oldest Bat in the world
appeared with four or five foolish moth millers. Of course no
butterflies came.
The Bat flew immediately toward the Eagle and almost knocked off his
glasses. Then, after running into the Owl, he batted about the dance
hall. The millers followed, trying hard to imitate him.
The Bat next sat for a few moments on a rooster’s back and then hit a
swallow who was flying across the floor. Finally, without a word of
good-bye he was off again, with the millers flopping feebly after him.
Everybody was much relieved to have it all over. Indeed, most of the
lady birds and beasts had been so frightened that they put their
handkerchiefs over their heads.
The warblers started a song at once and soon everybody joined in.
“Zee, Zee, Zee,
Happy are we.
Gone are the Bats,
So remove your hats.”
The Eagle almost smiled as he announced: “Now the plans are made for
Ready’s departure.” He did not even need to rap for silence, for
everybody was so interested.
“My trusty messengers have just telephoned me that everything is all
right,” the Eagle continued. “They have stopped for refreshments and
rest at the Night Hawk’s house and will return shortly.
“You must start at once with the Chipmunks,” he said, looking most
kindly at Ready, who came and knelt before him. “Good running will
bring you to the end of the woods by dawn. I have telegraphed ahead
to have your breakfast waiting for you under the last oak tree in the
woods.
“It is to be guarded by the Red Headed Woodpecker, who has kindly
consented to give his services. Rest here a half hour, but no longer.
“Then the Swallows will show you the way to the beach. They have
promised to fly low so that you will not lose them.
“About noon, you will meet a Field Mouse. If she says, ‘Ready,’ you
will follow her to a place where your dinner will be hidden. There you
will meet the Sandpiper, who will take you along the beach until you
come to an inlet.
“You must go the rest of the way alone, as the Heron, who was to take
you, has appendicitis. The road, however is straight ahead and will
take you to your master’s home.”
[Illustration: The Chipmunks were putting on their overcoats]
Ready bowed low before the Eagle, barking his thanks again and again,
while the Chipmunks were putting on their overcoats for the journey.
Some one called out “Speech, speech,” but the Eagle put a stop to that
by saying that Ready needed to save his strength for the journey.
[Illustration: An old Frog gave Ready the queerest thing]
Just then an old Frog hopped up and gave Ready the queerest thing. You
could never guess what it was--_a hot-water bag_!
She said in a croaking voice, “I have never really been warm in my
life, but a hot water bag has been a great comfort to me, and has kept
me next door to warm.”
There was nothing for Ready to do without hurting this old Frog’s
feelings, but to accept the bag with thanks. Yet he wondered how he
could ever carry such an awkward thing. However, the trained nurse
kindly fastened it to his collar and then he started off with the
Chipmunks.
They heard the animals cheering and calling “Good luck to Ready!” long
after they were out of sight.