Little Jack Rabbit and Chippy Chipmunk Part 8

Just then Peter Possum shouted from his tree house:

"Old man robber, Danny Fox, Caught his foot in a steel trap box."

"Keep quiet, will you," snapped Danny Fox, angrily.

"Ho, ho, ha, ha," laughed the little rabbit. "So you got caught for all your slyness?" which made the old fox so angry that he jumped up and ran at him on three legs.

"Who's laughing now?" cried Danny Fox, as the little rabbit hopped away and Peter Possum climbed a tree. "You're very brave when you're out of danger," and the old robber limped back to his stool and lifted up his wounded foot. And while he was doing this, Grandmother Magpie came by, and as she was always poking into other people's business, she asked what was the matter. "If I told you," snapped Danny Fox, "everybody in the Shady Forest and the Sunny Meadow would know it in a few minutes, you old tattle tale!"

"Gracious me!" exclaimed the mischievous old blackbird, "you're in a disagreeable mood to-day," and away she flew after Little Jack Rabbit, but before she caught up to him, he hopped into the Old Bramble Patch for the night.

Wind the clock, it's time for bed; Dreams are waiting, Sleepy Head.

Through the window bright and far s.h.i.+nes the silver Twinkle Star.

Oh, how soft the pillow lies!

Cuddle down, dear Sleepy Eyes,

Underneath the counterpane, Till the robin in the lane

Sings his morning roundelay, And it's time again for play.

CHIPPY CHIPMUNK'S STORE

Chippy Chipmunk stood outside his store waiting for Little Jack Rabbit to come along. He had promised, if the little bunny would call after business hours, to help him get a little store of his own.

Mr. Chippy Chipmunk looked very nice and well-to-do in his clean striped jacket as he sat on the wooden bench just under the big sign. Pretty soon he stood up to look at it again. He had done this very same thing at least ten times that day, he was so proud of it.

CHIPPY CHIPMUNK

ALL KINDS OF NUTS WHOLESALE & RETAIL

"A mighty nice sign!" he said aloud, as he sat down again on the wooden bench. All of a sudden the thumperty-thump of little feet made him look up.

"Good evening," said Chippy Chipmunk.

"I was afraid I'd be late," answered Little Jack Rabbit. "You see, I had to wait until mother got home."

"Come over and sit down," said Chippy Chipmunk.

"Wait till I read the sign over again," answered the little bunny.

"Wouldn't I be proud if I had a little store! I don't know what I'd sell, but that doesn't make so much difference--it's having your own name over the door that makes you feel like a millionaire."

"Come in and see the nuts," said the little chipmunk, after a while.

A long hollow log, carefully split in two, made a very nice counter.

Indeed, it served also for a showcase, for in the hollow the nuts were arranged in separate piles.

"I made all the tags myself," said Chippy Chipmunk proudly, pointing to small squares of cardboard on which were printed:--CHESTNUTS--HICKORY NUTS--WALNUTS--BEECH NUTS.

"Are these your scales?" asked Little Jack Rabbit admiringly.

"Yes, I sell by the pound. Then n.o.body gets cheated," answered the little chipmunk, cracking a nut with his sharp teeth. "You ought to have a store at the edge of the Old Bramble Patch, with a sign painted in red and green letters:

"JACK RABBIT CABBAGES & TURNIPS"

"Do you think I know enough about vegetables?" asked the little rabbit anxiously.

"Just as much as I do about nuts," replied Chippy Chipmunk.

But, oh, dear me! If they had known what was going to happen I guess they never would have talked so long about the nut and vegetable business.

NAUGHTY FEATHERHEAD

Yes, Sir! If Little Jack Rabbit and Chippy Chipmunk had known what was going on outside the store I guess they never would have talked so long about the nut and vegetable business. For, oh, dear me! as the little rabbit shook paws good-night and looked up once more to admire the sign above the door, it wasn't there. No--nothing was there but the bare boards. With mouth and eyes wide open he stood staring at the spot where the sign had hung only a few minutes before.

"What's the--?" Chippy Chipmunk didn't finish. After he had looked up there wasn't any use in asking Little Jack Rabbit what was the matter.

The answer was right before him. Poor Chippy Chipmunk!

"Who could have taken my sign?" he asked at last in a trembling voice.

But, of course, the little rabbit didn't know.

"Who could have taken the sign?" Chippy Chipmunk repeated mechanically.

Then he looked up again as if expecting the sign to s.h.i.+ne forth in the old familiar way:

CHIPPY CHIPMUNK

ALL KINDS OF NUTS WHOLESALE & RETAIL

They hadn't heard Featherhead, the naughty son of Squirrel Nutcracker, take down the sign. Very softly, one at a time, he had loosened the screws and then carried it off and thrown it in a deep hole.

It was certainly a very mean thing to do, but then, you must remember, Featherhead was not a nice sort of a squirrel.

Just then, who should come by but Featherhead himself.

"What's the matter?" he asked, just as though he didn't know. Wasn't that deceitful of him?

Little Jack Rabbit didn't answer. Somehow he didn't quite like the little squirrel's tone of voice--it didn't ring true. And when Featherhead turned his back, showing a long streak of white paint across his shoulder, the little rabbit didn't wait a minute, but, quicker than a wink, caught the frightened squirrel and shook him till his teeth rattled.

"What did you do with Chippy Chipmunk's sign?"