Mother West Wind Where Stories | Page 6

call on Johnny
Chuck. When he reached Johnny Chuck's house he found no one at
home. At first he thought he would go look for Johnny, for he knew
that Johnny must be somewhere near, as he never goes far from his
own doorstep. Then he changed his mind and decided to wait for
Johnny to return. So he stretched himself out in some tall grass beside
Johnny Chuck's house, intending to jump out and give Johnny a scare
when he came home. Hardly had he settled himself when he heard
Johnny coming, and he knew by the sounds that Johnny was running
from some danger.
Very, very carefully Peter raised his head to see. Then he ducked it
again and held his breath. Johnny Chuck was running as Peter never
had seen him run before and with very good reason. Just a few jumps
behind Johnny's twinkling little black heels was Old Man Coyote. It
looked to Peter as if Old Man Coyote certainly would catch Johnny
Chuck this time. He was so frightened for Johnny that he quite forgot

that he himself might be in danger. Head first through his doorway
plunged Johnny, and Old Man Coyote's teeth snapped together on
nothing.
Old Man Coyote backed away a few steps and sat down with his head
on one side as he studied Johnny Chuck's house in the ground. It was
plain to be seen that he was trying to make up his mind whether it
would be worth while to try to dig Johnny out. Presently Johnny came
half-way up his long hall where he could look out. Then he began to
scold Old Man Coyote. Old Man Coyote grinned.
"I give up, Johnny Chuck," said he. "You did well when you made your
home between the roots of this old tree. If it wasn't for those roots, I
certainly would dig you out. As it is you are safe. You remind me very
much of your cousin, Yap-Yap the Prairie Dog, who lives out where I
came from. There's a fellow who certainly knows how to make a house
in the ground. He doesn't have to depend on the roots of trees to keep
from being dug out. Well, I guess it is a waste of time to hang around
here. You'll make just as good a dinner some other time as you would
now, so I'll wait until then." Old Man Coyote grinned wickedly and
trotted off.
Now at the mention of Yap-Yap the Prairie Dog, the long ears of Peter
Rabbit had pricked up at once. It was the first time he had heard of
Yap-Yap, and when at last Johnny Chuck ventured out Peter was as full
of questions as a pea-pod is of peas. But Johnny Chuck knew nothing
about his cousin, Yap-Yap, and wasn't even interested in him. So
finally Peter left him and went back home to the dear Old Briar-patch.
But he couldn't get Yap-Yap out of his mind, and he resolved that the
first chance he got he would ask Old Man Coyote about him. The
chance came that very night. Old Man Coyote came along by the dear
Old Briar-patch and stopped to peer in and grin at Peter. Peter grinned
back, for he knew that under those friendly brambles he was quite safe.
"I heard what you said to Johnny Chuck about his cousin, Yap-Yap,"
said Peter.
Old Man Coyote looked as surprised as he felt. "Where were you?" he

demanded gruffly.
"Lying flat in the grass close by Johnny Chuck's house," replied Peter,
and grinned more broadly than ever.
"And to think I didn't know it!" sighed Old Man Coyote. "When I failed
to catch Johnny Chuck, I thought I had missed only one dinner, but it
seems I missed two. Next time I shall look around a little more sharply.
Do you know, the sight of Johnny Chuck always makes me homesick,
he reminds me so much of his cousin, Yap-Yap, and the days when I
was young."
"I didn't know that Johnny Chuck had a cousin until you mentioned it,"
said Peter. "Does he look like Johnny? Won't you tell me about him,
Mr. Coyote?"
"Seeing that I haven't anything in particular to do, I don't know but I
will," replied Old Man Coyote, who happened to be feeling very
good-natured. "Many and many a time I have chased Yap-Yap into his
house. Seems as if I can hear the rascal scolding me and calling me
names right this minute. He used to get me so provoked that it was all I
could do to keep from trying to dig him out."
"Why didn't you?" asked Peter.
"Because it would have meant a waste of time, sore feet, and nothing to
show for my trouble," retorted