Little Jack Rabbit and the Squirrel Brothers | Page 3

brought you an egg for the nuts we took yesterday," said Featherhead.
"And here is a little fish for what we'll take to-day," added Twinkle Tail.
Old Barney Owl opened one eye and, taking the egg and the little fish, closed the door without even thanking them.
"He didn't say we could have any nuts to-day," said Twinkle Tail. "He took the little fish, so I guess it's all right."
"Guess it's all right!" cried Featherhead. "Of course, it's all right. What do we care, anyway? he can't see in the light. What right has Old Barney to say all these nuts belong to him?"
It didn't take the squirrels long after the sacks were filled to carry them down to the shore and load them on the rafts. But, oh dear me. Billy Breeze wasn't very kind this time. No matter how they held up their tails for sails, as soon as they had pushed off, he blew them right back on the land.
"We'll have to paddle around to the other side," said Featherhead. "Then perhaps Billy Breeze will push us home."
After a good deal of trouble, for it was no easy matter to paddle the rafts around the island, they set off once again. And this time Billy Breeze did his best, and landed them safely on the mainland.
"I couldn't help you on the other side," he explained. "You see, I can blow only one way to-day."
"That's all right," answered the Squirrel Brothers. "We have the nuts!" and away they scampered.

OLD SQUIRREL NUTCRACKER
Twinkle Tail and Featherhead were old enough to find homes for themselves, so Old Squirrel Nutcracker thought. And when that old squirrel had thought out a thing seriously he was pretty likely to put it into words.
"I feel sorry for the boys," said Mrs. Nutcracker, wiping her eyes with her calico apron, as she stood beneath the Big Chestnut Tree talking to Mrs. Rabbit. "They've had such a comfortable home, if I do say it myself. But last night Squirrel Nutcracker said after dinner:
"'Boys, it's time for you to get out and hustle for yourselves. It will make men-squirrels out of you. If you get into trouble, always remember your father will help you. And don't forget your mother.'"
Poor Mrs. Nutcracker threw her apron over her head and burst into tears. "Don't cry," said the kind bunny lady, and very soon she said good-by and hopped home to the Old Bramble Patch to tell her little rabbit the news.
When Mrs. Nutcracker reached home she found her little squirrel boys packing up their things. Twinkle Tail had his nearly finished, but Featherhead was only half through. So Mrs. Nutcracker helped him, and when it was all done, she sat down and cried again. Poor Mrs. Nutcracker felt so badly she just couldn't help it.
Just then Old Squirrel Nutcracker came up the stairs, so she dried her eyes and the two little squirrels picked up their trunks and started down the tree.
When they reached the first landing, a great big limb that spread out to one side, there stood Squirrel Nutcracker. His voice was a little husky as he said:
"I want to be proud of you, Twinkle Tail and Featherhead. See that you find nice homes and that you don't do anything to make me ashamed of you." Then he hugged them good-by and went upstairs to Mrs. Nutcracker.

HOME HUNTING
It was a week or so after the Squirrel Brothers had left Nutcracker Lodge to find homes for themselves that Little Jack Rabbit came across Twinkle Tail.
It's not an easy thing to find a new home, especially when all the nice warm hollow trees were already crowded with little people. Twinkle Tail discovered this when he started in house-hunting.
"Why don't you take Grandmother Magpie's nest?" asked the little rabbit. "She hasn't used it for some time and nobody seems to want it." This was very true; perhaps it was because nobody liked Grandmother Magpie.
But after Twinkle Tail had taken it over you never would have known it. You see, he altered it and arranged it and patched it up to suit himself.
While he was putting on the finishing touches, who should come along but the old lady magpie herself.
"Do you mind my doing this to your old place?" he asked, looking up from his work.
"Not at all," replied Grandmother Magpie, "I'm done with it. You're quite welcome to it, my dear."
This was the first time she had ever done a nice thing for anybody in the Shady Forest. But, you see, she liked Twinkle Tail. He was the only person she did like. I guess the reason was that she had never forgotten he had once been very polite to her.
"Thank you," said Twinkle Tail, smiling sweetly, and then he set to work harder than ever.
After that the old lady magpie flew away, thinking