Eastern gray squirrel

I wish you would go first of all and tell my cousin.

Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel.

Sammy J leaned over and looked at Chatterer sharply.

Squawk! i thought you and happy jack were not friends you always seem to be quarreling chatterer looked a little confused but he is very quick with his tongue

So everyone who heard Tommy's cheery voice that cold winter morning just had to smile, even Sammy J and Blackie 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 blue sky flirting silently from tree to tree.

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, speaking in a hesitating way.

Sammy Jay leaned over and looked at Chatterer sharply.

"'I thought you and Happy Jack were not friends,' said he.

Even Sammy J and Blackie 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,

so, so I said, "Okay, well how'd that go?" He said, "Well, I played on a team.

They're called the Gray Squirrels." And I was like, "Are there other co- color squirrels?" He's like, "Well, they used to be called the Red Squirrels, but when they went from our league to this league, they [laughs] changed their name to the Gray Squirrels because they'd gotten older."

Oh.

Oh, that's beautiful.

[laughs]

Yeah.

So, uh, I got to hear all about his day with the Gray Squirrels.

Uh-

Once or twice he had induced Mrs. Peter to go with him, but she had been frightened almost out of her skin every minute, for it seemed to her that there was danger lurking behind every tree and under every bush.

It was all very well for Chatterer the Red Squirrel and Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel, who could jump from tree to tree, but she didn't think it a safe and proper place for a sensible rabbit.

And she said so.

This particular morning She was unusually anxious.

Chapter 2.

The Loading of Nettie mr and mrs bunnikin's bunny had invited their great friends mr and mrs gray squirrel and their two children ruddy and chippy to spend the summer with them and one beautiful morning they started off bright and early for the mountains they had a cart drawn by nettie a nice fat donkey which the gray squirrels and the bunnikins family had loaded with all sorts of things which they would need and many others which they would never want but which mr bunnikins bunny had insisted on stuffing in at the last moment he brought out a large feather bed which he felt sure he would need if he had rheumatism and a foot-bath for rosamond in case she had the croup or whooping-cough mrs bunnicans however refused quite sternly to put another single thing in the cart which was already top-heavy and might tip over or else break down besides nettie was very particular and might lie down on the way if he thought the load too big Since his marriage, Mr. Bunnikins had become not only more particular than ever about his beautiful clothes, but also very fussy about himself, and was constantly imagining that he had some new complaint.

He had brought a fine silk hammock to sleep in when the nights were warm, and a soft woolly sleeping bag if it were cold.

As for socks, hats, and fancy waistcoats, he would have brought dozens had not Mrs. Bunnykins limited him to half a dozen of each.

"'Very well,' said patient Mrs. Bunnykin's Bunny.

"'It is already so late that we might as well have our luncheon here.

By the time you come back we shall be ready.' Then Mrs. Bunnikins and the gray squirrels unloaded the baskets and set the table for luncheon.

The table was a nice flat stone, and the table cover was made of pretty ferns and flowers, which the little bunnies and squirrels picked.

Peter knew that voice the instant he heard it.

It was the voice of Happy Jack, the gray squirrel.

Happy Jack was seated on the top of an old stump eating a nut.

I'm going to school, replied Peter, with a great deal of dignity.

So when Peter called the next morning, Johnny refused to go, despite all Peter could say.

Peter didn't waste much time arguing, for he was afraid he would be late and miss something.

When he reached the green forest, he found his cousin, Jumper the hare, and Chatterer the red squirrel, and Happy Jack the gray squirrel already there.

As soon as Peter arrived, Old Mother Nature began the morning lesson.

Sammy J and his cousin Blackie the Crow were there, of course, peering down from the top of a pine tree and screaming excitedly.

Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel actually sat side by side in the same tree, so interested that they forgot for once to quarrel themselves.

Unc Billy Possum and Bobby Coon cut their afternoon nap short and looked on from a safe place in a big chestnut tree.

Danny Meadow Mouse and his cousin, Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, shivered with fright while they peeped out through a crack in a hollow log.

He caused two persons to go after guests.

The servants whom he sent after guests were Red-breasted Turtle and Gray Squirrel.

He made two round bunches of grass and placed them at the bottom of the stick to which the kettle was fastened.

Now they were coming.

Good, said Turtle.

Oh, Warchief, when we reach home, we shall cause the women to dance.

then big turtle said oh war-chief all make an attempt go sit in the door of the lodge where war-chief combe sat all was very handsome he was very good to look at he sat in the door of the lodge a woman passing out found him oh i have found a good all for myself she said heretofore i have had no all it makes me thankful she went back to the lodge with him she spoke of sewing her moccasins with him i will sew my moccasins with it she said she sewed them she pierced her fingers with him she missed in pushing him sending him with force there was much blood from her fingers she threw him away at the door the all is indeed bad i have indeed hurt myself i have wounded myself badly she threw him far out from the door sending him homeward he whom you have called all o war chief he reported returning to big turtle i stabbed one right at the lodge i killed her he returned with his spear very bloody o war chief said the others to big turtle all is coming back telling his own name he has killed one big turtle said ho o war chief you make me thankful since it is you i will blacken my face the village shall be joyful oh pestle make an attempt you will lie in the door of the lodge where all lay now pestle was very handsome then he arrived there he lay where he was commanded to lie a woman went out and found pestle oh i have found a very good pestle for myself i had no pestle heretofore she said she took him back to the lodge she took some corn she filled the mortar and pounded the corn she beat it fine she thrust pestle beyond right on her knee she missed the mark in pushing sending him with force and so she struck him on her knee oh a very bad pestle she said she threw him outside sending him homeward suddenly you have been used to saying pestle he is coming having stabbed one right in a lodge he has killed one said pestle returning he reached big turtle again oh war chief i have killed one you make me thankful said big turtle o warrior gray squirrel make an attempt o war chief how can i do anything said gray squirrel now the lodges were placed among the trees you will pass along the trees above the smoke-holes of the lodges if they find you they will shoot at you do your best do your best to evade the blows or arrows if one goes aside rush on him said big turtle at length a boy found gray squirrel this moving one is a gray squirrel he said they went in a great uproar they shot at him they even hit him with sticks one boy stood outside gray squirrel attacked him and bit him they said wonderful heretofore the gray squirrel has been very easy to approach but we have failed he has bitten us we have done nothing to him they said He whom you used to call Gray Squirrel is coming back, having killed one right among them, he called.

He told it to Big Turtle." Oh, real warrior, act very honestly, said Big Turtle.

On the other side of the smiling pool were Reddy Fox, Digger the Badger, and Bobby Coon.

In the big hickory tree were Chatterer the Red Squirrel, Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel, and Sammy Jay.

Blacky waited until he was sure that no one else was coming.

Then he cleared his throat very loudly and began to speak.

For just a little minute, it was so still there in the green forest that not the least little sound could be heard.

What was going to happen? End of chapter thirteen Chapter fourteen A surprising thing happens Blacky the Crow and Sammy Jay, looking down from the top of a tall tree, held their breath.

Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and his cousin, Chatterer the Red Squirrel, looking down from another tree, held their breath.

Unc Billy Possum, sticking his head out from a hollow tree, held his breath.