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NTURES OP
RER
THORNTON W- BURGESS
THE
BEDTIME
STORY-BOOKS
NY PUBLIC LIBRARY THE BRANCH LIBRARIES
3 3333 08124 9233
THE ADVENTURES OF
CHATTERER THE RED SQUIRREL
BOOKS BY
THORNTON W. BURGESS
THE BEDTIME STORY-BOOKS
1. THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY Fox
2. THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY CHUCK
3. THE ADVENTURES OF PETER COTTONTAIL
4. THE ADVENTURES OF UNO' BILLY POSSUM
5. THE ADVENTURES OF MR. MOCKER
6. THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY MUSKRAT
7. THE ADVENTURES OF DANNY MEADOW MOUSE
8. THE ADVENTURES OF GRANDFATHER FROG
9. THE ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER, THE RED
SQUIRREL
10. THE ADVENTURES OF SAMMY JAY
11. THE ADVENTURES OF BUSTER BEAR
12. THE ADVENTURES OF OLD MR. TOAD
13. THE ADVENTURES OF PRICKLY PORKY
14. THE ADVENTURES OF OLD MAN COYOTE
15. THE ADVENTURES OF PADDY THE BEAVER
16. THE ADVENTURES OF POOR MRS. QUACK
17. THE ADVENTURES OF BOBBY COON
18. THE ADVENTURES OF JIMMY SKUNK
19. THE ADVENTURES OF BOB WHITE
20. THE ADVENTURES OF OL' MISTAH BUZZARD
MOTHER WEST WIND SERIES
1. OLD MOTHER WEST WIND
2. MOTHER WEST WIND'S CHILDREN
3. MOTHER WEST WIND'S ANIMAL FRIENDS
4. MOTHER WEST WIND'S NEIGHBORS
5. MOTHER WEST WIND "WHY" STORIES
6. MOTHER WEST WIND "How" STORIES
7. MOTHER WEST WIND "WHEN" STORIES
8. MOTHER WEST WIND "WHER^/' STORIES
GREEN MEADOW 7 SERIES
1. HAPPY JACK
2. MRS. PETER RABBIT
3. BOWSER THE HOUND
THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK
FOR CHILDREN
ft seemed as if that little voice inside had fairly
shouted in his ears: " I am afraid.'
FRONTISPIECE. See Page 118,
BURGESS 1SA2S QUADDIES
JHebtttne
THE ADVENTURES OF
CHATTERER THE RED
SQUIRREL
BY
THORNTON W. BURGESS
Author of "Old Mother West Wind," " The Adventures
of Johnny Chuck," "Mother West Wind
'Why' Stories," etc.
With Illustrations by
HARRISON CADY
NON'REFERT
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IF
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BOSTON
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
1920
Copyright, 1915-
BT LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.
All rights reserved
CONTENTS
CHAPTEB PAGE
I. CHATTERER THE RED SQUIRREL
RUNS FOR His LIFE ... 1
II. CHATTERER'S LAST CHANCE . . 6
III. CHATTERER TELLS SAMMY JAY
ABOUT SHADOW THE WEASEL . 11
IV. CHATTERER LEAVES THE GREEN
FOREST 17
V. CHATTERER FINDS A HOME . 23
VI. PETER RABBIT LISTENS TO THE
WRONG VOICE .... 28
VII. How CHATTERER HAD FOOLED
PETER RABBIT .... 33
VIII. CHATTERER GROWS CARELESS . 38
IX. CHATTERER GROWS TOO CURIOUS . 43
X. OLD MR. TROUBLE GETS CHATTERER
AT LAST 49
XI. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT TO CHAT-
TERER 53
XII. CHATTERER is SURE THAT THIS is
His LAST DAY .... 57
XIII. CHATTERER is PUT IN PRISON . 62
XIV. CHATTERER DECIDES TO LIVE . 68
v
vi CONTENTS
CHAPTER FASH
XV. FARMER BROWN'S BOY TRIES TO
MAKE FRIENDS . . .73
XVI. CHATTERER HAS A PLEASANT
SURPRISE . . . .78
XVII. SAMMY JAY'S SHARP EYES . 83
XVIII. CHATTERER is MADE FUN OF . 8 s
XIX. PETER RABBIT TRIES TO HELP . 93
XX. CHATTERER HAS ANOTHER GREAT
SURPRISE .... 99
XXI. CHATTERER HEARS THE SMALL
VOICE 104
XXII. TOMMY TIT MAKES GOOD His
BOAST 110
XXIII. CHATTERER GROWS VERY, VERY
BOLD . . 116
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
IT SEEMED AS IP THAT LITTLE VOICE
INSIDE HAD FAIRLY SHOUTED IN HIS
EARS, " I AM AFRAID ' . Frontispiece
" WHAT'S THAT? " SAMMY JAY ASKED
SHARPLY PAGE 12
" HAVE YOU FOUND A NEW HOME
YET? ' ASKED PETER . . . ' ' 26
VERY CAUTIOUSLY CHATTERER PEEPED
INSIDE THE HOLE ... 66
" You TELL CHATTERER THAT I'LL GET
HIM YET! : SNARLED SHADOW . 85
1 ( I ? D BE WILLING TO TRY IT IF IT
WAS OF ANY USE. BUT IT ISN'T,' 1
SAID PRICKLY PORKY 97
THE ADVENTURES OF
CHATTERER
THE RED SQUIRREL
CHATTERER THE RED SQUIRREL RUNS FOR
HIS LIFE
CHATTERER THE RED
SQUIRREL had been scolding
because there was 110 excite-
ment. He had even tried to make some
excitement by waking Bobby Coon and
making him so angry that Bobby had
threatened to eat him alive. It had
been great fun to dance around and call
Bobby names and make fun of him.
Oh, yes, it had been great fun. You
see, he knew all the time that Bobby
couldn't catch him if he should try.
2 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
But now things were different.
Chatterer had all the excitement that
he wanted. Indeed, he had more than
he wanted. The truth is, Chatterer was
running for his life, and he knew it.
It is a terrible thing, a very terrible
thing to have to run for one's life.
Peter Eabbit knows all about it. He
has run for his life often. Sometimes
it has been Reddy Fox behind him,
sometimes Bowser the Hound, and once
r '
or twice Old Man Coyote. Peter has
known that on his long legs his life has
depended, and more than once a terri-
ble fear has filled his heart. But Peter
has also known that if he could reach
the old stone wall or the dear Old Briar-
patch first, he would be safe, and he
always has reached it. So when he has
been running with that terrible fear in
his heart, there has always been hope
there, too.
CHATTERER RUNS FOR HIS LIFE 3
But Chatterer the Red Squirrel was
running without hope. Yes, Sir, there
was nothing but fear, terrible fear, in
his heart, for he knew not where to go.
The hollow tree or the holes in the old
stone wall where he would be safe from
any one else, even Farmer Brown's
boy, offered him no safety now, for the
one who was following him with hunger
in his anger-red eyes could go any-
where that he could go could go into
any hole big enough for him to squeeze
into. You see, it was Shadow the Wea-
sel from whom Chatterer was running,
and Shadow is so slim that he can slip
in and out of places that even Chatterer
cannot get through.
Chatterer knew all this, and so, be-
cause it was of no use to run to his
usual safe hiding places, he ran in just
the other direction. He didn't know
where he was going. He had just one
4 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
thought: to run and run as long as he
could and then, well, he would try to
fight, though he knew it would be of no
use.
" Oh, dear! Oh, dear! " he sobbed, as
he ran out on the branch of a tree and
leaped across to the next tree, " I wish
I had minded my own business ! I wish
I had kept my tongue still. Shadow
the Weasel wouldn't have known
where I was if he hadn't heard my
voice. Oh, dear! oh, dear me! What
can I do ? What can I do ? "
Now in his great fright Chatterer
had run and jumped so hard that he
was beginning to grow very tired.
Presently he found that he must make
a very long jump to reach the next tree.
He had often made as long a jump as
this and thought nothing of it, but now
he was so tired that the distance looked
twice as great as it really was. He
CHATTERER RUNS FOR HIS LIFE 5
didn't dare stop to run down the tree
and scamper across. So lie took a long
breath, ran swiftly along the branch,
and leaped. His hands just touched
the tip of the nearest branch of the
other tree. He tried his very best to
hold on, but he couldn't. Then down,
down, down he fell. He spread himself
out as flat as he could, and that saved
him a little, but still it was a dreadful
fall, and when he landed, it seemed for
just a minute as if all the breath was
gone from his body. But it wasn't
quite, and in another minute he was
scrambling up the tree.
n
CHATTERER'S LAST CHANCE
GHATTEBEB, still running for
his life and without the least
hope, suddenly saw a last
chance to escape from Shadow the
Weasel. That is, he saw something
that might offer him a chance. He
couldn't be sure until he had tried, and
even then he might escape from one
danger only to run right into another
equally great. What Chatterer saw
was a big brown bunch near the top of
a tall chestnut-tree, and he headed for
that tree as fast as ever he could go.
What was that big brown bunch ? Why
it w r as Eedtail the Hawk, who was
dozing there with his head drawn down
between his shoulders dreaming.
CHATTERER'S LAST CHANCE
Now old Redtail is one of Chatterer's
deadliest enemies. He is quite as fond
of Red Squirrel as is Shadow the Wea-
sel, though he doesn't often try to catch
one, because there are other things to
eat much easier to get. Chatterer had
had more than one narrow escape from
old Redtail and was very much afraid
of him, yet here he was running up the
very tree in which Redtail was sitting.
You see, a very daring idea had come
into his head. He had seen at once
that Redtail was dozing and hadn't
seen him at all. He knew that Redtail
would just as soon have Shadow the
Weasel for dinner as himself, and a
very daring plan had popped into his
head.
" I may as well be caught by Redtail
as Shadow," he thought, as he ran
up the tree, " but if fy plan works
out right, I won't be caught by
8 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
either. Anyway, it is my very last
chance. '
Tip the tree he scrambled, and after
him went Shadow the Weasel. Shadow
had been so intent on catching Chat-
terer that he had not noticed old Red-
tail, which was just as Chatterer had
hoped. Up, up he scrambled, straight
past old Redtail, but as he passed, he
pulled one of Redtail 's long tail feath-
ers, and then ran on to the top of the
tree, and with the last bit of strength
he had left, leaped to a neighboring
spruce-tree where, hidden by the thick
branches, he stopped to rest and see
what would happen.
Of course, when he felt his tail
pulled, old Redtail was wide awake in
a flash; and of course he looked down
to see who had dared to pull his tail.
There just below him was Shadow the
Weasel, who had just that minute dis-
CHATTERER'S LAST CHANCE 9
covered who was sitting there. Old
Redtail hissed sharply, and the feath-
ers on the top of his head stood up in
a way they do when he is angry. And
he was angry very angry.
Shadow the "Weasel stopped short.
Then, like a flash, he dodged around to
the other side of the tree. He had no
thought of Chatterer now. Things
were changed all in an instant, quite
changed. Instead of the hunter, he was
now the hunted. Old Redtail circled in
the air just overhead, and every time
he caught sight of Shadow, he swooped
at him with great, cruel claws spread
to clutch him. Shadow dodged around
the trunk of the tree. He was more
angry than frightened, for his sharp
eyes had spied a little hollow in a
branch of the chestnut-tree, and he
knew that once inside of that, he would
have nothing to fear. But he was an-
10 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
gry clear through to think that he
should be cheated out of that dinner he
had been so sure of only a few minutes
before. So he screeched angrily at old
Bedtail and then, watching his chance,
scampered out to the hollow and
whisked inside, just in the nick of time.
Chatterer, watching from the spruce-
tree, gave a great sigh of relief. He
saw Redtail the Hawk post himself on
the top of a tall tree where he could
keep watch of that hollow in which
Shadow had disappeared, and he knew
that it would be a long time before
Shadow would dare poke even his nose
outside. Then, as soon as he was
rested, Chatterer stole softly, oh, so
softly, away through the tree-tops
until he was sure that Eedtail could
not see him. Then he hurried. He
wanted to get just as far away from
Shadow the Weasel as he could.
ni
CHATTERER TELLS SAMMY JAY ABOUT
SHADOW THE WEASEL
CHATTERER hurried through
the Green Forest. He didn't
know just where he was going.
He had but one thought, and that was
to get as far away from Shadow the
Weasel as he could. It made him have
cold shivers all over every time he
thought of Shadow.
'" Seems to me you are in a great
hurry," said a voice from a pine-tree he
was passing.
Chatterer knew that voice without
looking to see who was speaking.
Everybody in the Green Forest knows
that voice. It was the voice of Sammy
Jay.
12 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
" It looks to me as if you were run-
ning away from some one,' jeered
Sammy.
Chatterer wanted to stop and pick a
quarrel with Sammy, as lie usually did
when they met, but the fear of Shadow
the Weasel was still upon him.
" I I am/ he said in a very low
voice.
Sammy looked as if he thought he
hadn't heard right. Never before had
he known Chatterer to admit that he
was afraid, for you know Chatterer is
a great boaster. It must be something
very serious to frighten Chatterer like
that.
" What's that? " Sammy asked
sharply. " I always knew you to be a
coward, but this is the first time I have
ever known you to i^dmit it. Who are
you running away from?
66 Shadow the Weasel," replied Chat-
. .
What's that?" Sammy asked sharply. Page 12.
SHADOW THE WEASEL 13
terer, still in a very low voice, as if he
were afraid of being overheard.
" Shadow the Weasel is back in the
Green Forest, and I have just had such
a narrow escape!
" Ho! cried Sammy, " this is im-
portant. I thought Shadow was up in
the Old Pasture. If he has come back
to the Green Forest, folks ought to
know it. Where is he now? :
Chatterer stopped and told Sammy
all about his narrow escape and how he
had left Shadow the Weasel in a hollow
of a chestnut-tree with Redtail the
Hawk watching for him to come out.
Sammy's eyes sparkled when Chatterer
told how he had pulled the tail of old
Redtail. " And he doesn't know now
who did it; he thinks it was Shadow/
concluded Chatterer, with a weak little
grin.
" Ho, ho, ho! Ha, ha, ha! laughed
14 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
Sammy Jay. " I wish I had been there
to see it."
Then he suddenly grew grave.
" Other folks certainly ought to know
that Shadow is back in the Green For-
est,' ' said he, " so that they may be on
their guard. Then if they get caught,
it is their own fault. I think I'll go
spread the news.' You see, for all his
mean ways, Sammy Jay does have some
good in him, just as everybody does,
and he dearly loves to tell important
news.
" I I wish you would go first of all
and tell my cousin, Happy Jack the
Gray Squirrel," said Chatterer, speak-
ing in a hesitating way.
Sammy Jay leaned over and looked
at Chatterer sharply. " I thought you
and Happy Jack were not friends,'
said he. " You always seem to be quar-
reling."
SHADOW THE WEASEL 15
Chatterer looked a little confused,
but lie is very quick with his tongue,
is Chatterer. " That's just it," he re-
plied quickly. " That's just it! If
anything should happen to Happy
Jack, I wouldn't have him to quarrel
with, and it is such fun to see him get
mad! "
Now of course the real reason why
Chatterer wanted Happy Jack warned
was because down inside he was
ashamed of a dreadful thought that had
come to him of leading Shadow the
Weasel to Happy Jack's house, so that
he himself might escape. It had been
a dreadful thought, a cowardly
thought, and Chatterer had been really
ashamed that he should have ever had
such a thought. He thought now that
if he could do something for Happy
Jack, he would feel better about it.
Sammy Jay promised to go straight
16 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
to Happy Jack and warn him that
Shadow the Weasel was back in the
Green Forest, and off he started,
screaming the news as he flew, so that
all the little people in the Green Forest
might know. Chatterer listened a few
minutes and then started on.
" Where shall I go? ' he muttered.
" Where shall I go? I don't dare stay
in the Green Forest, for now Shadow
will never rest until he catches me."
rv
CHATTERER LEAVES THE GREEN FOREST
CHATTERER was in a peck of
trouble. Yes, Sir, lie was in a
peck of trouble. There was no
doubt about it. " Oh, dear! Oh, dear!
If only I had kept my tongue still! If
only I had kept my tongue still! he
kept saying over and over to himself,
as he hurried through the Green For-
est You see, Chatterer was just be-
ginning to realize what a lot of trouble
an unruly tongue can get one into.
Here it was cold weather, the very edge
of winter, and Chatterer didn't dare
stav in the Green Forest where he had
t>
always made his home. His store-
houses were full of nuts and seeds and
18 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
corn, enough and more than enough to
keep him in comfort all winter, and
now he must turn his back on them and
go he didn't know w T here, and all be-
cause of his mean disposition and bad
tongue.
If he hadn't called Bobby Coon
names that morning at the top of
his voice, Shadow the Yv T easel might
not have found him. He knew that
Shadow has a long memory, and that he
would never forget the trick by which
Chatterer had escaped, and so the only
way Chatterer would ever be able to
have a moment's peace would be to
leave the Green Forest for as long as
Shadow the Weasel chose to stay there.
*>
Chatterer shivered inside his warm,
red fur coat as he thought of the long,
cold winter and how hard it would be
to find enough to eat. Was ever any
one else in such a dreadful fix?
HE LEAVES THE GREEN FOREST 19
Presently he came to tlie edge of the
Green Forest. He sat down to rest in
the top of a tree where he could look
off over the Green Meadows. Far, far
away he could see the Purple Hills,
behind which jolly, round, red Mr. Sun
goes to bed every night. He could
see the old stone wall that sepa-
rates Farmer Brown's cornfield from
the Green Meadows. He could see
Farmer Brown's house and barn and
near them the Old Orchard where
Johnny Chuck had spent the summer
with Polly Chuck and their baby
Chucks. He knew r every nook and cor-
ner in the old stone wall and many
times he had been to the Old Orchard.
It was there that he had stolen the
eggs of Drummer the Woodpecker.
He grinned at the thought of those
eggs and how he had stolen them, and
then he shivered as he remembered
20 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
how he had finally been caught and
how sharp the bills of Drummer and
Mrs. Drummer were.
But all that was in the past, and
thinking about it wasn't going to help
him now. He had got to do something
right away. Perhaps he might find a
place to live in the old stone wall, and
there might, there just might, be
enough grains of corn scattered over
the ground of the cornfield for him to
lay up a supply, if he worked very hard
and fast. Anyway, he would have a
look. So he hurried down from the
tree and out along the old stone wall.
His spirits began to rise as he whisked
along, peering into every hole and
jumping from stone to stone. It really
seemed as though he might find a snug
home somewhere here. Then he re-
membered something that made his
heart sink again. He remembered hav-
HE LEAVES THE GREEN FOREST 21
ing seen Shadow the Weasel more than
once exploring that very wall. Just as
likely as not he would do it again, for
it was so very near the Green Forest.
No, the old stone wall wouldn't do.
Just then along came Peter Rabbit.
Peter saw right away that something
was wrong with Chatterer, and he
wanted to know what it was. Chat-
terer told him. He felt that he had
just got to tell some one. Peter looked
thoughtful. He scratched his long left
ear with his long right hind foot.
" You know there is another old
stone wall up there by the Old Or-
chard,' said he. "It is pretty near
Farmer Brown's house, and Black
Pussy hunts there a great deal, but you
ought to be smart enough to keep out
of her clutches. '
"I should hope so! exclaimed
Chatterer scornfully. " I have never
22 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
seen a cat yet that I was afraid of!
*/
believe I'll go over and have a look at
that old wall, Peter Rabbit.'
" I'll go with you,' said Peter, and
off they started together.
CHATTERER FINDS A HOME
"When your plans are upset and all scattered
about
Just make up your mind that you'll find a way
out,
PETER RABBIT went straight
over to the old stone wall on
the edge of the Old Orchard,
lipperty-lipperty-lip so fast that it
didn't take him long to get there.
But Chatterer the Red Squirrel never
feels really safe on the ground un-
less there is something to climb close
at hand, so he went a long way round
by way of the rail fence. He always
did like to run along a rail fence, and
he wouldn't have minded it a bit this
24 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
morning if lie hadn't been in such a
hurry. It seemed to him that he never
would get there. But of course he did*
"When he did get there, he found
Peter Rabbit sitting on Johnny
Chuck's doorstep, staring down Johnny
Chuck's long hall. " They're asleep/
said he, as Chatterer came up all out of
breath. " I've thumped and thumped
and thumped, but it isn't the least bit
of use. They are asleep, and they'll
stay asleep until Mistress Spring ar-
rives. I can't understand it at alL
No, Sir, I can't understand how any-
body can be willing to miss this splen-
did cold weather.'
Peter shook his head in a puzzled
way and continued to stare down the
long empty hall. Of course he was
talking about Johnny and Polly Chuck,
who had gone to sleep for the winter.
That sleeping business always puzzles
CHATTERER FINDS A HOME 25
Peter. It seems to Mm like a terrible
waste of time. But Chatterer had too
much on his mind to waste time won-
dering how other people could sleep all
winter. He couldn't himself, and now
that he had been driven away from his
own home in the Green Forest by fear
of Shadow the Weasel, he couldn't
waste a minute. He must find a new
home and then spend every minute of
daytime laying up a new store of food
for the days when everything would be
covered with snow.
Up and down the length of the stone
wall he scampered, looking for a place
to make a home, but nothing suited
him. You know he likes best to make
his home in a tree. He isn't like
Striped Chipmunk, who lives in the
ground. Poor Chatterer! He just
couldn't see how he was going to live
in the old stone wall. He sat on top of
26 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
a big stone to rest and think it over.
He was discouraged. Life didn't seem
worth the living just then. He felt as
if his heart had gone way down to his
toes. Just then his eyes saw some-
thing that made his heart come up
again with a great bound right where
it ought to be, and just then Peter
Rabbit came hopping along.
" Have you found a new home yetl '
asked Peter.
" Yes," replied Chatterer, " I think
I have.
" That's good," replied Peter. " I
was sure you would find one over here.
iWhereisit?"
Chatterer opened his mouth to tefl
Peter and then closed it with a snap.
He remembered just in time how hard
it is for Peter to keep a secret. If he
should tell Peter, it would be just like
Peter to tell some one else without
Have you found a new home yet? : asked Peter.
Page 26.
CHATTERER FINDS A HOME 27
meaning to, and then it might get back
to Shadow the Weasel.
"I'm not going to tell you now,
Peter Babbit," said he. " You see, I
don't want anybody to know where it
is until I am sure that it will do. But
I'll tell you this much," he added, as
he saw how disappointed Peter looked,
" I'm going to live right here.'
Peter brightened up right away,
You see, he thought that of course
Chatterer meant that he had found a
hole in the old stone wall, and he felt
very sure that he could find it by keep-
ing watch. " That's good," he said
again. "I'll come see you often. But
watch out for Black Pussy; her claws
are very sharp. Now I think I'll be
going back to the Old Briar-patch."
" Don't tell where I am," called
Chatterer.
VI
PETER RABBIT LISTENS TO THE WRONG
VOICE
PETER RABBIT didn't play fair.
No, Sir, Peter didn't play fair.
People who have too much curi-
osity about other people's affairs sel-
dom do play fair. He didn't mean to
be unfair. Oh, my, no! Peter didn't
mean to be unfair. When he left Chat-
terer the Red Squirrel sitting on the
old stone " wall on the edge of Farmer
Brown's Old Orchard, he intended to
go straight home to the dear Old Briar-
patch. He was a little disappointed,
was Peter, that Chatterer hadn't told
him just where his new house was.
Not that it really mattered; he just
wanted to know, that was all. With
every jump away from the old stone
PETER HEEDS THE WRONG VOICE 29
wall, that desire to know just where
Chatterer's new house was seemed to
grow. Peter stopped and looked back.
He couldn't see Chatterer now, because
the bushes hid him. And if he couldn't
see Chatterer, why of course Chatterer
couldn't see him.
Peter sat down and began to pull his
whiskers in a way he has when he is
trying to decide something. It seemed
as if two little voices were quarreling
inside him. " Go along home like the
good fellow you are and mind your own
business," said one. " Steal back to
the old wall and watch Chatterer and
so find out just where his new house is;
he'll never know anything about it,
and there'll be no harm done," said the
other little voice. It was louder than
the first voice, and Peter liked the
sound of it.
" I believe I will," said he, and with-
30 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
out waiting to hear what the first little
voice would say to that, he turned
about and very carefully and softly tip-
toed back to the old stone wall. Right
near it was a thick little bush. It
seemed to Peter that it must have
grown there just to give him a hiding
place. He crawled under it and lay
very flat. He could see along the old
stone wall in both directions. Chat-
terer was sitting just where he had left
him. He was looking in the direction
that Peter had gone when he had said
good-by. Peter chuckled to himself.
" He's waiting to make sure I have
gone before he goes to that new house
of his," thought Peter. " This is the
time I'll fool him.'
" You ought to be ashamed of your-
self, Peter Rabbit; this is none of your
business,' said that little small voice.
" You're not doing a bit of harm.
PETER HEEDS THE WRONG VOICE 31
Chatterer lias no business to try to
keep Ms new house a secret, anyway/
said the other little voice inside. And
because of his dreadful curiosity, Peter
liked the sound of that voice best and
listened to it, and after a while the first
voice grew discouraged and stopped.
Chatterer sat where he was for what
seemed to Peter a very long time. But
by and by he gave a sudden funny little
flirt of his tail and ran along the old
wall a little way. Then with a hasty
look around, he disappeared in a hole.
A minute later he popped his head out
for another look around and then disap-
peared again. He did this two or three
times as if anxious.
Peter chuckled to himself. " That's
his new house right there," said he to
himself, " and now that I know where
it is, I think I'll hurry along home to
tfie dear Old Briar-patch." He was
32 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
just getting ready to start when Chat-
terer popped out of his hole and sat up
on a big stone. He was talking out
loud, and Peter listened. Then his
long ears began to burn, for this is
what he heard:
li I'm glad that Peter's not a spy,
For spies are hateful as can be;
It's dreadful how some people try
Affairs of other folks to see.'
Chatterer whisked out of sight, and
Peter hurried to get aw^ay. His ears
still burned, and somehow he didn't
feel so tickled over the thought that he
had discovered Chatterer's secret as he
had thought he would. And over in
the hole in the old stone wall Chatterer
the Red Squirrel was laughing as if
there was some great joke. There was,
and the joke was on Peter Kabbit.
You see he hadn't discovered Chat-
terer's new house at all.
VII
HOW CHATTERER HAD FOOLED PETER
RABBIT
CHATTERER THE RED
SQUIRREL is a scamp himself
and not to be trusted. Nobody
in the Green Forest or on the Green
Meadows trusts him. And people who
cannot be trusted themselves never
trust any one else. Chatterer never
does. He is always suspicious. So
when Peter Rabbit had said good-by
and started for the dear Old Briar-
patch without knowing where Chat-
terer's new house was, Chatterer had
made up his mind right away that
Peter would never be satisfied until he
knew, or thought he knew, where that
new house was. You see, he knew all
about Peter's dreadful curiosity.
34 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
He watched Peter out of sight, then
he slipped down out of sight himself
between the stones of the old wall. l ' I
know what Peter will do/ said he to
himself. " Peter will come sneaking
back, and hide where he can watch me,
and so find out where my new house
is. I'll just stay here long enough to
give him a chance to hide, and then I'll
fool him.'
You see, Chatterer knew that if he
had been in Peter's place, he would
have done just that thing. So he
waited a little while and then went
back to the place where Peter had left
him. There he sat and pretended to be
looking in the direction in which Peter
had gone, as if to make sure that Peter
was really on his way home. But all
the time Chatterer was watching out of
the corners of his eyes to see if Peter
was hiding anywhere near. He didn't
HOW CHATTERER FOOLED PETER 35
see Peter, but lie didn't have the least
doubt that Peter was somewhere about.
After a while, he ran over to a hole
between the stones of the old wall and
pretended to be very busy there, just
as if it really were the new house he
had found. He kept popping in and
out and looking around as if afraid that
some one was watching him. He even
got some dry leaves and took them in-
side, as if to make a bed. All the time,
although he hadn't seen a sign of Peter,
he didn't have the least doubt in the
world that Peter was watching him.
When he grew tired, a new idea popped
into his shrewd little head. He popped
out of the hole and sat up on the wall.
Then he said aloud that verse which
had made Peter's ears burn so. He
had meant to make Peter's ears burn.
He said that verse just as if he really
did believe that Peter was not spying
36 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
on him and was glad of it. When he
had finished, he whisked out of sight
again to give Peter a chance to get
away. But this time Chatterer did
some peeking himself. He hid where
Peter couldn't see him, but where he
himself could see both ways along the
old stone wall, and so it was that he
saw Peter crawl out from under the
little bush where he had been hiding
and sneak away in the direction of the
Old Briar-patch. And he knew that
this time Peter had gone for good.
Then Chatterer laughed and laughed
to think how he had fooled Peter Rab-
bit, and wished that he could pat him-
self on the back for being so smart.
He didn't once think of how dishonest
and mean it was of Peter to spy on
him, because, you see, he w r ould have
done the same thing himself. " One
has to have one's wits very sharp these
HOW CHATTERER FOOLED PETER 37
days to keep a secret," chuckled
Chatterer.
But over in the old Briar-patch that
afternoon Peter Rabbit sat very
thoughtful and very much ashamed.
The thought that he had found out
where Chatterer's new house was
didn't give him the pleasure that he
had thought it would. His ears still
burned, for he thought that Chatterer
supposed him honest when he wasn't.
" I believe I'll go over to-morrow
and tell Chatterer all about it and how
mean I have been,' said he at last.
And when he had made up his mind to
do this, he felt better.
7
And all the time he hadn't found
Chatterer's new house at all. You see,
it was the old home of Drummer the
Woodpecker in an old apple-tree which
Chatterer had decided to live in.
vin
CHATTERER GROWS CARELESS
When you grow careless even thougk
It be in matters small,
Old Mr. Trouble you will find
Is bound to make a call.
OME people never seem to learn
that. You would suppose that
after all the trouble and worry
Chatterer the Red Squirrel had had, he
would have learned a lesson. For a
while it seemed as if he had. Morning
after morning, before anybody was up
in Farmer Brown's house, he visited
Farmer Brown's corn-crib, taking the
greatest care not to be seen and to get
back to his home in the Old Orchard
before it was time for Fanner Brown's
CHATTERER GROWS CARELESS 39
boy to come out and do his morning's
work. And in the corn-crib he took the
greatest care to steal only where what
he took would not be missed. The
empty cobs from which he had eaten
the corn he hid in the darkest corner
behind the great pile of yellow corn,
where they would not be found until
nearly all the corn had been taken from
the crib. Oh, he was very sly and
crafty, was Chatterer the Red Squir-
relat first.
But after a while, when nothing hap-
pened, Chatterer grew careless. At
first it had seemed very dangerous to
go over to the corn-crib, but after he
had been there often, it didn't seem
dangerous at all. Once inside, he
would just give himself up to having
a good time. He raced about over the
great pile of beautiful yellow corn and
found the loveliest hiding places in it.
40 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
Down in a dark corner he made a
splendid bed from pieces of husk which
hadn't been stripped from some of the
ears. It was quite the nicest place he
had ever dreamed of, w r as Farmer
Brown's corn-crib. He got to feeling
that it was his own and not Farmer
Brown's at all.
The more that feeling grew, the
more careless Chatterer became. He
dropped a grain of corn now and then
and was too lazy to go down and pick
it up, or else didn't think anything
about it. Farmer Brown's boy, com-
ing every morning for corn for the
hens, noticed these grains, but sup-
posed they were some that had been
rubbed from the ears during the han-
dling of them. Then one morning Chat-
terer dropped a cob from which he had
eaten all the corn. He meant to get it
and hide it, as he had hidden other
CHATTERER GROWS CARELESS 41
cobs, but he didn't want to do it just
then. And later well, then he forgot
all about it. Yes, Sir, he forgot all
about it until he had reached his home
in the Old Orchard.
" Oh, well," thought Chatterer, " it
doesn't matter. I can get it and hide
it to-morrow morning.'
Now a corn-cob is a very simple
thing. Farmer Brown's boy knew
where there was a whole pile of them.
He added to that pile every day, after
shelling enough corn for the biddies.
So it would seem that there was noth-
ing about a corn-cob to make him open
his eyes as he did that morning, when
he saw the one left by Chatterer the
Eed Squirrel. But you see he knew
that a bare corn-cob, had no business
inside the corn-crib, and suddenly those
scattered grains of corn had a new
meaning for him.
42 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
11 Ha, ha! " he exclaimed, " A thief
has been here, after all! I thought we
were safe from rats and mice, and I
don't see now how they got in, for I
don't, I really don't, see how they could
climb the stone legs of the corn-crib.
But some one with sharp teeth cer-
tainly has been in here. It must be
that I have left the door open some
time, and a rat has slipped in. I'll just
have to get after you, Mr. Rat or Mr.
Mouse. We can't have you in our
corn-crib."
With that he went into the house.
Presently he came back, and in one
hand was a rat-trap and in the other
a mouse-trap.
IX
CHATTERER GROWS TOO CURIOUS
EVERYBODY knows how curious
Peter Babbit is. He is forever
poking Ms w^obbly little nose in
where it has no business to be, and as
a result Peter is forever getting into
trouble. Whenever Chatterer the Red
Squirrel has heard a new story about
Peter and the scrapes his curiosity has
got him into, Chatterer has said that
Peter got no more than he deserved.
As for himself, he might be curious
about a thing he saw for the first time,
but he had too much sense to meddle
with it until he knew all about it. So
Chatterer has come to be thought very
smart, quite too smart to be caught in
44 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
a trap at least to be caught in an or-
dinary trap.
Now a great many people manage to
make their neighbors think they are a
great deal smarter than they really are,
and Chatterer is one of this kind. If
some of his neighbors could have
peeped into Farmer Brown's corn-crib
the morning after Farmer Brown's boy
found the telltale corn-cob so carelessly
dropped by Chatterer, they would have
been surprised. Yes, Sir, they would
have been surprised. They would have
seen Chatterer the Red Squirrel, the
boaster, he of the sharp wits, showing
quite as much curiosity as ever pos-
sessed Peter Rabbit.
Chatterer had come over to the corn-
crib as usual to get his daily supply of
corn. As usual, he had raced about
over the great pile of yellow corn.
Quite suddenly his sharp eyes spied
CHATTERER GROWS TOO CURIOUS 45
something that they hadn't seen be-
fore. It was down on the floor of the
corn-crib quite near the door. Chat-
terer was sure that it hadn't been there
the day before. It was a very queer
looking thing, very queer indeed. And
then he spied another queer looking
thing near it, only this was very much
smaller. What could they be? He
looked at them suspiciously. They
looked harmless enough. They didn't
move. He ran a few steps towards
them and scolded, just as he scolds at
anything new he finds out of doors.
Still they didn't move. He ran around
on a little ledge where he could look
right down on the queer things. He
was sure now that they were not alive.
The biggest one he could see all
through. Inside was something to eat.
The littlest thing was round and flat
with funny bits of wire on top. It
46 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
looked as if it were made of wood, and
in the sides were little round holes too
small for him to put Ms head through.
" Leave them alone/ said a small
voice inside of Chatterer.
" But I want to see what they are
and find out all about them,' said
Chatterer.
" No good ever comes of meddling
with things you don't know about,"
said the small voice.
" But they are such queer looking
things, and they're not alive. They
can't hurt me," said Chatterer.
Nevertheless he ran back to the pile
of corn and tried to eat. Somehow he
had lost his appetite. He couldn't take
his eyes off those two queer things
down on the floor.
" Better keep away," warned the
small voice inside.
" It won't do any harm to have a
CHATTERER GROWS TOO CURIOUS 47
closer look at them/ said Chatterer.
So once more lie scrambled down
from the pile of corn and little by little
drew nearer to the two queer things.
The nearer he got, the more harmless
they looked. Finally he reached out
and smelled of the smallest. Then he
turned up his nose.
" Smells of mice," muttered Chat-
terer, " just common barn mice.'
Then he reached out a paw and touched
it. " Pooh! " said he, " it's nothing to
be afraid of.' Just then he touched
one of the little wires, and there was a
sudden snap. It frightened Chatterer
so that he scurried away. But he
couldn't stay away. That snap was
such a funny thing, and it hadn't done
any harm. You see, he hadn't put his
paw in at one of the little holes, or it
might have done some harm.
Pretty soon he was back again, med-
48 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
dling with those little wires on top.
Every once in a while there would be
a snap, and he would scamper away.
It was very scary and great fun. By
and by the thing wouldn't snap any
more, and then Chatterer grew tired of
his queer plaything and began to
wonder about the other queer thing.
No harm had come from the first one,
and so he was sure no harm could come
from the other.
OLD MR. TROUBLE GETS CHATTERER AT
LAST
OF course you have guessed what
it was that Chatterer had been
meddling with. It was a
mouse-trap, and he had sprung it with-
out getting hurt. Chatterer didn't
know that it was a trap. He ought to
have known, but he didn't. You see, it
was not at all like the traps Farmer
Brown's boy had sometimes set for him
in the Green Forest. He knew all
about those traps and never, never
went near them. Now that there was
nothing more exciting about the mouse-
trap, Chatterer turned his attention to
the other queer thing. He walked all
50 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
around it and looked at it from every
side. It certainly was queer. Yes, Sir,
it certainly was queer! It looked
something like a little house only he
could see all through it. He put one
paw out and touched it. Nothing hap-
pened. He tried it again. Then he
jumped right on top of it. Still noth-
ing happened. He tried his sharp teeth
on it, but he couldn't bite it. You see,
it was made of stout wire.
Inside was something that looked
good to eat. It smelled good, too.
Chatterer began to wonder what it
would taste like. The more he won-
dered, the more he wanted to know.
There must be some way of getting in,
and if he could get in, of course he
could get out again. He jumped down
to the floor and ran all around the
queer little wire house. At each end
was a sort of little wire hallway. Chat-
MR. TROUBLE GETS CHATTERER 51
terer stuck his head in one. It seemed
perfectly safe. He crept a little way
in and then backed out in a hurry.
Nothing happened. He tried it again.
Still nothing happened.
" Better keep away/ said a small
voice down inside of him.
" Pooh! Who's afraid! " said Chat-
terer. " This thing can't hurt me."
Then he crept a little farther in.
Eight in front of him was a little round
doorway with a little wire door. Chat-
terer pushed the little door with his
nose, and it opened a teeny, weeny bit.
He drew back suspiciously. Then he
tried it again, and this time pushed the
little door a little farther open. He did
this two or three times until finally he
had his head quite inside, and there,
right down below him, was that food he
so wanted to taste.
" I can hop right down and get it
52 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
and then hop right up again," thought
Chatterer.
" Don't do it,' said the small voice
inside. " Corn is plenty good enough.
Besides, it is time you were getting
back to the Old Orchard.'
" It won't take but a minute,' said
Chatterer, " and I really must know
what that tastes like.'
With that he jumped down. Snap!
Chatterer looked up. The little wire
door had closed. Old Mr. Trouble had
got Chatterer at last. Yes, Sir, he cer-
tainly had got Chatterer this time.
You see, he couldn't open that little
wire door from the inside. He was in
a trap the wire rat-trap set by;
Farmer Brown's boy.
XI
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT TO CHATTERER
WERE you ever terribly, terri-
bly frightened? That was the
way Chatterer felt. He was
caught; there was no doubt about it!
His sharp teeth were of no use at all
on those hard wires. He could look out
between them, but he couldn't get out.
He was too frightened to think. His
heart pounded against his sides until it
hurt. He forgot all about that queer
food he had so wanted to taste, and
which was right before him now. In-
deed, he felt as if he never, never would
want to eat again. What was going to
happen to him now? What would
Farmer Brown's boy do to him when
he found him there?
54 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
Hark! "What was that? It was a
step just outside the door of the corn-
crib. Farmer Brown's boy was com-
ing! Chatterer raced around his little
wire prison and bit savagely at the
hard wires. But it was of no use, no
use at all. It only hurt his mouth
cruelly. Then the door of the corn-crib
swung open, a flood of light poured in,
and with it came Farmer Brown's boy.
" Hello! " exclaimed Farmer
Brown's boy, as he caught sight of
Chatterer. " So you are the thief who
has been stealing our corn, and I
thought it was a rat or a mouse. Well,
well, you little red rascal, didn't you
know that thieves come to no good
end? You're pretty smart, for I never
once thought of you, but you were not
so smart as you thought. Now I won-
der what we had better do with you."
He picked up the trap with Chat-
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT 55
terer in it and stepped out into the
beautiful great out-of-doors. Chat-
terer could see across the dooryard to
the Old Orchard and the familiar old
stone wall along which he had scam-
pered so often. They looked just the
same as ever, and yet well, they
didn't look just the same, for he
couldn't look at them without seeing
those cruel wires which were keeping
him from them.
Farmer Brown's boy put the trap
down on the ground and then began to
call. " Puss, Puss, Puss," called
Farmer Brown's boy. Chatterer's
heart, which had been thumping so,
almost stopped beating with fright.
There was Black Pussy, whom he had
so often teased and made fun of. Her
yellow eyes had a hungry gleam as she
walked around the trap and sniffed and
sniffed. Never had Chatterer heard
56 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
such a terrible sound as those hungry
sniffs so close to him! Black Pussy
tried to put a paw between the wires,
and Chatterer saw the great, cruel
claws. But Black Pussy couldn't get
her paw between the wires.
" How would you like him for break-
fast? : asked Farmer Brown's boy.
" Meow," said Black Pussy, arching
her back and rubbing against his legs.
" I suppose that means that you
would like him very much," laughed
Farmer Brown's boy. " Do you think
you can catch him if I let him out?
" Meow," replied Black Pussy again,
and to poor Chatterer it seemed the
awfullest sound he ever had heard.
" Well, we'll see about it by and by,"
said Farmer Brown's boy. " There's
the breakfast bell, and I haven't fed
the biddies yet."
CHATTERER IS SURE THAT THIS IS HIS
LAST DAY
iHERE was no hope, not the
teeniest, weeniest ray of hope
in the heart of Chatterer, as
Farmer Brown's boy picked up the
wire rat-trap and started for the house,
Black Pussy, the cat, following at his
heels and looking up at Chatterer with
cruel, hungry eyes. Chatterer took a
farewell look at the Old Orchard and
way beyond it the Green Forest, from
which he had been driven by fear of
Shadow the Weasel. Then the door of
the farmhouse closed and shut it all
out. If there had been any hope in
Chatterer's heart, the closing of that
58 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
door would have shut the last bit out.
But there wasn't any hope. Chatterer
was sure that he was to be given to
Black Pussy for her breakfast.
Farmer Brown's boy put the trap on
a table. " What have you there? "
called a great voice. It was the voice
of Farmer Brown himself, w r ho was
eating his breakfast.
" I've got the thief who has been
stealing our corn in the crib,' replied
Farmer Brown's boy, " and who do you
think it is? "
" One of those pesky rats," replied
Farmer Brown. " I'm afraid you've
been careless and left the door open
some time, and that is how the rats
have got in there.'
" But it isn't a rat, and I don't be-
lieve that there is a rat there," replied
Farmer Brown's boy in triumph.
" It's that little scamp of a red squir-
SURE THIS IS HIS LAST DAY 59
rel we've seen racing along the wall at
the edge of the Old Orchard lately. I
can't imagine how he got in there, but
there he was, and now here he is.'
" What are you going to do with
him? : asked Farmer Brown, coming
over to look at Chatterer.
" I don't know,' replied Farmer
Brown's boy, " unless I give him to
Black Puss for her breakfast. She has
been teasing me for him ever since I
found him."
Farmer Brown's boy looked over to
the other side of the table as he said
this, and his eyes twinkled with mis-
chief.
" Oh, you mustn't do that! That
would be cruel! cried a soft voice.
" You must take him down to the
Green Forest and let him go.' A
gentle face with pitying eyes was bent
above the trap. " Just see how fright-
60 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
ened the poor little thing is ! You must
take him straight down to the Green
Forest right after breakfast.'
" Isn't that just like Mother? " cried
Farmer Brown's boy. " I believe it
would be just the same with the ugliest
old rat that ever lived. She would try
to think of some excuse for letting it
go."
" God made all the little people who
wear fur, and they must have some
place in his great plan,' said Mrs.
Brown.
Farmer Brown laughed a big, hearty
laugh. " True enough, Mother! : said
he. " The trouble is, they get out of
place. Now this little rascal's place is
down in the Green Forest and not up
in our corn-crib.'
" Then put him back in his right
place! " was the prompt reply, and they
all laughed.
SURE THIS IS HIS LAST DAY 61
Now all this time poor Chatterer was
thinking that this surely was his last
day. You see, he knew that he had
been a thief, and he knew that Farmer
Brown's boy knew it. He just crouched
down in a little ball, too miserable to
do anything but tremble every time
any one came near. He was sure that
he had seen for the last time the Green
Forest and the Green Meadows and
jolly Mr. Sun and all the other beauti-
ful things he loved so, and it seemed
as if his heart would burst with de-
spair.
xm
CHATTERER IS PUT IN PRISON
Who ever does a deed that's wrong
Will surely find some day
That for that naughty act of his
He'll surely have to pay.
THAT was the way with Chat-
terer. Of course he had had
no business to steal corn from
Farmer Brown's corn-crib. To be sure
he had felt that he had just as much
right to that corn as Farmer Brown
had. You see, the little people of the
Green Meadows and the Green Forest
feel that everything that grows belongs
to them, if they want it and are smart
enough to get it before some one else
does. But it is just there that Chat-
CHATTERER IS PUT IN PRISON 63
terer went wrong. Farmer Brown had
harvested that corn and stored it in his
corn-crib, and so, of course, no one else
had any right to it. Right down deep
in his heart Chatterer knew this. If he
hadn't known it, he wouldn't have been
so slv in taking; what he wanted. He
> o
knew all the time that he was stealing,
but he tried to make himself believe
that it was all right. So he had kept
on stealing and stealing until at last he
was caught in a trap, and now he had
got to pay for his wrong-doing.
Chatterer was very miserable, so
miserable and frightened that he could
do nothing but sit huddled up in a little
shivery ball. He hadn't the least doubt
in the world that this was his very last
day, and that Farmer Brown's boy
would turn him over to cruel Black
Pussy for her breakfast. Farmer
Brown's boy had left him in the trap
64 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
in the house and had gone out. For
a long time Chatterer could hear
pounding out in the woodshed, and
Farmer Brown's boy was whistling as
he pounded. Chatterer wondered how
he could whistle and seem so happy
when he meant to do such a dreadful
thing as to give him to Black Pussy.
After what seemed a very long time,
ages and ages, Farmer Brown's boy
came back. He had with him a queer
looking box.
" There,' said he, " is a new home
for you, you little red imp! I guess it
will keep you out of trouble for a
while."
He slid back a little door in the top
of the box, and then, putting on a stout
glove and opening a little door in the
trap, he put in his big hand and closed
it around Chatterer.
Poor little Chatterer! He was sure
CHATTERER IS PUT IN PRISON 65
now that this was the end, and that he
was to be given to Black Pussy, who
was looking on with hungry, yellow
eyes. He struggled and did his best to
bite, but the thick glove gave his sharp
little teeth no chance to hurt the hand
that held him. Even in his terror, he
noticed that that big hand tried to be
gentle and squeezed him no tighter than
was necessary. Then he was lifted out
of the trap and dropped through the
little doorway in the top of the queer
box, and the door was fastened. Noth-
ing terrible had happened, after all.
At first, Chatterer just sulked in one
corner, He still felt sure that some-
thing terrible was going to happen.
Farmer Brown's boy took the box out
into the shed and put it where the sun
shone into it. For a little while he
stayed watching, but Chatterer still
sulked and sulked. By and by he went
66 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
away, taking Black Pussy with him,
and Chatterer was alone.
When he was quite sure that n<
one was about, Chatterer began i
wonder what sort of a place 1
was in, and if there wasn't son.
way to get out. He found that one
side and the top were of fine, stout
wire, through which he could look
out, and that the other sides and the
bottom were of wood covered with
wire, so that there was no chance for
his sharp teeth to gnaw a way out. In
one corner was a stout |)iece of an
apple-tree, with two little stubby
branches to sit on, and half way up a
little round hole. Very cautiously
Chatterer peeped inside the hole. In-
side was a splendid hollow. On the
floor of the box was a little heap of
shavings and bits of rag. And there
was a little pile of yellow corn. How
Very cautiously Chatterer peeped inside the hole.
Page 66.
CHATTERER IS PUT IN PRISON 67
Chatterer did hate the sight of that
corn! You see, it was corn that had
got him into all this trouble. At least,
that is the way Chatterer felt about it.
When he had examined everything, he
knew that there was no way out.
Chatterer was in a prison, though that
is not what Farmer Brown's boy called
it. He said it was a cage.
XIV
CHATTERER DECIDES TO LIVE
AT first Chatterer decided that he
had rather die than live in a
prison, no matter how nice that
prison might be. It was a very foolish
thing to do, but he made up his mind
that he just wouldn't eat. He wouldn't
touch that nice, yellow corn Farmer
Brown's boy had put in his prison for
him. He would starve himself to
death. Yes, Sir, he would starve him-
self to death. So when he found that
there was no way to get out of his
prison, he curled up in the little hollow
stump in his prison, where no one could
see him, and made up his mind that he
would stay there until he died. Life
CHATTERER DECIDES TO LIVE 69
wasn't worth living if he had got to
spend all the rest of his days in a
prison. He wouldn't even make him-
self comfortable. There was that little
heap of nice shavings and bits of rag
for him to make a nice comfortable bed
of, but he didn't touch them. No, Sir,
he just tried to make himself miser-
able.
Not once that long day did he poke
so much as the tip of his nose out of
his little round doorway. Ever so
many times Farmer Brown's boy came
to see him, and whistled and called
softly to him. But Chatterer didn't
make a sound. At last night came,
and the woodshed where his prison was
grew dark and darker and very still.
Now it was about this time that Chat-
terer's stomach began to make itself
felt. Chatterer tried not to notice it,
but his stomach would be noticed, and
70 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
Chatterer couldn't help himself. His
stomach was empty, and it kept telling
him so.
" I'm going to starve to death,'
said Chatterer to himself over and
over.
" I'm empty, and there is plenty of
food to fill me up, if you'll only stop
being silly,' whispered his stomach.
The more Chatterer tried not to
think of how good something to eat
would taste, the more he did think of
it. It made him restless and uneasy.
He twisted and squirmed and turned.
At last he decided that he would have
one more look to see if he couldn't find
some way to get out of his prison. He
poked his head out of the little round
doorway. All was still and dark. He
listened, but not a sound could he hear.
Then he softly crept out and hurriedly
examined all the inside of his prison
CHATTERER DECIDES TO LIVE 71
once more. It was of no use! There
wasn't a single place where he could
use his sharp teeth.
" There's that little pile of corn
waiting for nie,' whispered his stom-
ach.
"I'll never touch it! " said Chat-
terer fiercely.
Just then he hit something with his
foot, and it rolled. He picked it up
and then put it down again. It was a
nut, a plump hickory nut. Two or
three times he picked it up and put it
down, and each time it was harder than
before to put it down.
"I--I--I'd like to taste one more
nut before I starve to death,' mut-
tered Chatterer, and almost without
knowing it, he began to gnaw the hard
shell. When that nut was finished, he
found another; and when that was
gone, still another. Then he just had
72 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
to taste a grain of corn. The first thing
Chatterer knew, the nuts and the corn
were all gone, and his stomach was full-
Somehow he felt ever so much better.
He didn't feel like starving to death
now.
" I I believe I'll wait a bit and see
what happens," said he to himself,
" and w r hile I'm waiting, I may as
well be comfortable.'
With that he began to carry the
shavings and rags into the hollow
stump and soon had as comfortable a
bed as ever he had slept on. Chatterer
had decided to live.
XV
FARMER BROWN'S BOY TRIES TO MAKE
FRIENDS
Nobody lives who's wholly bad;
Some good you'll find in every heart.
Your enemies will be your friends.
If only you will do your part.
ALL his life Chatterer the Red
Squirrel had looked on Farmer
Brown's boy as his enemy, just
as did all the other little people of the
Green Meadows, the Green Forest, and
the Smiling Pool. They feared him,
and because they feared him, they
hated him. So whenever he came near,
they ran away. Now at first, Farmer
Brown's boy used to run after them for
just one thing because he wanted to
74 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
make friends with them, and he
couldn't see how ever he was going to
do it unless he caught them. After a
while, when he found that he couldn't
catch them by running after them, he
made up his mind that they didn't
want to be his friends, and so then he
began to hunt them, because he thought
it was fun to try to outwit them. Of
t/
course, when he began to do that, they
hated him and feared him all the more.
You see, they didn't understand that
really he had one of the kindest hearts
in the world; and he didn't understand
that they hated him just because they
didn't know him.
So when Chatterer had been caught
in the trap in Farmer Brown's corn-
crib, he hadn't doubted in the least
that Farmer Brown's boy would give
him to Black Pussy or do something
equally cruel; and even when he found
FARMER BROWN'S BOY 75
that lie was only to be kept a prisoner
in a very comfortable prison, with
plenty to eat and drink, he wasn't will-
ing to believe any good of Farmer
Brown's boy. Indeed, he hated him
more than ever, if that were possible.
But Farmer Brown's boy was very
patient. He came to Chatterer's prison
ever so many times a day and whistled
and clucked and talked to Chatterer.
And he brought good things to eat. It
seemed as if he were all the time try-
ing to think of some new treat for
Chatterer. He never came without
bringing something. At first, Chat-
terer would hide in his hollow stump
as soon as he saw Farmer Brown's boy
coming and wouldn't so much as peek
out until he had gone away. When he
was sure that the way was clear, he
would come out again, and always he
found some delicious fat nuts or some
76 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
other dainty waiting for him. After a
little, as soon as he saw Fanner
Brown's boy coming, Chatterer would
begin to wonder what good thing he
had brought this time, and would grow
terribly impatient for Farmer Brown's
boy to go away so that he could find
out.
By and by it got so that he couldn't
wait, but would styly peep out of his
little, round doorway to see what had
been brought for him. Then one day
Farmer Brown's boy didn't come at
all. Chatterer tried to make himself
believe that he was glad. He told him-
self that he hated Farmer Brown's
boy, and he hoped that he never, never
would see him again. But all the time
he knew that it wasn't true. It was the
longest day since Chatterer had been a
prisoner. Early the next morning, be-
fore Chatterer was out of bed. he heard
FARMER BROWN'S BOY 77
a step in the woodshed, and before he
thought what he was doing, he was out
of his hollow stump to see if it really
was Farmer Brown's boy. It was, and
he had three great fat nuts which he
dropped into Chatterer's cage. It
seemed to Chatterer that he just
couldn't wait for Farmer Brown's boy
to go away. Finally he darted forward
and seized one. Then he scampered to
the shelter of his hollow stump to eat
it. When it was finished, he just had
to have another. Farmer Brown's boy
was still watching, but somehow Chat-
terer didn't feel so much afraid. This
time he sat up on one of the little
branches of the stump and ate it in
plain sight. Farmer Brown's boy
smiled., and it was a pleasant smile.
" I believe we shall be friends, after
all,' said he.
XVI
CHATTERER HAS A PLEASANT SURPRISE
CHATTERER THE RED
SQUIRREL, the mischief
maker of the Green Forest, had
never been more comfortable in his life.
No matter how rough Brother North
Wind roared across the Green Meadows
and through the Green Forest, piling
the snow in great drifts, he couldn't
send so much as one tiny shiver
through the little red coat of Chatterer.
And always right at hand was plenty
to eat- -corn and nuts and other good
things such as Chatterer loves. No, he
never had been so comfortable in all
his life. But he wasn't happy, not
truly happy. You see, he was in prison,
A PLEASANT SURPRISE 79
and no matter how nice a prison may;
be, no one can be truly happy there.
Since he had been a prisoner, Chat-
terer had learned to think very differ-
entlv of Farmer Brown's bov from
/ /
what he used to think. In fact, he and
Farmer Brown's boy had become very
good friends, for Farmer Brown's boj
was always very gentle, and always
brought him something good to eat.
" He isn't at all like what I had
thought,' said Chatterer, " and if. I
were free, I wouldn't be afraid of him
at all. I- -I'd like to tell some of the
other little Green Forest people about
him. If only-
Chatterer didn't finish. Instead a
great lump filled his throat. You see,
he was thinking of the Green Forest
and the Old Orchard, and how he used
to race through the tree-tops and along
the stone wall. Half the fun in life had
80 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
been in running and jumping, and now
there wasn't room in this little prison
to stretch his legs. If only he could
run- -run as hard as ever he knew
how --once in a while, he felt that his
prison wouldn't be quite so hard to put
up with.
That very afternoon, while Chatterer
was taking a nap in his bed in the
hollow stump, something was slipped
i
over his little round doorway, and
Chatterer awoke in a terrible fright to
find himself a prisoner inside his hollow
stump. There was nothing he could do
about it but just lie there in his bed,
and shake with fright, and wonder
what dreadful thing was going to hap-
pen next. He could hear Farmer
Brown's boy very busy about some-
thing in his cage. After a long, long
time, his little round doorway let in the
light once more. The door had been
A PLEASANT SURPRISE 81
opened. At first Chatterer didn't dare
go out, but lie heard the soft little
whistle with which Farmer Brown's
boy always called him when he had
something especially nice for him to
eat, so at last he peeped out. There on
the floor of the cage were some of tho
nicest nuts. Chatterer came out at
once. Then his sharp eyes discovered
something else. It was a queer looking
thing made of wire at one end of his
cage.
Chatterer looked at it with great
suspicion. Could it be a new kind of
trap? But what would a trap be doing
there, when he was already a prisoner?
He ate all the nuts, all the time watch-
ing this new, queer looking thing. It
seemed harmless enough. He went a
little nearer. Finally he hopped into
it. It moved. Of course that fright-
ened him, and he started to run up.
82 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
But lie didn't go up. No, Sir, lie didn't
go up. You see, lie was in wire wheel;
and as lie ran, the wheel went around.
Chatterer was terribly frightened, and
the faster he tried to run, the faster the
wheel went around. Finally he had to
stop, because he was out of breath and
too tired to run another step. When
he stopped, the wheel stopped.
Little by little, Chatterer began to
understand. Farmer Brown's boy had
ts
made that wheel to give him a chance
to run all he wanted to and whenever
he wanted to. When he understood
this, Chatterer was as nearly happy as
he could be in a prison. It was such
a pleasant surprise! He would race
and race in it until he just had to stop
for breath. Farmer Brown's boy
looked on and laughed to see how much
happier he had made Chatterer.
xvn
SAMMY JAY'S SHARP EYES
EVERYBODY knows that Sammy
Jay has sharp eyes, In fact,
there are verv few of the little
/
forest people whose eyes are as sharp
as Sammy's. That is because he uses
them so much. A long time ago he
found out that the more he used his
eyes, the sharper they became, and so
there are verv few minutes when
t/
Sammy is awake that he isn't trying
to see something. He is always look-
ing. That is the reason he always
knows so much about what is going on
in the Green Forest and on the Green
Meadows.
Now of course Chatterer the Red
84 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
Squirrel couldn't disappear without
being missed, particularly by Sammy
Jay. And of course Sammy couldn't
miss Chatterer and not wonder what
had become of him. At first, Sammy
thought that Chatterer was hiding, but
after peeking and peering and watch-
ing in the Old Orchard for a few days,
he was forced to think that either
Chatterer had once more moved or else
that something had happened to him.
" Perhaps Shadow the Weasel has
caught him, after all," thought Sammy,
and straightway flew to a certain place
in the Green Forest where he might
find Shadow the Weasel. Sure enough,
Shadow was there. Now of course it
wouldn't do to ask right out if Shadow
had caught Chatterer, and Sammy was
smart enough to know it.
66 Chatterer the Red Squirrel sends
his respects and hopes you are enjoy-
< I -\T
1 ou tell Chatterer that I '11 get him yet ! ; ' snarled
Shadow. Page 85,
SAMMY JAY'S SHARP EYES 85
ing your hunt for Mm,' ' called Sammy.
Shadow looked up at Sammy, and
anger blazed in his little, red eyes.
" You tell Chatterer that I'll get him
yet! " snarled Shadow.
Sammy's eyes sparkled with mis-
chief. He had made Shadow angry,
and he had found out what he wanted
to know. He w r as sure that Shadow
had not caught Chatterer.
" But what can have become of
him? : thought Sammy. "I've got no
love for him, but just the same I miss
him. I really must find out. Yes, Sir,
I really must. '
So every minute that he could spare,
Sammy Jay spent trying to find Chat-
terer. He asked every one he met if
they had seen Chatterer. He peeked
and peered into every hollow and hi-
ding place he could think of. But look
as he would and ask as he would, he
86 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
could find no trace of Chatterer. At
last lie happened to think of Farmer
Brown's corn-crib. Could it be that
Chatterer had moved over there or
had come to some dreadful end there?
Very early the next morning, Sammy
flew over to the corn-crib. He looked
it all over with his sharp eyes and
listened for sounds of Chatterer inside.
But not a sound could he hear. Then
he remembered the hole under the edge
of the roof through which Chatterer
used to go in and out. Sammy hurried
to look at it. It was closed by a stout
board nailed across it. Then Sammy
knew that Farmer Brown's boy had
found it.
" He's killed Chatterer, that's what
he's done! " cried Sammv, and flew
i/ 7
over to the Old Orchard filled with sad
thoughts. He meant to wait until
Farmer Brown's boy came out and
SAMMY JAY'S SHARP EYES 87
then tell him what he thought of him.
After that, he would fly through the
Green Forest and over the Green
Meadows to spread the sad news.
After a while, the door of the farm-
house opened, and Farmer Brown's boy
stepped out. Sammy had his mouth
open to scream, when his sharp eyes
saw something queer. Farmer
Brown's boy had a queer looking box
in his arms which he put on a shelf
where the sun would shine on it. It
looked to Sammy as if something
moved inside that box. He forgot to
scream and say the bad things he had
planned to say. He waited until
Farmer Brown's boy had gone to the
barn. Then Sammy flew where he
could look right into the queer box.
There was Chatterer the Red Squirrel!
xvm
CHATTERER IS MADE FUN OF
H
A, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho!
Smarty caught at last! :
Sammy Jay fairly shrieked
with glee, as he peered down from the
top of an apple-tree at Chatterer, in the
cage Farmer Brown's boy had made
for him. Sammy was so relieved to
think that Chatterer was not dead, and
he was so tickled to think that Chat-
terer, who always thought himself so
smart, should have been caught, that
he just had to torment Chatterer by
laughing at him and saying mean
things to him, until Chatterer lost his
temper and said things back quite in
the old way. This tickled Sammy more
than ever, for it sounded so exactly
CHATTERER IS MADE FUN OF 89
like Chatterer when he had been a free
little imp of mischief in the Green
Forest, that Sammy felt sure that
Chatterer had nothing the matter with
him.
But he couldn't stop very long to
make fun of poor Chatterer. In the
first place Farmer Brown's boy had put
his head out the barn door to see what
all the fuss was about. In the second
place, Sammy fairly ached all over to
spread the news through the Green
Forest and over the Green Meadows.
You know he is a great gossip. And
this was such unusual news. Sammy
knew verv well that no one would be-
V
lieve him. He knew that they just
couldn't believe that smart Mr. Chat-
terer had really been caught. And no
one did believe it.
" All right," Sammy would reply.
" It doesn't make the least bit of dif-
90 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
ference in the world to me whether
you believe it or not. You can go up
to Farmer Brown's house and see him
in prison yourself, just as I did.'
So late that afternoon, when all was
quiet around the farmyard, Chatterer
saw something very familiar behind the
old stone wall at the edge of the Old
Orchard. It bobbed up and then
dropped out of sight again. Then it
bobbed up again, only to drop out of
sight just as quickly.
" It looks to me very much as if
Peter Rabbit is over there and feeling
very nervous,' said Chatterer to him-
self, and then he called sharply, just as
when he was free in the Green Forest.
Right away Peter's head bobbed up for
all the world like a jack-in-the-box, and
this time it stayed up. Peter's eyes
were round with surprise, as he stared
across at Chatterer's prison.
CHATTERER IS MADE FUN OF 91
" Oh, it's true! : ' gasped Peter, as if
it were as hard work to believe Ms own
eyes as it was to believe Sammy Jay.
" I must go right away and see what
can be done to get Chatterer out of
trouble." And then, because it was
broad daylight, and he really didn't
dare stay another minute, Peter waved
good-by to Chatterer and started for
the Green Forest as fast as his long
legs could take him.
A little later who should appear
peeping over the stone wall but Eeddy
Fox. It seemed very bold of Reddy,
but really it wasn't nearly as bold as it
seemed. You see, Reddy knew that
Farmer Brown's boy and Bowser the
Hound were over in the Old Pasture,
and that he had nothing to fear. He
grinned at Chatterer in the most pro-
voking way. It made Chatterer angry
just to see him.
92 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
11 Smarty, Smarty, Mr. Smarty,
Glad to see you looking hearty !
Weather's fine, as you can see;
"Won't you take a walk with me? :
So said Reddy Fox, knowing all the
time that Chatterer couldn't take a
walk with any one. At first Chatterer
scolded and called Reddy all the bad
names he could think of, but after a
little he didn't feel so much like scold-
ing. In fact, he didn't half hear the
mean things Reddy Fox said to him.
You see, it was coming over him more
and more that nothing could take the
place of freedom. He had a comfort-
able home, plenty to eat, and was safe
from every harm, but he was a pris-
oner, and having these visitors made
him realize it more than ever. Some-
tiling very like tears filled his eyes, and
he crept into his hollow stump where
he couldn't see or be seen.
PETER RABBIT TRIES TO HELP
lETER RABBIT is one of the
kindest hearted little people of
the Green Forest or the Green
Meadows. He is happy-go-lucky, and
his dreadful curiosity is forever get-
ting him into all kinds of trouble. Per-
haps it is because he has been in so
many scrapes himself that he always
feels sorry for others who get into
trouble. Anyway, no sooner does Peter
hear of some one in trouble, than he
begins to wonder how he can help them.
So just as soon as he found out for
himself that Sammy Jay had told the
truth about Chatterer the Red Squir-
rel, and that Chatterer really was in a
94 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
prison at Farmer Brown's house, he
began to think and think to find some
way to help Chatterer.
Now of course Peter didn't know
what kind of a prison Chatterer was in.
He remembered right away how
Prickly Porky the Porcupine had
gnawed a great hole in the box in which
Johnny Chuck's lost baby was kept by
Farmer Brown's boy. Why shouldn't
Prickly Porky do as much for Chat-
terer? He would go see him at once.
The trouble with Peter is that he
doesn't think of all sides of a question.
He is impulsive. That is, he goes right
ahead and does the thing that conies
into his head first, and sometimes this
isn't the wisest or best thing to do. So
now he scampered down into the Green
Forest as fast as his long legs would
carry him, to hunt for Prickly Porky.
It was no trouble at all to find him, for
PETER RABBIT TRIES TO HELP 95
lie had only to follow the line of trees
that had been stripped of their bark.
" Good afternoon, Prickly Porky.
Have you heard the news about Chat-
terer? said Peter, talking very fast,
for he was quite out of breath.
" es,' replied Prickly Porky.
" Serves him right. I hope it will
teach him a lesson.'
Peter's heart sank. " Don't you
think it is dreadful? " he asked.
" Just think, he will never, never be
able to run and play in the Green
Forest again, unless we can get him
out."
66 So much the better,' grunted
Prickly Porky. " So much the better.
He alwavs was a nuisance. Never did
t/
see such a fellow for making trouble
for other people. No, Sir, I never did.
The rest of us can have some peace
now. Serves him right.' Prickly
96 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
Porky went on chewing bark as if
Chatterer's trouble was no concern of
his.
Peter's heart sank lower still. He
scratched one long ear slowly with a
long hind foot, which is a way he has
when he is thinking very hard. He
was so busy thinking that he didn't
see the twinkle in the dull little eyes
of Pricklv Porkv. who really was not
V */ / V
so hard-hearted as his words sounded.
After a long time, during which Peter
thought and thought, and Prickly
Porky ate and ate, the latter spoke
again.
" What have you got on your mind,
Peter? " he asked.
" I I was just thinking how per-
fectly splendid it would be if YOU would
/ -L /
go .up there and gnaw a way out of his
prison for Chatterer,' replied Peter
timidly.
I'd be willing to try it if it was of any use, But
it isn't," said Prickly Porky. Page 97.
PETER RABBIT TRIES TO HELP Q7
" Huh! " grunted Prickly Porky.
" Huh! Some folks think my wits are
pretty slow, but even I know better
than that. Put on your thinking cap
again. Peter Rabbit.'
" Why can't you? You are not
afraid of Bowser the Hound or Farmer
Brown's boy, and everybody else is,
excepting Jimmy Skunk,' persisted
Peter.
" For the very good reason that if I
could gnaw into his prison, Chatterer
could gnaw out. If he can't gnaw his
way out with those sharp teeth of his,
I certainly can't gnaw in. Where's
vour common sense. Peter Rabbit? :
v 7
" That's so. I hadn't thought of
that,' replied Peter slowly and sor-
rowfully. " I must try to think of
some other way to help Chatterer.'
" I'd be willing to try if it was of
any use. But it isn't,' said Prickly
98 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
Porky, who didn't want Peter to think
/ /
that he really was as hard-hearted as
he had seemed at first.
So Peter bade Prickly Porky good-by
and started for the dear old Briar-
patch to try to think of some other way
to help Chatterer. On the way he
waked up Unc' Billy Possum and
Bobby Coon, but they couldn't give
him any help. " There really doesn't
seem to be any way I can help," sighed
Peter. And there really wasn't.
CHATTERER HAS ANOTHER GREAT
SURPRISE
CHATTERER had never had so
many surprises good sur-
prises- -in all his life, as since
the day he had been caught in a trap
in Fanner Brown's corn-crib. In the
first place, it had been a great surprise
to him that he had not been given to
Black Pussy, as he had fully expected
to be. Then had come the even greater
surprise of finding that Farmer
Brown's boy was ever and ever so
much nicer than he had thought. A
later surprise had been the wire wheel
in his cage, so that he could run to his
heart's content. It was such a pleas-
ant and wholly unexpected surprise
that it had quite changed Chatterer's
100 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
feelings towards Farmer Brown's boy.
The fact is, Chatterer could have
been truly happy but for one thing
he was a prisoner. Yes, Sir, he was a
prisoner, and he couldn't forget it for
one minute while he was awake. He
used to watch Farmer Brown's boy and
wish with all his might that he could
make him understand how dreadful it
was to be in a prison. But Farmer
Brown's bov couldn't understand what
t/
Chatterer said, no matter how hard
Chatterer tried to make him. He
seemed to think that Chatterer was
happy. He just didn't understand
that not all the good things in the
world could make up for loss of free-
domthat it is better to be free,
though hungry and cold, than in a
prison with every comfort.
Chatterer had stood it pretty well
and made the best of things until
ANOTHER GREAT SURPRISE 1Q1
Sammy Jay had found him, and Reddy
Fox had made fun of him, and Peter
Rabbit had peeped at him from behind
the old stone wall. The very sight of
them going where they pleased and
when they pleased had been too much
for Chatterer, and such a great longing
for the Green Forest and the Old Or-
chard filled his heart that he could
think of nothing else. He just sat in
a corner of his cage and looked as mis-
erable as he felt. He lost his appetite.
In vain Farmer Brown's boy brought
him the fattest nuts and other dainties.
He couldn't eat for the great longing
for freedom that filled his heart until it
seemed ready to burst. He no longer
cared to run in the new wire wheel
which had given him so much pleasure
at first. He was homesick, terribly
homesick, and he just couldn't help it.
Farmer Brown's boy noticed it, and
102 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
his face grew sober and thoughtful.
He watched Chatterer when the latter
didn't know that he was about, and if
he couldn't understand Chatterer's
talk, he could understand Chatterer's
actions. He knew that he was un-
happy and guessed why. One morning
Chatterer did not come out of his
hollow stump as he usually did when
his cage was placed on the shelf out-
side the farm-house door. He just
didn't feel like it. He stayed curled
up in his bed for a long, long time, too
sad and miserable to move. At last he
crawled up and peeped out of his little
round doorway. Chatterer gave a little
gasp and rubbed his eyes. Was he
dreaming 1 ? He scrambled out in a
hurry and peeped through the wires of
his cage. Then he rubbed his eyes
again and rushed over to the other side
of the cage for another look. His cage
ANOTHER GREAT SURPRISE 1Q3
wasn't on the usual shelf at all! It
was on the snow-covered stone wall at
the edge of the Old Orchard.
Chatterer was so excited he didn't
know what to do. He raced around the
cage. Then he jumped into the wire
wheel and made it spin round and
round as never before. When he was
too tired to run any more, he jumped
out. And right then he discovered
something he hadn't noticed before.
The little door in the top of his cage
was open! It must be that Farmer
Brown's boy had forgotten to close it
when he put^in Chatterer's breakfast.
Chatterer forgot that he was tired.
Like a little red flash he was outside
and whisking along the snow-covered
stone wall straight for his home in the
Old Orchard.
" Chickaree! Chickaree! Chicka-
ree! " he shouted as he ran.
XXI
CHATTERER HEARS THE SMALL VOICE
1
very first of the little
meadow and forest people to
see Chatterer after he had
safely reached the Old Orchard, was
Tommy Tit the Chickadee. It just
happened that Tommy was very busy
in the very apple-tree in which was the
old home of Drummer the Woodpecker
when Chatterer reached it. You know
Chatterer had moved into it for the
winter just a little while before he had
been caught in the corn-crib by Farmer
Brown's boy.
Yes, Sir, Tommy was very busy, in-
deed. He was so busy that, sharp as
his bright little eyes are, he had not
HEARS THE SMALL VOICE 105
seen Chatterer racing along the snow-
covered old stone wall. It wasn't until
lie heard Chatterer's claws on the
trunk of the apple-tree that Tommy
saw him at all. Then he was so sur-
prised that he lost his balance and al-
most turned a somersault in the air
before he caught another twig. You
see, he knew all about Chatterer and
how he had been kept a prisoner by
Farmer Brown's boy.
"Why! Wliye-e! Is this really you,
Chatterer? ' he exclaimed. " How-
ever did you get out of your prison?
I'm glad, ever and ever so glad, that
you got away.
Chatterer flirted his tail in the saucy
way he has, and his eyes twinkled.
Here was just the best chance ever to
boast and brag. He could tell Tommy
Tit how smart he had beensmart
enough to get away from Farmer
106 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
Brown's boy. Tommy Tit would tell
the other little people, and then every-
body would think htm just as smart as
Unc' Billy Possum; and you know
Unc' Billy really was smart enough to
get away from Farmer Brown's boy
after being caught. Everybody knew
that he had been a prisoner, and now
that he was free, everybody would be-
lieve whatever he told them about how
he got away. Was there ever such a
chance to make his friends and neigh-
bors say: " What a smart fellow he
is! "
"I I" Chatterer stopped. Then
he began again. " You see, it was this
way: I- -I Somehow, Chatterer
couldn't say what he had meant to say.
It seemed as if Tommy Tit's bright,
merry eyes were looking right into his
head and heart and could see his very
thoughts. Of course they couldn't.
HEARS THE SMALL VOICE 107
The truth is that little small voice in-
side, which Chatterer had so often re-
fused to listen to when he was tempted
to do wrong, was talking again. It
was saying: " For shame, Chatterer!
For shame! Tell the truth. Tell the
truth/ It was that little small voice
that made Chatterer hesitate and stop.
" You don't mean to say that you
were smart enough to fool Farmer
Brown's boy and get out of that stout
little prison he made for you, do you 9
asked Tommy Tit.
" No,' replied Chatterer, almost be-
fore he thought. " No, I didn't. The
fact is, Tommy Tit, he left the door
open purposely. He let me go. Farmer
Brown's boy isn't half so bad as some
people think."
" Dee, dee, dee,' laughed Tommy
Tit. " I've been telling a lot of you
fellows that for a long time, but none
108 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
of you would believe me. Now I guess
you know it. Why, I'm not the least
bit afraid of Farmer Brown's boy not
the least little bit in the world. If all
the little forest and meadow people
would only trust him, instead of run-
ning away from him, he would be fhe
very best friend we have.'
16 Perhaps so," replied Chatterer
doubtfully. " He was very good to me
while I was in his prison, and- -and I*m
not so very much afraid of him now.
Just the same, I don't mean to let htm
get hands on me again.'
" Pooh! " said Tommy Tit. " Pooh!
I'd just as soon eat out of his hand.'
" That's all very well for you to say,
when you are flying around free, but I
don't believe you dare go up to MB
house and prove it,' retorted Chat-
terer.
" Can't now,' ' replied Tommy. " I've
HEARS THE SMALL VOICE 109
got too much to do for him right now,
but some day I'll show you. Dee, dee,
dee, chickadee! I'm wasting my time
talking when there is such a lot to be
done. I am clearing his apple-trees of
insect eggs.'
" Ha, ha, ha! Go it, you little red
scamp! shouted a voice behind him.
Then Chatterer knew that Farmer
Brown's boy had not left the little door
open by mistake, but had given him his
freedom, and right then he knew that
they were going to be the best of
friends.
xxn
TOMMY TIT MAKES GOOD HIS BOAST
" "T~~"^EE, dee, dee, chickadee! See
I f me! See me! " Tommy Tit
the Chickadee kept saying
this over and over, as he flew from the
<3rreen Forest up through the Old Or-
chard on his way to Farmer Brown's
dooryard, and his voice was merry. In
[fact, his voice was the merriest, cheeri-
'est sound to be heard that bright, snap-
ping, cold morning. To be sure there
were other voices, but they were not
merry, nor were they cheery. There
was the voice of Sammy Jay, but it
sounded peevish and discontented.
[And there was the voice of Blacky the
Crow, but it sounded harsh and *un-
ipleasant. And there was the yoice of
TOMMY TIT MAKES GOOD 111
Chatterer the Bed Squirrel, but Chat-
terer was scolding just from habit, and
his voice was not pleasant to hear.
So every one who heard Tommy Tit's
cheery voice that cold winter morning
just had to smile. Yes, Sir, they just
had to smile, even Sammy Jay and
Blacky the Crow. They just couldn't
help themselves. When Tommy-
reached the stone wall that separated
the Old Orchard from Farmer Brown's
dooryard, his sharp eyes were not long
in finding Peter Rabbit, and Happy
Jack the Gray Squirrel, and Chatterer
hiding in the old wall where they could
peep out and see all that happened in
Farmer Brown's dooryard. Looking
back through the Old Orchard, he saw
what looked like a little bit of the blue,
blue sky flitting silently from tree to
tree. It was Sammy Jay. Over in the
very top of a tall maple-tree, a long
112 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
way off, was a spot of black. Tommy
didn't need to be told that it was
Blacky the Crow, who didn't dare come
/
any nearer.
Tommy fairly bubbled over with
joy. He knew what it all meant. He
knew that Peter Rabbit and Happy
Jack and Chatterer and Sammy Jay
and Blacky the Crow had come to see
him make good his boast to Chatterer
that he would eat from the hand of
Farmer Brown's boy, and that not one
of them really believed that he would
/
do it. He tickled all over and cut up
all sorts of capers, just for pure joy.
Finally he flew over to the maple-tree
that grows close by Farmer Brown's
house.
" Dee, dee, dee, chickadee! See me!
See me! called Tommy Tit, and his
voice sounded cheerier than ever and
merrier than ever,
TOMMY TIT MAKES GOOD 113
Then the door of Farmer Brown's
house opened, and out stepped Farmer
Brown's boy and looked up at Tommy
Tit, and the look in his eyes was gentle
and good to see. He pursed up his lips,
and from them came the softest, sweet-
est whistle, and it sounded like
41 Phoe-be."
Peter Babbit pinched himself to be
sure that he was awake, for it was
Tommv Tit's own love note, and if
V
Peter had not been looking straight at
Farmer Brown's boy, he would have
been sure that it was Tommy himself
who had whistled.
" Phoe-be," whistled Farmer
Brown's boy again.
" Phoe-be," replied Tommy Tit, and
it was hard to say which whistle was
the softest and sweetest.
" Phoe-be," whistled Farmer
Brown's boy once more and held out
114 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
his hand. In it was a cracked hickory
nut.
" Dee, dee, dee! See me! See me!"
cried Tommy Tit and flitted down
from the maple-tree right on to the
hand of Farmer Brown's boy. and his
*/ 7
bright little eyes twinkled merrily as
he helped himself to a bit of nut meat.
Peter Rabbit looked at Happy Jack,
and Happy Jack looked at Chatterer,
and all three acted as if they couldn't
</
believe their own eyes. Then they
looked back at Farmer Brown's boy,
and there on his head sat Tommy Tit.
" Dee, dee, dee, chickadee! See me!
See me! called Tommy Tit, and his
voice was merrier than ever, for he
had made good his boast.
xxin
CHATTERER GROWS VERY, VERY BOLD
I
""'M not afraid. I am afraid. I'm
not afraid. I am afraid. I'm not
afraid. '
Chatterer kept saying these two
things over and over and over again to
himself. You see, he really was afraid,
and he was trying to make himself
believe that he wasn't afraid. He
thought that perhaps if he said ever
and ever so many times that he wasn't
afraid, he might actually make him-
self believe it. The trouble was that
every time he said it, a little voice, a
little, truthful voice down inside,
seemed to speak right up and tell him
that he was afraid.
116 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
Poor Chatterer! It hurt his pride to
have to own to himself that he wasn't
as brave as little Tommy Tit the Chick-
adee. His common sense told him that
there was no reason in the world why
he shouldn't be. Tommy Tit went every
day and took food from the hand of
Farmer Brown's boy. It seemed to
Chatterer, and to Happy Jack the Gray
Squirrel, and to Peter Rabbit, and to
Sammy Jay, and to Blacky the Crow,
all of whom had seen him do it, as if
it were the very bravest thing they
ever had seen, and their respect for
Tommy Tit grew wonderfully.
But Tommy Tit himself didn't think
it brave at all. No, Sir, Tommy knew
better. You see, he has a great deal
of common sense under the little black
cap he wears.
" It mav have been brave of me to
*'
do it the first time," thought he to
CHATTERER GROWS BOLD
himself, when the others told him how
brave they thought him, " but it isn't
brave of me now, because I know that
no harm is going to come to me from
Farmer Brown's boy. There isn't any
bravery about it, and it might be just
the same way with Chatterer and all
the other little forest and meadow
people, if only they would think so, and
give Farmer Brown's boy half a
chance."
Chatterer was beginning to have
some such thoughts himself, as he tried
to make himself think that he wasn't
afraid. He heard the door of Farmer
Brown's house slam and peeped out
from the old stone wall. There was
Farmer Brown's boy with a big, fat
hickory nut held out in the most tempt-
ing way, and Farmer Brown's boy was
whistling the same gentle little whistle
he had used when Chatterer was his
118 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
prisoner, and lie had brought good
things for Chatterer to eat. Of course
Chatterer knew perfectly well that that
whistle was a call for him, and that
that big fat hickory nut was intended
for him. Almost before he thought, he
had left the old stone wall and was
half way over to Farmer Brown's boy.
Then he stopped short. It seemed as
if that little voice inside had fairly
shouted in his ears: " I am afraid.'
It was true; he was afraid. lie was
right on the very point of turning to
scurry back to the old stone wall, when
he heard another voice. This time it
wasn't a voice inside. No, indeed! It
was a voice from the top of one of the
apple-trees in the Old Orchard, and
this is what it said:
" Coward! Coward! Coward! "
It was Sammy Jay speaking.
Now it is one thing to tell yourself
CHATTERER GROWS BOLD 119
that you are afraid, and it is quite an-
other thing to be told by some one else
that YOU are afraid.
/
66 No such, thing! No such thing!
I'm not afraid! scolded Chatterer,
and then to prove it, he suddenly raced
forward, snatched the fat hickory nut
from the hand of Farmer Brown's boy,
and was back in the old stone wall. It
was hard to tell which was the most
surprised Chatterer himself, Farmer
Brown's boy, or Sammy Jay.
"I did it! I did it! I did it!"
boasted Chatterer.
" You don't dare do it again,
though! " said Sammy Jay, in the most
provoking and unpleasant way.
" I do too! " snapped Chatterer, and
he did it. And with the taking of that
second fat nut from the hand of
Farmer Brown's boy, the very last bit
of fear of him left Chatterer, and he
120 ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER
knew that Tommy Tit the Chickadee
had been right all the time when he
insisted that there was nothing to fear
from Fanner Brown's boy.
" Why," thought Chatterer, "if I
would have let him, he would have been
my friend long ago! And so he
would have.
And this is all about Chatterer the
Red Squirrel for now. Sammy Jay in-
sists that it is his turn now, and so the
next book will be about his adventures.
THE END
