Part 4
Little Jack Rabbit stopped right then and there to look about him. But Danny Fox was nowhere in sight, but that was no reason why he might not be, at that very moment, hiding behind a tree. The little rabbit looked again at the footprints in the snow. There they were, but, thank goodness! They led away, far away, into the Shady Forest. Just then, all of a sudden, the Miller's Boy jumped out from behind a clump of bushes.
"Run! run!" screamed Jimmy Jay, who happened by just then. And the little rabbit did. He went so fast that his shadow couldn't keep up with him and neither could the Miller's Boy. But, oh, dear me! The Miller's dog did. Yes, sir! He kept so close that before he popped into the Old Bramble Patch he caught the end of the little rabbit's tail.
OLD BARNEY OWL
Well, I'm mighty glad the little rabbit lost only the fur tip to his tail. That was bad enough, but he forgot all about it the next morning when the Squirrel Brothers invited him over the 'phone to meet them at the Shady Forest Pond. He spent no time at all getting out his skates, but his mother took two minutes and a half tying a woolen muffler around his neck. She knew, like all wise mothers, that it's lots more fun to skate when one is nice and warm.
When he reached the pond the Squirrel Brothers were already there, skating merrily over the ice.
Busy Beaver in his winter home below could hear them whirring along, cutting fancy figures in the ice, and calling merrily to one another.
After a while, when the little rabbit and the squirrel brothers had grown tired of skating, they ran over to make a call on Old Barney Owl, who lived in the Big Chestnut Tree on a small island, right in the middle of the pond.
Although it was now pretty late in the afternoon, the old gentleman owl was still asleep, and when he opened the door, his eyes winked and blinked, and at first he didn't know them at all. In fact, he shut the door right in their faces. I suppose he thought they had knocked just to wake him up. Perhaps they had, for when the door closed with a bang they all began to laugh.
[Illustration: Little Jack and The Squirrel Brothers Skated Merrily. _Page_ 113]
By and by Featherhead knocked again, and when Old Barney Owl opened it a second time, the naughty little squirrel said:
"Here is a nice fresh egg!"
Goodness me! When the old owl, whose eyes were still very blinky, found out it wasn't an egg, but a snowball, he dropped it on the little squirrel's head, and slammed the door again.
Now, if Featherhead had only gone back to his skating, all would have been well. But he didn't. No, indeed. Instead, he knocked again, and when the old owl opened the door, that naughty squirrel dropped a snowball down his collar. Goodness gracious me! What a scuffle there was all at once, and, just like that! the old owl pulled the little squirrel into his house and closed the door.
Oh, what a scowl had Mr. Owl, And Featherhead felt nearly dead. He was so scared at what he'd done He couldn't move his feet to run.
And, goodness gracious! so would I Have felt as if I'd surely die, If some big giant from his tree Had through his doorway pulled poor me.
From head to toe I'd surely quake, And feel my frightened heart would break. But now let's turn the page to see If ever Featherhead gets free.
"HELP! HELP!"
Little Jack Rabbit threw himself against the door as soon as it closed on Featherhead. But Old Barney Owl had fastened the latch and it wouldn't open. My! What a dreadful scuffling was going on inside.
"Open the door! Open the door!" shouted the little rabbit, pounding on the wooden panels with his strong hind feet. But Old Barney Owl paid no attention. Maybe he had all he could do to hold Featherhead.
By and by it grew very quiet and Twinkle Tail peeped in through the keyhole, but he couldn't see anything.
"Oh, dear me!" cried Little Jack Rabbit. "Perhaps Old Barney Owl has eaten Featherhead!" Poor Twinkle Tail's heart almost stopped beating. Maybe it would have if he had known that the old owl had dragged his little brother squirrel upstairs by the tail.
"Snowballs and eggs! Snowballs and eggs!" muttered Old Barney, shaking Featherhead until his teeth rattled. "You little rascal! You thought I couldn't tell a snowball from an egg, eh?" and he gave the little squirrel another shake.
"Now I'm going to skin you and eat you for supper!"
Oh, dear me! How Featherhead trembled when he heard that.
Just then there came a tremendous crash downstairs, and as the old owl looked over the railing, Twinkle Tail and Little Jack Rabbit broke in the door.
"Help! Help!" shouted Featherhead.
"Rats and mice! Rats and mice!" cried Old Barney Owl, still keeping a tight hold on the little squirrel's tail.
He knew there was going to be trouble, but he wasn't going to let his supper get away from him without a fight, let me tell you. No, siree. Old Barney Owl was too hungry for that. But he changed his mind pretty quickly. Yes, siree. When Little Jack Rabbit let fly his hind feet, thumpty-thump, thumpty-thump! knocking the old owl head over heels, he changed his mind. He let go of Featherhead, and before he could change it again there was nobody in the house except himself.
Gracious me! How the Squirrel Brothers scurried home. And the little rabbit lost no time, either. He went to bed early and in the middle of the night, when Old Barney Owl went "Hooty, toot!" he shivered and pulled the bedclothes up over his head.
"Toot, toot, hoot!" Old Barney plays his flute. It sounds so shivery in the dark, The firefly's tiny gleaming spark, Goes out because the firefly Is frightened by the old owl's cry.
PUMPKIN PLACE P. O.
"Little Jack Rabbit!" said his mother, the next morning, "run down to the post office and see if there's a letter for me." So the little rabbit put on his khaki cap and his little knapsack and started off, and by and by, after a while, he came to Rabbitville, where the post office stood on the corner of Pumpkin Place and Corn Cob Lane.
"Is there a letter for Mrs. John Rabbit, Old Bramble Patch, Rail Fence Corner, U. S. A.?" he asked the lady postmistress, an old maid grasshopper who worked for Uncle Sam in the winter and in the summer played in the wheat field.
"I think there is," she said, looking in box 13, and, sure enough, there was. Then she handed the letter to the little rabbit, and shut the door of the little window and after that she took out her vanity bag and powdered her nose.
The little rabbit put the letter in his knapsack and started home, but just as he reached the Shady Forest, whom should he see but Squirrel Nutcracker. The old gray squirrel had come out of his hollow tree for a little run in the sun. You see, on cold days he curled himself up in a ball and kept very quiet, but on warm days he came out and jumped from limb to limb to get the cramps out of his leg muscles.
"Where are you going, little rabbit?" he asked, and then he took a nut out of his pocket and cracked it with his sharp teeth without a bit of trouble.
"I've got a letter for mother," said Little Jack Rabbit, "and I mustn't stop to talk to any one," and he hopped along as fast as he could, for he was afraid he might lose the letter, you see. Well, pretty soon, not so very long, he came to the Old Bramble Patch, and after he had given the letter to his mother he hopped out on the Sunny Meadow, and just then, all of a sudden, Old Professor Jim Crow flew by. He had his little Black Book under his wing, and as soon as he saw the little rabbit he lighted on a bush and turned to page 23.
"Let me read you something," he said, putting on his spectacles, and after he had cawed three times and a half he began:
"Little rabbits should take care To every morning comb their hair. They always should be clean and neat And keep their dispositions sweet."
And then that wise old bird looked up over his spectacles and winked at the little rabbit. "Did you comb your hair this morning?" he asked. And wasn't it lucky that Little Jack Rabbit hadn't forgotten to? Well, I just guess it was.
AN ICE CREAM PINE CONE
Pretty soon it began to snow and soon the Sunny Meadow was just as white and smooth as Mrs. Rabbit's best table cloth, for the feathery snowflakes fell so softly you could almost hear the stillness. Little Jack Rabbit opened his knapsack and pulled out his rubber boots. Then he put on his ear muffs and his nice warm mittens and slung his knapsack over his back, but very carefully, for there were lots of nice things to eat in that knapsack. Yes, siree. His kind mother always filled it up with cakes and sweets. I guess the little rabbit knew that very morning his dear mother had baked lettuce cakes, and how he did love lettuce cakes. Yes, indeed he did, and so would you and so would I if we could only get one, I'm sure.
Well, after he had hopped along a little way, he began to sing,
"Three little bunnies a-sliding went On a winter's day, The ice was thin, and two fell in, And the third one ran away."
"Ha, ha!" cawed an old crow from a tree top, "that's a very fine song!"
"Well, if you think it's such a fine song, throw me down an ice cream pine cone," said the little rabbit. But the selfish old crow wanted it for himself, and instead threw down a snowball, which hit the little rabbit on the tip of his tail.
The little rabbit wasn't going to stay there and have snowballs thrown at him. No, sireemam, he wasn't. And pretty soon, not so very far, he met Jimmy Mink creeping along by the Old Duck Pond.
"I have to be very careful these winter days," said the little mink. "Everybody wants to wear fur in the winter time, you know, and if that dreadful Miller's Boy sees me, he might shoot me and sell my fur for a muff!"
"They set traps for me," answered the little rabbit. "And Danny Fox and Mr. Wicked Weasel are always after me. And Hungry Hawk, too. You're not the only one who has to look out for himself."
Then the little rabbit took a lovely lollypop out of his knapsack and gave it to Jimmy Mink, and asked him to make a visit at the Old Bramble Patch.
"I'll get Uncle John to take us riding in his Bunnysnowbile." This tickled the little mink almost to pieces, for he'd never ridden in a Bunnysnowbile, and neither have I and neither have you, but perhaps some day we will if we happen to be around when Mr. John Hare comes by. And in the next book, if the smoke doesn't blow down our chimney and choke the cook so that she can't bake the biscuits for breakfast, I'll tell you more about Little Jack Rabbit and his friends who live in Bunnyville, U. S. A.
THE END
LITTLE JACK RABBIT BOOKS
(Trademark Registered.)
By DAVID CORY
Colored Wrapper and Text Illustrations Drawn by H. S. BARBOUR
* * * * *
PRINTED IN LARGE TYPE EASY TO READ. FOR CHILDREN FROM 3 TO 8 YEARS
* * * * *
A unique series, about the furred and feathered little people of the woods and meadows.
LITTLE JACK RABBIT'S ADVENTURES
Little Jack Rabbit is a jolly fellow, but he has to keep away from Danny Fox, Wicked Weasel and Hungry Hawk.
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND DANNY FOX
Many a hairbreadth escape has Little Jack Rabbit from this old rascal, who lives on the woody hillside under a pile of rocks.
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE SQUIRREL BROTHERS
Mr. Squirrel Nutcracker's two boys are great friends of Little Jack, but old Barney Owl makes a lot of trouble for all three.
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND CHIPPY CHIPMUNK
Little Jack Rabbit visits Chippy Chipmunk's store, but you should read about what happens to the sign over the door.
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE BIG BROWN BEAR
The Big Brown Bear is a particular friend of Little Jack Rabbit. Cosey Cave, where he lives, is well stored with honey and lollypops.
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND UNCLE JOHN HARE
Tells all about the bunnymobile, Ragged Rabbit Giant and the Rabbit Fairies.
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND PROFESSOR CROW
Professor Crow, with his Wisdom Book, teaches Little Jack Rabbit many interesting things.
* * * * *
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
* * * * *
LITTLE JOURNEYS TO HAPPYLAND
(Trademark Registered)
By DAVID CORY
Individual Colored Wrappers. Profusely Illustrated
* * * * *
=Printed in large type--easy to read. For children from 4 to 8 years.=
* * * * *
A new series of exciting adventures by the author of LITTLE JACK RABBIT books.
The Happyland is reached by various routes: If you should happen to miss the Iceberg Express maybe you can take the Magic Soap Bubble, or in case that has already left, the Noah's Ark may be waiting for you.
This series is unique in that it deals with unusual and exciting adventures on land and sea and in the air.
The Cruise of the Noah's Ark
This is a good rainy day story. On just such a day Mr. Noah invites Marjorie to go for a trip in the Noah's Ark. She gets aboard just in time and away it floats out into the big wide world.
The Magic Soap Bubble
The king of the gnomes has a magic pipe with which he blows a wonderful bubble and taking Ed. with him they both have a delightful time in Gnomeland.
The Iceberg Express
The Mermaid's magic comb changes little Mary Louise into a mermaid. The Polar Bear Porter on the iceberg Express invites her to take a trip with him and away they go on a little journey to Happyland.
* * * * *
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
* * * * *