The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel

by Thornton W. Burgess

  Produced by Hazel Batey and the Online DistributedProofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file wasproduced from images generously made available by TheInternet Archive)

  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 UNC' 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 "WHERE" STORIES || || * * * * * || || GREEN MEADOW SERIES || || 1. HAPPY JACK || || 2. MRS. PETER RABBIT || || 3. BOWSER THE HOUND || || * * * * * || || THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN || |+---------------------------------------------------------+

  Illustration: It seemed as if that little voice inside had fairlyshouted in his ears: "I am afraid." Frontispiece. _See Page 118._

  BURGESS QUADDIES (_TRADE MARK_)

  The Bedtime Story-Books

  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_

  Illustration

  BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1920

  _Copyright, 1915_

  BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.

  _All rights reserved_

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER 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 CHATTERER 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

  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 88

  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 IF THAT LITTLE VOICE INSIDE HAD FAIRLY SHOUTED IN HIS EARS, "I AM AFRAID" _Frontispiece_

  "WHAT'S THAT?" SAMMY JAY ASKED SHARPLY 12

  "HAVE YOU FOUND A NEW HOME YET?" ASKED PETER 26

  VERY CAUTIOUSLY CHATTERER PEEPED INSIDE THE HOLE 67

  "YOU TELL CHATTERER THAT I'LL GET HIM YET!" SNARLED SHADOW 84

  "I'D BE WILLING TO TRY IT IF IT WAS OF ANY USE. BUT IT ISN'T," SAID PRICKLY PORKY 97

  THE ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER THE RED SQUIRREL

&nb
sp; I CHATTERER THE RED SQUIRREL RUNS FOR HIS LIFE

  Chatterer the Red Squirrel had been scolding because there was noexcitement. He had even tried to make some excitement by waking BobbyCoon 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 funof him. Oh, yes, it had been great fun. You see, he knew all the timethat Bobby couldn't catch him if he should try. But now things weredifferent. Chatterer had all the excitement that he wanted. Indeed, hehad more than he wanted. The truth is, Chatterer was running for hislife, and he knew it.

  It is a terrible thing, a very terrible thing to have to run for one'slife. Peter Rabbit 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 or twice Old Man Coyote. Peter has known that on his long legshis life has depended, and more than once a terrible fear has filled hisheart. But Peter has also known that if he could reach the old stonewall or the dear Old Briar-patch first, he would be safe, and he alwayshas reached it. So when he has been running with that terrible fear inhis heart, there has always been hope there, too.

  But Chatterer the Red Squirrel was running without hope. Yes, Sir, therewas nothing but fear, terrible fear, in his heart, for he knew not whereto go. The hollow tree or the holes in the old stone wall where he wouldbe safe from any one else, even Farmer Brown's boy, offered him nosafety now, for the one who was following him with hunger in hisanger-red eyes could go anywhere that he could go--could go into anyhole big enough for him to squeeze into. You see, it was Shadow theWeasel from whom Chatterer was running, and Shadow is so slim that hecan slip in and out of places that even Chatterer cannot get through.

  Chatterer knew all this, and so, because it was of no use to run to hisusual safe hiding places, he ran in just the other direction. He didn'tknow where he was going. He had just one thought: to run and run aslong as he could and then, well, he would try to fight, though he knewit would be of no use.

  "Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" he sobbed, as he ran out on the branch of a treeand leaped across to the next tree, "I wish I had minded my ownbusiness! I wish I had kept my tongue still. Shadow the Weasel wouldn'thave known where I was if he hadn't heard my voice. Oh, dear! oh, dearme! What can I do? What can I do?"

  Now in his great fright Chatterer had run and jumped so hard that he wasbeginning to grow very tired. Presently he found that he must make avery long jump to reach the next tree. He had often made as long a jumpas this and thought nothing of it, but now he was so tired that thedistance looked twice as great as it really was. He didn't dare stop torun down the tree and scamper across. So he took a long breath, ranswiftly along the branch, and leaped. His hands just touched the tip ofthe 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 asflat as he could, and that saved him a little, but still it was adreadful fall, and when he landed, it seemed for just a minute as if allthe breath was gone from his body. But it wasn't quite, and in anotherminute he was scrambling up the tree.

  II CHATTERER'S LAST CHANCE

  Chatterer, still running for his life and without the least hope,suddenly saw a last chance to escape from Shadow the Weasel. That is, hesaw something that might offer him a chance. He couldn't be sure untilhe had tried, and even then he might escape from one danger only to runright into another equally great. What Chatterer saw was a big brownbunch near the top of a tall chestnut-tree, and he headed for that treeas fast as ever he could go. What was that big brown bunch? Why it wasRedtail the Hawk, who was dozing there with his head drawn down betweenhis shoulders dreaming.

  Now old Redtail is one of Chatterer's deadliest enemies. He is quite asfond of Red Squirrel as is Shadow the Weasel, though he doesn't oftentry to catch one, because there are other things to eat much easier toget. Chatterer had had more than one narrow escape from old Redtail andwas very much afraid of him, yet here he was running up the very tree inwhich Redtail was sitting. You see, a very daring idea had come into hishead. He had seen at once that Redtail was dozing and hadn't seen him atall. He knew that Redtail would just as soon have Shadow the Weasel fordinner 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 upthe tree, "but if my plan works out right, I won't be caught by either.Anyway, it is my very last chance."

  Up the tree he scrambled, and after him went Shadow the Weasel. Shadowhad been so intent on catching Chatterer that he had not noticed oldRedtail, which was just as Chatterer had hoped. Up, up he scrambled,straight past old Redtail, but as he passed, he pulled one of Redtail'slong tail feathers, and then ran on to the top of the tree, and with thelast bit of strength he had left, leaped to a neighboring spruce-treewhere, hidden by the thick branches, he stopped to rest and see whatwould happen.

  Of course, when he felt his tail pulled, old Redtail was wide awake in aflash; and of course he looked down to see who had dared to pull histail. There just below him was Shadow the Weasel, who had just thatminute discovered who was sitting there. Old Redtail hissed sharply,and the feathers on the top of his head stood up in a way they do whenhe is angry. And he was angry--very angry.

  Shadow the Weasel stopped short. Then, like a flash, he dodged around tothe other side of the tree. He had no thought of Chatterer now. Thingswere changed all in an instant, quite changed. Instead of the hunter, hewas now the hunted. Old Redtail circled in the air just overhead, andevery time he caught sight of Shadow, he swooped at him with great,cruel claws spread to clutch him. Shadow dodged around the trunk of thetree. He was more angry than frightened, for his sharp eyes had spied alittle hollow in a branch of the chestnut-tree, and he knew that onceinside of that, he would have nothing to fear. But he was angry clearthrough to think that he should be cheated out of that dinner he hadbeen so sure of only a few minutes before. So he screeched angrily atold Redtail and then, watching his chance, scampered out to the hollowand 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 hecould keep watch of that hollow in which Shadow had disappeared, and heknew that it would be a long time before Shadow would dare poke even hisnose outside. Then, as soon as he was rested, Chatterer stole softly,oh, so softly, away through the tree-tops until he was sure that Redtailcould not see him. Then he hurried. He wanted to get just as far awayfrom Shadow the Weasel as he could.

  III CHATTERER TELLS SAMMY JAY ABOUT SHADOW THE WEASEL

  Chatterer hurried through the Green Forest. He didn't know just where hewas going. He had but one thought, and that was to get as far away fromShadow the Weasel as he could. It made him have cold shivers all overevery time he thought of Shadow.

  "Seems to me you are in a great hurry," said a voice from a pine-tree hewas passing.

  Chatterer knew that voice without looking to see who was speaking.Everybody in the Green Forest knows that voice. It was the voice ofSammy Jay.

  "It looks to me as if you were running away from some one," jeeredSammy.

  Chatterer wanted to stop and pick a quarrel with Sammy, as he usuallydid 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 heknown Chatterer to admit that he was afraid, for you know Chatterer is agreat boaster. It must be something very serious to frighten Chattererlike 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 admit it. Who areyou running away from?"

  Illustration: "What's that?" Sammy asked sharply.

  "Shadow the Weasel," replied Chatterer, still in a very low voice, asif he were afraid of being overheard. "Shadow the Weasel is back in theGreen Forest, and I have just had such a narrow escape!"

  "Ho!" cried Sammy,
"this is important. I thought Shadow was up in theOld Pasture. If he has come back to the Green Forest, folks ought toknow it. Where is he now?"

  Chatterer stopped and told Sammy all about his narrow escape and how hehad left Shadow the Weasel in a hollow of a chestnut-tree with Redtailthe Hawk watching for him to come out. Sammy's eyes sparkled whenChatterer told how he had pulled the tail of old Redtail. "And hedoesn't know now who did it; he thinks it was Shadow," concludedChatterer, with a weak little grin.

  "Ho, ho, ho! Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Sammy Jay. "I wish I had been thereto see it."

  Then he suddenly grew grave. "Other folks certainly ought to know thatShadow is back in the Green Forest," said he, "so that they may be ontheir guard. Then if they get caught, it is their own fault. I thinkI'll go spread the news." You see, for all his mean ways, Sammy Jay doeshave some good in him, just as everybody does, and he dearly loves totell important news.

  "I--I wish you would go first of all and tell my cousin, Happy Jack theGray Squirrel," said Chatterer, speaking in a hesitating way.

  Sammy Jay leaned over and looked at Chatterer sharply. "I thought youand Happy Jack were not friends," said he. "You always seem to bequarreling."

  Chatterer looked a little confused, but he is very quick with histongue, is Chatterer. "That's just it," he replied quickly. "That's justit! If anything should happen to Happy Jack, I wouldn't have him toquarrel with, and it is such fun to see him get mad!"

  Now of course the real reason why Chatterer wanted Happy Jack warned wasbecause down inside he was ashamed of a dreadful thought that had cometo him of leading Shadow the Weasel to Happy Jack's house, so that hehimself might escape. It had been a dreadful thought, a cowardlythought, and Chatterer had been really ashamed that he should have everhad such a thought. He thought now that if he could do something forHappy Jack, he would feel better about it.