WHO SAVED HAPPY JACK SQUIRREL?
Blessed he whose words of cheer
Help put hope in place of fear.
_Happy Jack._
It never has been fully decided among the little people of the Green
Forest and the Green Meadows just who really did save Happy Jack
Squirrel. Some say that Tommy Tit the Chickadee deserves all the credit,
and some say that--but wait. Let me tell you just what happened, and
then perhaps you can decide for yourself who saved Happy Jack.
You see, it was this way: Happy Jack had run and run and run and tried
every trick he knew to get away from Shadow the Weasel, but all in vain.
At last he was so out of breath and so tired that he felt that he
couldn't run any more. He had just made up his mind that he would wait
right where he was for Shadow and then put up the best fight he could,
even if it was hopeless, when he heard Tommy Tit calling to him in great
excitement.
[Illustration: HAPPY JACK TRIED EVERY TRICK HE KNEW TO GET AWAY FROM
SHADOW THE WEASEL.]
"Dee, dee, chickadee! Come here quick, Happy Jack! Come here quick!"
called Tommy Tit.
A wee bit of hope sprang up in Happy Jack's heart. He couldn't imagine
what possible help Tommy Tit could be, but he would go see. So taking
a long breath he started on as fast as he could in the direction of
Tommy's voice. He couldn't run very fast, because, you know, he was so
tired, but he did the best he could. Presently he saw Tommy just ahead
of him flying about in great excitement.
"Dee, dee, dee, there he is! Go to him! Go to him, Happy Jack! Hurry!
Hurry! Dee, dee, dee, oh, do hurry!" cried Tommy Tit.
For just a second Happy Jack didn't know what he meant. Then he saw
Farmer Brown's boy watching Tommy Tit as if he didn't know what to make
of the little fellow's excitement.
"Go to him! Go to him!" called Tommy. "He won't hurt you, and he won't
let Shadow the Weasel hurt you! See me! See me! Dee, dee, see me!" And
with that Tommy Tit flew right down on Farmer Brown's boy's hand, for
you know he and Farmer Brown's boy are great friends.
Happy Jack hesitated. He knew that Farmer Brown's boy had tried to make
friends with him, and every day since the ice and snow had come had put
out nuts and corn for him, but he couldn't quite forget the old fear of
him. He couldn't quite trust him. So now he hesitated. Then he looked
back. Shadow the Weasel was only a few jumps behind him, and his little
eyes glowed red and savage. Farmer Brown's boy might not hurt him, but
Shadow certainly would. Shadow would kill him. Happy Jack made up his
mind, and with a little gasp raced madly across the snow straight to
Farmer Brown's boy and ran right up to his shoulder.
Shadow the Weasel had been so intent on catching Happy Jack that he
hadn't noticed Farmer Brown's boy at all. Now he saw him for the first
time and stopped short, snarling and spitting. Whatever else you may say
of Shadow the Weasel, he is no coward. For a minute it looked as if he
really meant to follow Happy Jack and get him in spite of Farmer Brown's
boy, and Happy Jack trembled as he looked down into those angry little
red eyes. But Shadow knows when he is well off, and now he knew better
than to come a step nearer. So he snarled and spit, and then, as Farmer
Brown's boy took a step forward, leaped to one side and disappeared in
the old stone wall.
Very gently and softly Farmer Brown's boy talked to Happy Jack as he
took him to the nearest tree. Then, when Happy Jack was safely up in the
tree, he went over to the stone wall and tried to drive Shadow the
Weasel out. He pulled over the stones until at last Shadow jumped out,
and then Farmer Brown's boy chased him clear into the Green Forest.
"Dee, dee, dee, what did I tell you?" cried Tommy Tit happily, as he
flew over to where Happy Jack was sitting.
Now who really saved Happy Jack--Tommy Tit or Farmer Brown's boy?