The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum

by Thornton W. Burgess

  "Hee! hee! hee!" giggled Danny Meadow Mouse.

  "What time will Bowser get here?" asked Bobby Coon, gravely.

  "Tell Bowser that we are all waiting for him," added Jimmy Skunk.

  "Is Bowser quite out of breath?" inquired Jerry Muskrat.

  "I would like nothing better than to run a race with Bowser theHound," said Jumper the Hare, sitting up very straight.

  Sammy Jay didn't know what to do or what to say. He was just the mostdisgusted looking Jay that ever flew through the Green Forest, and allthe time he wondered and wondered and wondered how it could be thatPeter Rabbit and his friends knew that Bowser the Hound was not in theGreen Forest at all. You see, old Mr. Toad had told Peter all aboutSammy's plan, and this is what Peter had been whispering to theothers.

  XII

  PRICKLY PORKY MAKES HIMSELF AT HOME

  Peter Rabbit's party promised to be a great success. When old Mr.Toad, who had overheard Sammy Jay's plan, had told Peter Rabbit allabout it, he had also told Peter that Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weaselwere hiding in an old hollow log close by.

  Peter had whispered the news in the ear of each of the little forestand meadow people and had told them how Prickly Porky was even thensitting with his back against the opening in the hollow log.

  Every one had thought this the best joke ever, for, of course, theyall knew that Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel could not get out pastthe thousand little spears hidden in the long coat of Prickly Porky.

  Prickly Porky settled himself very comfortably and began to tellstories about his home, way up in the North Woods. Every few minuteshe would rattle the thousand little spears in his coat, and though noone could see Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel inside the hollow log,every one could guess just how little shivers were running up and downthe backbones of the two little scamps held prisoners there.

  Prickly Porky told how in the cold, cold winter the snow piled up andpiled up in his far northern home, until nearly all the forest folkwho lived there had to make a long journey into the South, or elsewent into warm, snug hollows in the trees or caves in the rocks andslept the long winter through, just as Johnny Chuck does. He told howthe Indians came through the great forest on big webbed shoes, thatkept them from sinking into the snow, and hunted for Lightfoot theDeer, and how they never bothered Prickly Porky, but always treatedhim with the greatest respect. He told so many, many interestingthings about the great North Woods, that all the little meadow peopleand forest folk gathered close around to listen, but every fewminutes, while he was talking, he would shake his thousand littlespears, and then every one would smile.

  Inside the hollow log Reddy Fox was getting stiff and sore, because,you know, he didn't have room enough to even turn over. Worse still,he was so hungry that he could cry. You see, he had crept in therevery early in the morning without any breakfast, because he hadplanned that when Sammy Jay should break up Peter Rabbit's party, hewould steal all the good things he wanted. Now, he could smell them,and hear the others talking about the feast they were going to have,and he knew that not so much as a tiny, tiny crumb would be left forhim, when Prickly Porky should choose to let him out.

  Shadow the Weasel felt just as uncomfortable as Reddy Fox, and Shadowis very short-tempered. Every time Reddy moved and squeezed Shadow,Shadow would snap at him. Now, of course, they could hear everythingthat was said outside, and the things that were said were not pleasantto listen to. Bobby Coon and Billy Mink and Johnny Chuck and LittleJoe Otter and Jimmy Skunk told about all the mean things and all thesharp tricks that Reddy Fox and Shadow had done. It made the twolittle prisoners so angry that they ground their teeth, but every timethey made the least little movement, Prickly Porky would shake histhousand little spears and settle himself still more firmly againstthe opening in the hollow log. He certainly was enjoying himself. Ittickled him almost to pieces to think how easily he had trapped smartReddy Fox, the boaster.

  So they waited all the long day for the coming of Unc' Billy Possum'sfamily, and when at last they did arrive, there was the merriestsurprise party ever seen. Only Sammy Jay, Blacky the Crow, Reddy Foxand Shadow the Weasel were unhappy, and of course no one cared forthat.

  XIII

  UNC' BILLY POSSUM GROWS HUNGRY

  Unc' Billy Possum spent the very coldest days of winter curled up inhis warm, snug home in the big hollow tree in the Green Forest. Unc'Billy didn't like the cold weather. Sometimes he would stick his headout of his doorway and then, as he heard rough Brother North Windwhooping through the Green Forest, he would turn right around and goback to his bed for another nap. And all the time he would be saying:

  "Way down Souf de sun am shinin'-- Yas, Sah, dat am so! Fo' dat lan' mah heart am pinin'-- Yas, Sah, dat am so!

  "De mocking-bird he sings all day, De alligators am at play, De flowers dey am bloomin' fair, And mah heart aches to be down there-- Yas, Sah, dat am so!"

  Now Unc' Billy had prepared for the winter by getting just as fat ashe knew how. He was so fat that he could hardly waddle when Jack Frostfirst came to the Green Forest. You see he knew that if he was very,very fat he wouldn't have to worry about getting anything to eat, notfor a long time, anyway. So when the ice and snow came, and Unc' Billydecided that it was more comfortable indoors than outdoors, he wasalmost as fat as Johnny Chuck was when he went to sleep for the longwinter.

  Now Johnny Chuck just slept and slept and slept, without waking oncethe whole winter long. But Unc' Billy Possum couldn't sleep like that.He had to stick his head out every little while to see how the worldwas getting along without him. When the sun was bright and the air wasnot too cold, Unc' Billy would sometimes climb down from his hollowtree and walk about a little on the snow. But he didn't enjoy it much.It made his feet cold, and then he didn't like the tracks he made. Hescowled at them, for he knew well enough that if Farmer Brown's boyshould happen along, he would know right away who had made thosetracks, and then he would hunt for Unc' Billy's home in the hollowtree. So Unc' Billy didn't go out very much, and very seldom indeedwhen the snow was soft.

  It seemed to Unc' Billy Possum as if the winter never, never would go.He was beginning to grow thin now, and of course he was gettinghungry. He began to think about it, and the more he thought about it,the hungrier he grew. One morning he stuck his head out of hisdoorway, and whom should he see trotting along below but Jimmy Skunk.Jimmy looked fat and comfortable and as if he did not mind the coldweather at all.

  "Good mo'ning, Jimmy Skunk," said Unc' Billy.

  Jimmy Skunk looked up. "Hello, Unc' Billy!" he exclaimed. "I haven'tseen you for a long time!"

  "Whar yo' been, Jimmy Skunk?" asked Unc' Billy.

  Jimmy winked one eye. "Getting my breakfast of nice fresh eggs," hereplied.

  Unc' Billy Possum's mouth began to water. "Did yo' leave any?" heanxiously inquired.

  Jimmy Skunk allowed that he did, and Unc' Billy gave a long sigh, ashe watched Jimmy Skunk amble off up the Lone Little Path. Unc' Billycouldn't sleep any more now. No, Sir, he couldn't sleep a wink. All hecould do was to think how hungry he was. He would shut his eyes, andthen it seemed as if he could see right into Farmer Brown's hen-house,and there were eggs, eggs, eggs, everywhere. Finally Unc' Billy madeup his mind.

  "Ah'm going up there the very first dark night!" said he.

  XIV

  OLD MRS. POSSUM GROWS WORRIED

  Old Mrs. Possum counted her babies to be sure that they all weretucked snug and warm in their bed in the old hollow tree in the GreenForest. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight." They wereall there. Mrs. Possum looked at them with a great deal of pride andsighed as she thought of how soon they would be leaving the old hollowtree to see the great world and make homes for themselves. Just assoon as the beautiful spring came, they would one by one slip away.Mrs. Possum sighed again. She didn't like winter. No, Sir, she didn'tlike winter one bit. But when she thought of how her babies wouldleave her, she almost wished that spring never would come.

&
nbsp; Sure that her babies were warm and comfortable, old Mrs. Possum wentto the door and looked out. It was plain to be seen that Mrs. Possumwas worried. That was the tenth time she had looked out in half anhour. Her sharp little old face looked sharper than ever. It alwayslooks sharper when she is worried, just as the tongues of some peoplealways grow sharper when they are worried.

  "Ah don' see what can be keepin' mah ol' man! Ah'm plumb worried todeath," muttered old Mrs. Possum.

  Right that very minute she heard a noise outside that made her hurryto the door and thrust her head out once more. It was Sammy Jay,shrieking:

  "Thief! Thief! Thief!" at the top of his lungs.

  "He's a thief himself and just a low-down mischief-maker, for all hissmart clo'es, but he knows a powerful lot about what is going on inthe Green Forest, and perhaps he has seen mah ol' man," said old Mrs.Possum, as she tried to make her sharp face as pleasant as possible.She looked over at Sammy Jay, who was in the next tree, and smiled,and when she smiled she showed all her sharp teeth.

  "Good mo'ning, Brer Jay," said she.

  "Hello!" exclaimed Sammy Jay, not at all politely. "Where's UncleBilly Possum?"

  Old Mrs. Possum shook her head, and the worried look came back intoher face, although she tried hard, oh, so hard, not to let it.

  "He done go out fo' a walk," replied old Mrs. Possum. "Ah reckonsyo'all just got up, or yo' would have met up with him somewhere."

  Old Mrs. Possum said this just to try to make Sammy Jay talk, forSammy is very quick-tempered, and quick-tempered people often say alot more than they mean to. You see, Mrs. Possum was quite sure thatif Sammy Jay knew how worried she was over Unc' Billy Possum, he wouldrefuse to tell her whether or not he had seen Unc' Billy, for SammyJay is mean and loves to torment others.

  Sammy's temper flared up right away. "I've been up ever since sun-up!"he sputtered. "Your old man isn't anywhere in the Green Forest, unlesshe's gone to sleep in some other hollow tree, and I wouldn't blame hima bit if he had! No, Sir, I wouldn't blame him the least bit!"

  "Keep your temper, Brer Jay! Keep your temper, do, Oh pray!"

  said old Mrs. Possum, grinning in the most aggravating way as sheturned back to her babies. She had found out what she wanted toknow--Sammy Jay had seen nothing of Unc' Billy Possum. Old Mrs. Possumsat down with her head in her hands. She was more worried than ever.

  XV

  THE FOOLISHNESS OF UNC' BILLY POSSUM

  If Unc' Billy Possum hadn't happened to look out of his doorway in thebig hollow tree in the Green Forest, or if Jimmy Skunk hadn't happenedto come along just that very minute, or if Unc' Billy hadn't askedJimmy where he had been, or if Jimmy hadn't mentioned nice fresh eggs,Unc' Billy wouldn't have been foolish, and old Mrs. Possum wouldn'thave been worried. But all those things did happen.

  After Jimmy Skunk had mentioned his fine breakfast of fresh eggs, Unc'Billy Possum couldn't think of anything else. He knew well enoughwhere Jimmy had found those eggs. Yes, indeed, Unc' Billy knew allabout it. He could shut his eyes and just see the inside of FarmerBrown's hen-house with the rows of hens and roosters sitting on theroosts at one end, their heads tucked under their wings. He could seethe rows of nests and the beautiful brown eggs in them. Jimmy Skunkcouldn't climb, and so he could have gotten only the eggs in the lowernests. Now if he, Unc' Billy, had been there, he could have climbed tothe very topmost nest and--but what was the use of thinking about it?He hadn't been there, and he couldn't go now, because it was daylight.

  All the rest of the day Unc' Billy tried to sleep, but when he didsleep he dreamed about eggs, nice, fresh, delicious eggs, and when hewas awake he though about eggs. It made him more and more uneasy andfidgety. Old Mrs. Possum couldn't stand it.

  "What all am the matter with yo'?" she snapped. "Ah do wish yo' wouldkeep still a minute!"

  Unc' Billy muttered something, but all that Mrs. Possum could hear was"eggs."

  "Now don't yo'all get to thinking of such foolishness as eggs," shecommanded. "It isn't safe to be snooping around Farmer Brown'shen-house when there's snow on the ground. Yo' just fo'get all abouteggs! Do yo' hear what Ah say?"

  Unc' Billy nodded that he did. But just the same he couldn't think ofanything else. He knew that old Mrs. Possum was right, and that itwasn't safe to go fooling around Farmer Brown's hen-house and leavinghis tracks for everybody who came along to see. Just the same, Unc'Billy felt that he had got to have a nice fresh egg. He had got tohave it. That is all there was about it.

  As soon as jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had gone to bed behind the PurpleHills that night, Unc' Billy crept out of his home in the hollow tree.

  "Where are yo' going?" demanded Mrs. Possum.

  "Just to stretch the kinks out of mah legs," replied Unc' Billy.

  Old Mrs. Possum looked after him suspiciously. "Don't yo' go fo' to doany foolishness!" she called.

  Unc' Billy didn't answer. He was on his way to Farmer Brown'shen-house.

  XVI

  WHY UNC' BILLY POSSUM DIDN'T GO HOME

  Unc' Billy Possum had a very good reason for not going home, a very goodreason, indeed. Even old Mrs. Possum would have thought it was a goodreason, could she have known it. But she didn't know it, and so shesat in the home in the big hollow tree in the Green Forest and worriedherself almost sick, because Unc' Billy didn't come home, and shedidn't know what might have happened to him.

  Sometimes Unc' Billy wished that he was back in the old hollow tree,and sometimes he was glad that he was right where he was. Sometimeshe felt little shivers of fear run all over him as he thought of whatmight become of him if he should be found. Sometimes a little ticklyfeeling of pleasure ran all over him, as he bit a hole in the end of afreshly laid egg and sucked the egg out of the shell.

  Now Unc' Billy was very, very crafty. He had found Jimmy Skunk'stracks boldly leading up to the hen-house, so Unc' Billy had steppedas carefully as he knew how in the footprints of Jimmy Skunk, in orderthat Farmer Brown's boy might think that Jimmy Skunk was the onlyvisitor to the hen-house. But with all his craft, there was one thingthat Unc' Billy forgot. Yes, Sir, there was one thing Unc' Billyforgot all about. He forgot to keep his tail up. He was trying so hardto step in the footprints of Jimmy Skunk, that he forgot all aboutthat little, smooth, handy old tail of his, and he let it drag alongthe snow.

  He just ate and ate until he couldn't eat another one.]

  When Unc' Billy was safely in the hen-house, he hurried from one nestto another. There were eggs, plenty of them. It seemed to him thatnothing he had ever seen before had looked half so good as those eggs.He just ate and ate and ate until he couldn't eat another one. Now afull stomach is very apt to make a sleepy head. Unc' Billy knew thatthe thing for him to do was to hurry home as fast as he could go, buthe didn't. No, Sir, he didn't do it. The hen-house was warm and herewere some of the nicest nests of hay. He was tired after his long walkfrom the Green Forest, for Unc' Billy had done so little walking thiswinter that he was rather out of practice. Why not take a teeny, weenynap before he started back home?

  Unc' Billy climbed to the very last nest in the topmost row, way up ina dark corner. It hadn't been used for a long time, but it was full ofnice, soft hay. Unc' Billy curled himself up in it, and with a greatsigh of contentment, closed his eyes for that teeny, weeny nap. Hedidn't open them again until he heard an angry voice right close tohim. He peeped out. It was broad daylight, and there, just below him,was Farmer Brown's boy, looking at the empty egg-shells left by Unc'Billy. Farmer Brown's boy was angry. Yes, indeed, he was very, veryangry. Unc' Billy shivered as he listened. Then he snuggled down outof sight under the hay of the nest.

  XVII

  UNC' BILLY POSSUM LIES LOW

  Farmer Brown's boy was angry. Yes, Sir, he was angry. There was nodoubt about that. He had found the empty shells of the eggs which Unc'Billy had eaten in the night, and Unc' Billy knew by the sound of hisvoice that Farmer Brown's boy meant to find the thief.

  It was a terrible position to be in, right there in the h
en-house,with no chance to run. Unc' Billy wished with all his might that hehad never thought of eggs, and that he was safe back home in the dearold hollow tree in the Green Forest. Oh, dear! oh, dear! Why hadn't hegone right straight back there, after eating those eggs, instead oftaking a nap? But he hadn't. He had taken a nap and overslept, andhere he was, right in the hen-house, in broad daylight.

  "It must have been a Skunk," said Farmer Brown's boy, "and if it was,he must have left some tracks in the snow outside. I'll just lookaround a bit."

  Unc' Billy almost chuckled as he heard Farmer Brown's boy go out.

  "He'll find Jimmy Skunk's tracks, but he won't find mine," thoughtUnc' Billy. "Isn't it lucky that I thought to step right in JimmySkunk's tracks when I came here?"

  He lay still and listened to Farmer Brown's boy poking around outside.He heard him exclaim: "Ah, I thought so!" and knew that he had foundthe tracks Jimmy Skunk had made in the snow. Unc' Billy almostchuckled again as he thought what a smart fellow he had been to stepin Jimmy Skunk's tracks. And right then he heard something that put anend to all his fine thoughts about his own smartness, and sent littlecold shivers up and down his backbone.

  "Hello!" said the voice of Farmer Brown's boy. "These are queertracks! That Skunk must have had a queer tail, for here are the marksof it in the snow, and they look as if they might have been made bythe tail of a very big rat."

  Unc' Billy remembered then for the first time that when he had thoughthe was so smart, he had forgotten to hold his tail up. He had draggedit in the snow, and of course it had left a mark.