Part 4

Chatty Red Squirrel came out of his house so fast he ran square into Frisky Grey Squirrel, and then Neighbor Grey was provoked. He said he never did know a Red Squirrel that had any manners; but Chatty Red Squirrel kept right on running, and so Frisky Grey Squirrel forgot his crossness and ran too, as fast as he could, with the other excited little creatures of the Big Green Woods.

In almost no time they all had reached the edge of the woods. Then they all looked toward Farmer Roe’s house and the strange box.

THE LITTLE CREATURES OF THE WOODS ARE HAPPY AGAIN

When the little creatures of the Big Green Woods looked toward Farmer Roe’s house, they saw Doctor Rabbit behind a fence post, watching.

Yes, it was true: Ki-yi Coyote was in that box! They knew it because several times they heard Farmer Roe’s boy say, “We got him! I was sure he would come out in the night!”

Then the little creatures of the Big Green Woods wondered what Farmer Roe was doing. He went into the barn several times and brought out some boards, a hammer, and a saw. First he sawed the boards, and then he hammered and nailed ever so long.

After a while all the little creatures of the Big Green Woods could see what Farmer Roe was doing. He was making a kind of wood and wire cage for Ki-yi Coyote. When it was all ready, Farmer Roe and his son put the cage against the box that Ki-yi Coyote was in. Then Farmer Roe’s boy poked Ki-yi with a long stick and drove him into the cage. Then as the farmer and his boy stood looking at dusty Ki-yi in the cage, they talked for quite a long time; but the little creatures of the Big Green Woods could not hear what was said. At last Farmer Roe and his boy went into the house. Then wise Doctor Rabbit came running back to the woods and said it was mighty fine the way things were turning out.

“They are going to load Ki-yi Coyote into a wagon, take him to the city, and sell him to the men who have charge of a big park there,” said Doctor Rabbit excitedly.

“That’s fine! Splendid!” shouted all the little creatures of the Big Green Woods. “Hurrah for Doctor Rabbit and his scheme for getting rid of Ki-yi Coyote!”

“And now,” shouted Cheepy Chipmunk, mounting a stump and speaking so that all could hear, “I want you all to come right down to my house for dinner. Mother Chipmunk wants all of you!”

“Fine!” shouted Jimmy Chipmunk. “I’ll get something good to eat, because company’s coming!” His mother frowned at him, but no one thought anything about what Jimmy had said, they were so delighted to get the invitation; because Mother Chipmunk was about the best cook in the whole woods.

Then away they all went toward Cheepy Chipmunk’s house, talking and laughing and shouting. And Billy Rabbit and Jimmy Chipmunk and Johnny Woodchuck kicked up their heels and ran after each other all the way, they were so happy.

It was a fine thing, they all said, to be going to such a good dinner, and to know that Ki-yi Coyote would not trouble them any more. They declared that they had never been so happy in all their lives before.

WHAT UNCLE OWL WHISPERED

Didn’t you ever wish and wish and wish that you could know what the squirrel is chattering about, and what the cricket is saying when he sings his chirpy little song, and what the big owl really means when he says “Whoo-whoo-oo”? Lucky Peter Patter _does_ know, for all the animals tell him funny things; and the best part of it is that Peter isn’t selfish! He has told all his charming little rimes to Leroy F. Jackson, who has let Rand McNally & Company print them in a beautiful big book, with pictures by Blanche Fisher Wright. You can find it in any bookstore for $1.50. Its name is _The Peter Patter Book_. Don’t you like Peter’s picture?

IN THE CIRCUS TENT

“If _I_ was a bear,” boasted Jack, as they walked past the animal cages in the circus tent, “and strong as strong, I wouldn’t stay in a cage and go round with a circus. I’d live in the woods.”

“If _I_ was a tiger,” echoed Nancy, “and could creepy-crawl like a big cat, I’d never let ’em put _me_ in a circus.”

“If you’d like to know why they’re all here,” said Mother, with a smile, “we’ll stop on the way home and buy Elizabeth Gale’s stories about _How the Animals Came to the Circus_. Warner Carr drew the pictures and Rand McNally & Company made the book, and we can get it at any shop for 50 cents.”

THE CAT THAT FIDDLED

You’ve known Tom, the Piper’s son, for a long, long time, but did you ever know that he had a pet cat which fiddled so merrily that even the King just couldn’t keep his feet still? And did you know that Little Miss Muffet had a Mother who had an Aunt who could be cured of a sick-a-bed illness only by eating hot buttered muffins? And did you know--O, ever so many more things about your Mother Goose friends? If you didn’t, let Louise A. Garnett and James McCracken tell you in _The Merrymakers_. Rand McNally & Company have made their rimes and pictures into a book which you may buy in the shops for $1.00.

OPEN YOUR EYES!

Perhaps you didn’t know it, but the Little People who are so busy making the seed babies lie straight in their beds and driving off Jack Frost when he wants to nip the snowball blossoms love to talk to all children. But many children--would you believe it?--shut their ears and eyes and never hear them or even see them. Loraine was different, and they told her the most delightful things. Maybe it will help _you_ to see and hear these Little People if you read about them in a book called _Loraine and the Little People of Spring_. Elizabeth Gordon and Rand McNally & Company made the book, which you may buy in any bookstore for 50 cents.