The bees that had been sent to guide Tiny back to Squirreltown did not
speak a word. They flew a short distance ahead of him, occasionally
stopping to rest or to take refreshment from the cup of a wild rose.
What was Tiny’s joy when again he beheld the familiar trees of
Squirreltown! His delight knew no bounds when the squirrels, red, gray,
and black, scurried forth from their homes to welcome him. Soon he was
the center of an excited group. They stroked his fur, pulled his beard,
and shouted joyfully:
[Illustration: “WELCOME HOME! HURRAH FOR TINY REDSQUIRREL! LONG LIFE TO
THE DELIVERER OF SQUIRRELTOWN.”]
“Welcome home! Hurrah for Tiny Redsquirrel! Long life to the deliverer
of Squirreltown!”
They were about to pounce upon his hunting bag, but Tiny gently pushed
them away, saying:
“These are for my mother. Shall I tell you where I got them?”
“Yes, yes,” replied the squirrels, who were almost starved.
“Follow those bees to a jungle not far distant, where you can get
enough provisions to last all winter long. It is a dark and lonely
place, but you need have no fear, for a fairy queen lives there who has
promised to protect you. I will join you soon.”
Although the squirrels were anxious to inquire about Tiny’s health
and to learn of his experience, they immediately scampered off to the
jungle, for sometimes when little creatures become very hungry they
cease to be polite.
Tiny, finding himself all alone, hurried to his home in the great oak
tree. When he saw the face of his dear mother, he was filled with
mingled joy and sorrow. She looked much older, for a few days in
Squirreltown is a very long time, and she had been grieving constantly
for her lost son.
Instead of rushing to embrace him, as one would expect her to do,
she ran rapidly about the room, bounding over the table and chairs,
shrieking and making as much noise as possible, for that is the way red
squirrels show great joy.
“I am so glad that you have come back, my son!” she cried again and
again. “Tell me all about your adventures, for you must have had many
of them.”
[Illustration: HE PULLED THE HUNTING BAG INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM
AND OPENED IT.]
“Let us first have some supper, for you must be almost starved,” said
Tiny. He pulled the hunting bag into the middle of the room, and opened
it.
“Oh, how tempting!” cried his mother, sniffing at the dried
blackberries, and gazing hungrily at the acorns and pine cones. “I have
had nothing to eat for two days.”
“Then let us have a good feast together,” said Tiny, with a merry
laugh. “While we are eating I will tell you the story of my wanderings.”
“I shall eat while you are talking,” said Mrs. Redsquirrel.
“But first I should like to know whether Chatty Chipmunk is safe,” said
Tiny anxiously.
“I don’t know,” replied Mrs. Redsquirrel, with a sigh. “Animals of the
neighboring towns are doing all they can to assist our city in finding
him, but so far they have had little encouragement. His poor mother is
ill from anxiety. No one in the town suffers more than she.”
Tiny told his mother how he had become separated from Chatty. He also
told her about his meeting with the various creatures of the forest.
“I think I may have been traveling in a circle all the time,” he
concluded.
“All bright, heavenly bodies travel in a circle,” said his mother with
pride. “At any rate I am glad that you are safe at home once more. Now
that we have finished our meal, I will make the room more tidy. Can I
lift this hunting bag?”
“I will put it away,” answered Tiny, seizing the bag and pulling it
into the storeroom. “To-morrow I will go out into the jungle and bring
you enough provisions to last all winter. Now, dear mother, tell me
what has happened in Squirreltown during my absence.”
“On the day you left a number of bears took up their abode in the heart
of the city,” began Mrs. Redsquirrel, with a shudder. “We squirrels
could do nothing. We tried to drive them away by throwing twigs at
them, but the dreadful things only laughed at us, and said they would
stay as long as they lived. We couldn’t leave our homes to go out into
the country where the trees are loaded with acorns and beech-nuts, so
we stayed inside and waited for help. The poor chipmunks in the ground
must have suffered more than we.”
“I am sorry that I was not here to comfort you,” said Tiny.
“I missed you sorely, for you are so much braver than I,” said Mrs.
Redsquirrel meekly. “Last night some of the older bears went away to
get food. Early this morning we heard a most terrible noise. I peeped
from my window and could see the bears scattering in every direction,
and could hear them roaring and begging for mercy. Some of them fell
over logs and rolled helplessly about. In a few moments they had all
disappeared, and they did not return. Presently an army of wee soldiers
came to the city, buzzing merrily, and settled down on that old hemlock
tree where the Flyingsquirrel family formerly lived. Then Bushy
Graysquirrel rushed in to tell me that several maids of honor to the
fairy queen wanted to speak to me. She said that they bore news from
you.”
“How remarkable!” exclaimed Tiny. “It sounds, indeed, like a fairy
tale.”
“It was more like a bad dream to me,” declared Mrs. Redsquirrel.
“Between you and me I was afraid to go down, and yet I wanted to hear
something about you. In a few minutes I had brushed myself as neat as
possible, and stood in the presence of the queen’s army. A tiny maid
of honor, with shiny wings, came forth and told me how you had saved
the queen’s life. She said that she and her soldiers had promised to
keep their eyes on Squirreltown, and how they would see that the bears
disturbed us no more. I was also assured that you were well, and that
you would be back soon. I thanked her for her kindness, and returned
home. Squirreltown at once became the liveliest place you ever saw.
All the citizens mingled together as if they belonged to one family,
and they cheered loudly for Tiny Redsquirrel, whom they called their
deliverer. They are planning to give you a party late this afternoon.”
“That will be delightful,” said Tiny, beginning to feel very important.
“Last night I saw a crown of glittering stars circling about the tops
of our tallest trees. I never saw stars that shone brighter than they.”
“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you the most interesting part of the
story,” replied Mrs. Redsquirrel. “The queen doubtless knew that you
would go to some treetop, hoping to catch a glimpse of Squirreltown, so
she sent out some of her attendants to the camp of the fireflies, to
beg them to lend their aid. Before long several thousand of the bright,
pretty creatures were circling about the tops of the oak trees.”
“How wonderful!” exclaimed Tiny, with breathless interest. “I did not
know that such little creatures could be so helpful.”
“Three times to-day several of the queen’s maids of honor flew into my
window and left me some honey,” continued the mother. “I have grown
quite fond of honey, although I do not believe that sweets are good for
animals.”
Tiny then told his parent how the owl prophet had taken an interest in
him, and how he expected to seek him soon to receive more knowledge.
“I do not put much dependence upon owls,” said Mrs. Redsquirrel,
beginning to tremble, “but, should it be to your advantage, I would not
complain if you should go to thank him for his goodness. He has been so
kind that you ought not to show ingratitude. Perhaps he may teach you
many other things that you should know.”
“May I lie down for a few moments, mother?” asked Tiny, for he was
beginning to feel the effects of his long and tiresome journey.
“Dear son, you may,” she replied, as she hastened to make his couch
more comfortable. “You ought to take a long nap before the party.”