Paddy sat looking thoughtfully at the aspen trees he would have
to cut to complete his store of food for the winter. All those
near the edge of his pond had been cut. The others were scattered
about some little distance away. "I don't know," said Paddy out
loud. "I don't know."
"What don't you know?" asked Sammy Jay, who, now that he and
Paddy had become friends, was very much interested in what Paddy
was doing.
"Why," replied Paddy, "I don't know just how I am going to get
those trees. Now that Old Man Coyote is watching for me, it isn't
safe for me to go very far from my pond. I suppose I could dig a
canal up to some of the nearest trees and then float them down to
the pond, but it is hard to work and keep watch for enemies at
the same time. I guess I'll have to be content with some of these
alders growing close to the water, but he bark of aspens is so
much better that I--I wish I could get them."
"What's a canal?" asked Sammy abruptly.
"A canal? Why a canal is a kind of ditch in which water can run,"
replied Paddy.
Sammy nodded. "I've seen Farmer Brown dig one over on the Green
Meadows, but it looked like a great deal of work. I didn't
suppose that anyone else could do it. Do you really mean that you
can dig a canal, Paddy?"
"Of course I mean it," replied Paddy, in a surprised tone of
voice. "I have helped dig lots of canals. You ought to see some
of them back where I came from."
"I'd like to," replied Sammy. "I think it is perfectly wonderful.
I don't see how you do it."
"It's easy enough when you know how," replied Paddy. "If I dared
to, I'd show you."
Sammy had a sudden idea. It almost made him gasp. "I tell you
what, you work and I'll keep watch!" he cried. "You know my eyes
are very sharp."
"Will you?" cried Paddy eagerly. "That would be perfectly
splendid. You have the sharpest eyes of anyone whom I know, and I
would feel perfectly safe with you on watch. But I don't want to
put you to all to that trouble, Mr. Jay."
"Of course I will," replied Sammy, "and it won't be any trouble
at all. I'll just love to do it." You see, it made Sammy feel
very proud to have Paddy say that he had such sharp eyes. "When
will you begin?"
"Right away, if you will just take a look around and see that it
is perfectly safe for me to come out on land."
Sammy didn't wait to hear more. He spread his beautiful blue
wings and started off over the Green Forest straight for the
Green Meadows. Paddy watched him go with a puzzled and
disappointed air. "That's funny," thought he. "I thought he
really meant it, and now off he goes without even saying
good-by."
In a little while back came Sammy, all out of breath. "It's all
right," he panted. "You can go to work just as soon as you
please."
Paddy looked more puzzled than ever. "How do you know?" he asked.
"I haven't seen you looking around."
"I did better than that," replied Sammy. "If Old Man Coyote had
been hiding somewhere in the Green Forest, it might have taken me
some time to find him. But he isn't. You see, I flew straight
over to his home in the Green Meadows to see if he is there, and
he is. He's taking a sun bath and looking as cross as two sticks.
I don't think he'll be back here this morning, but I'll keep a
sharp watch while you work."
Paddy made Sammy a low bow. "You certainly are smart, Mr. Jay,"
said he. "I wouldn't have thought of going over to Old Man
Coyote's home to see if he was there. I'll feel perfectly safe
with you on guard. Now I'll get to work."