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GRAND-DADDY WHISKERS, M.D.
By
NELLIE M. LEONARD
Illustrated By
CARLE MICHEL BOOG
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I A MESSAGE PROM THE WOODFOLK
CHAPTER II BACK TO THE LAKE
CHAPTER III GRAND-DADDY BEGINS HIS WORK
CHAPTER IV DOT SQUEAKY'S SUMMER SCHOOL
CHAPTER V A WOODS FIRE
CHAPTER VI DR. WHISKER'S BUSY DAY
CHAPTER VII TWIN TAILS
CHAPTER VIII WIGGLE BORROWS THE AUTOMOBILE
CHAPTER IX AUTUMN LEAVES
CHAPTER X SNOWED IN
ILLUSTRATIONS
Somebody stole softly up behind him; two paws blindfolded his eyes
"All aboard for Pond Lily Lake!" he cried gaily
The heavy furniture cart was pulled down the last hill
"Will you walk into my parlor, Dr. Whiskers?"
Dr. Whiskers worked deftly away, setting the broken limb
Webbie Spider raised his paw
They worked bravely with Uncle Squeaky for captain
The little band began to play Silvy's Waltz
Dr. Whiskers twisted and pulled upon the hook
It was long past midnight when tired old Grand-daddy pulled off his boots.
"Fetch that creoline bottle, Silvy," repeated Grand-daddy sternly.
"Hold your breath, now"
They had good fun picking the brown nuts from the soft, silky linings of
the burrs.
Sure enough, next morning poor Buster could hardly see out of his eyes.
"And so," explained Uncle Squeaky, "he went on a hop, skip and jump like
this"
He folded his paws as Mammy had taught him long ago, tossed his head high
and sang merrily.
GRAND-DADDY WHISKERS M.D.
CHAPTER I
A MESSAGE FROM THE WOODFOLK
Nimble-toes Field-mouse trotted briskly along the dark subway and up the
steep attic stairway in Mr. Giant's house. He had travelled a long way
from his woodland home and it was getting late. The door of the cosy attic
where Cousin Graymouse lived was ajar. Nimble-toes paused to get his
breath and peep in at the busy, happy family.
Mother Graymouse sat in her rocking-chair singing to little Squealer.
Tiny, Teenty and Buster Graymouse were playing upon the floor near by with
their cousins, Wink and Wiggle Squeaky. Aunt Squeaky and Uncle Hezekiah
were busy around the stove. Grand-daddy and Granny Whiskers sat in the
chimney corner waiting patiently for their supper.
From the pantry came Silver Ears Graymouse and Dot Squeaky, bringing food
to the table.
"I hope Limpy-toes Graymouse and Scamper Squeaky have not gone away,"
thought Nimble-toes.
Somebody stole softly up behind him; two paws blindfolded his eyes.
"It is Limpy-toes," he guessed, trying to be brave in that dark, strange
place.
"Right you are, Nimble-toes," laughed Limpy-toes. "Scamper and I have been
over to the store to get some cheese. I thought you were a burglar, just
at first. Push open the door and trot in."
"It is Cousin Nimble-toes!" cried a noisy chorus of little mice.
"It is Nimble-toes Field-Mouse, sure as I'm a mouse!" declared Uncle
Squeaky. "Welcome to our attic, my lad."
[Illustration: Somebody stole softly up behind him, two paws blindfolded
his eyes.]
"You must be hungry after your long tramp, Nimble-toes," said Mother
Graymouse. "Supper is all ready."
The little mice crowded around their cousin from the Pond Lily Lake
country. They all talked at once, squealing excitedly and asking all sorts
of questions, until poor Nimble-toes was bewildered.
At last he climbed upon a little red stool and shouted in Uncle Squeaky's
ear:
"I've a message for Grand-daddy Whiskers. Please make 'em be still a
minute, Uncle Hezekiah."
Uncle Squeaky rapped smartly upon the floor with his cane. At once there
was silence.
"Fetch your little stools and sit down to supper, every last mouse of
you!" he commanded. "Let your victuals fill your mouths and stop your
noise. Nimble-toes has brought a word for Grand-daddy."
In a twinkling they were all seated around the long table. Nimble-toes sat
beside Grand-daddy, so he could talk with him easily, for Grand-daddy's
left ear had been torn in a trap and he was somewhat deaf.
"Now we are as still as mice," chuckled Grand-daddy. "Speak out,
Nimble-toes."
"I have a message from our woodfolk, Grand-daddy," began Nimble-toes. "No
one could write a letter, so they told me what to say. I've said it
forty-'leven times, lest I forget. The message is from Pa Field-Mouse,
Squire Cricket, Sir Spider, Daddy Grasshopper, Mr. Hop Toad, and Mr. Jack
Rabbit. They bade me say this:
"Dr. Grand-daddy Whiskers--
"We woodfolk are sometimes sick; we need a doctor. We wish our children to
have a teacher. They must learn to read and write. Our wives must learn to
cook and sew. We wish to be civilized. We miss Uncle Squeaky's band.
Please come to Pond Lily Lake and help us."
"We'll come, all right, Nimble-toes," interrupted Wiggle.
"We'll surely come," promised Wink. "Hurrah for another summer at Pond
Lily Lake!"
"Hush! hush!" cried Mother Graymouse.
"You will put your noses in a dark corner instead of eating supper, if you
interrupt again," warned Uncle Squeaky, scowling at his excited twins.
"Are there many sick ones?" asked Grand-daddy.
"Squire Cricket has a sore throat, Lady Spider is ailing, and almost
everyone is sneezing," replied Nimble-toes.
"They really need you, Grand-daddy," advised Aunt Belindy Squeaky.
"Our kiddies need the country sunshine after being shut up all winter in
this attic," added Mother Graymouse.
"Limpy-toes shall help Grand-daddy, I'll be his nurse, and Dot will make a
lovely school teacher," planned Silver Ears.
"I'd love to teach the little Spider, Cricket and Grasshopper kiddies,"
smiled Dot Squeaky.
"Ah, there's lots of goodies down by the Lake!" reminded Buster. "There's
strawberries, blueberries, apples, potatoes, sweet corn--let's go right
away, Grand-daddy."
Granny Whiskers sat silently rocking while the others chattered eagerly.
Grand-daddy watched her as she wiped away a tear and sighed wearily.
"What do you say, Granny? You enjoyed last summer's vacation at the Lake,
didn't you?" he asked.
"Ah, Zenas, it was pleasant enough; pleasant enough, to be sure! But I
cannot bear to think of leaving our dear attic home. You went away last
winter with Hezekiah and Scamper. And what happened? Why, we nearly
fretted our hearts out, waiting for your return. Something was always
happening at the Lake. Baby Squealer got lost, Wiggle 'most got drowned,
Limpy-toes came near burning to death, and the barn burned to the ground.
If you listen to me, Zenas Whiskers, you'll tell Pa Field-Mouse and his
neighbors that you cannot be their doctor. Let us stay safely in our attic
where there is nothing to harm us."
Grand-daddy looked sadly disappointed.
"I always wanted to live in the country and be a doctor, Granny," he
sighed.
"Bless my stars, Granny," laughed Uncle Squeaky, "we found Squealer
without much fuss; Nimble-toes fished Wiggle out of the pond, and
Limpy-toes didn't get even the patch on his trouser's knee scorched. To be
sure, the barn did burn down. Lucky we were at the Lake, I'm thinking.
Just take a nap, Granny, and forget your notion that this attic is the
safest spot in the world. Nimble-toes' coming has stirred up my Gipsy
blood. It is summertime again and the country is the place for your Uncle
Hezekiah. We'll start for the Lake as soon as we can pack our belongings,
Nimble-toes. Let me give you some more pudding."
"I really feel called to go, Granny," argued Grand-daddy earnestly. "Just
think of those kiddies who cannot read or write. You can help Betsey and
Belindy teach their mothers how to make these delicious puddings and
cookies. You can help me brew medicines. Think of those poor kiddies, as
sweet and good as our own pretty ones, and they may be having the colic,
or the tooth-ache, the whooping-cough or the measles, and never a doctor
to dose 'em with peppermint and cure-all salve. I see that you and I are
needed at the Lake."
Granny began to look interested.
"I suppose so, Zenas, I suppose so. I know you are a good doctor, a grand
doctor, indeed. But it's a big risk to leave our cosy attic home and
travel amid dangers."
"We will go, Granny," decided Grand-daddy. "I promise you solemnly that
Hezekiah and I will take good care of our big family and bring you all
back, safe and sound, before snow flies."
Granny still looked worried.
"Ah well, Zenas, we shall see! Ah yes, we shall see!" she sighed as she
sipped her tea.
After supper the little mice had to show Nimble-toes all the wonderful
toys that Uncle and Grand-daddy had brought from the city.
Uncle Squeaky began to pull out boxes and bags in which to pack his shirts
and neckties.
"Hurrah, Grand-daddy!" he cried. "I'm as excited as the kiddies. Bless my
stars, but they are giving Nimble-toes a jolly good time! Pond Lily Lake
until snow flies ah, but it's a great country down there!"
"I'm a-thinking if I do much doctoring and we fetch greedy Buster, little
Squealer, and those mischievous twinnies of yours home safe and sound,
that it will not be all vacation fun between now and snow-time," said
Grand-daddy. "Better tuck the kiddies into the blankets early, Hezekiah.
We have a busy day ahead of us on the morrow."