The Adventures of Johnny Chuck | Page 6

Chuck already began to feel homesick. But he

swallowed very hard and tried to make himself think that he was
having a splendid time. He stopped looking back and started on, and as
he tramped along, he tried to sing a song he had once heard Jimmy
Skunk sing:
"The world may stretch full far and wide-- What matters that to me? I'll
tramp it up; I'll tramp it down! For I am bold and free."
It was a very brave little song, but Johnny Chuck didn't feel half so
brave and bold as he tried to think he did. Already he was beginning to
wonder where he should spend the night. Then he thought of old
Whitetail the Marshhawk, who had given him such a fright and had so
nearly caught him when he was a little fellow. The thought made him
look around hastily, and there was old Whitetail himself, sailing back
and forth hungrily just ahead of him. A great fear took possession of
Johnny Chuck, and he made himself as flat as possible in the grass, for
there was no place to hide. He made up his mind that anyway he would
fight.
Nearer and nearer came old Whitetail! Finally he passed right over
Johnny Chuck. But he didn't offer to touch him. Indeed, it seemed to
Johnny that old Whitetail actually grinned and winked at him. And
right then all his fear left him.
"Pooh!" said Johnny Chuck scornfully. "Who's afraid of him!" He
suddenly realized that he was no longer a helpless little Chuck who
couldn't take care of himself, but big and strong, with sharp teeth with
which his old enemy had no mind to make a closer acquaintance, when
there were mice and snakes to be caught without fighting. So he puffed
out his chest and went on, and actually began to enjoy himself, and
almost wished for a chance to show how big and strong he was.

VII
JOHNNY'S FIRST ADVENTURE
After old Whitetail the Marshhawk passed Johnny Chuck without
offering to touch him, Johnny began to feel very brave and bold and
important. He strutted and swaggered along as much as his short legs
would let him. He held his head very high. Already he felt that he had
had an adventure and he longed for more. He forgot the terrible
lonesome feeling of a little while before. He forgot that he had given
away the only home he had. He didn't know just why, but right down

deep inside he had a sudden feeling that he really didn't care a thing
about that old home. In fact, he felt as if he wouldn't care if he never
had another home. Yes, Sir, that is the way that Johnny Chuck felt. Do
you know why? Just because he had just begun to realize how big and
strong he really was.
Now it is a splendid thing to feel big and strong and brave, a very
splendid thing! But it is a bad thing to let that feeling turn to pride,
foolish pride. Of course old Whitetail hadn't really been afraid of
Johnny Chuck. He had simply passed Johnny with a wink, because
there was plenty to eat without the trouble of fighting, and Whitetail
doesn't fight just for the fun of it.
But foolish Johnny Chuck really thought that old Whitetail was afraid
of him. The more he thought about it, the more tickled he felt and the
more puffed up he felt. He began to talk to himself and to brag. Yes, Sir,
Johnny Chuck began to brag:
"I'm not afraid of any one; They're all afraid of me! I only have to show
my teeth To make them turn and flee!"
"Pooh!" said a voice. "Pooh! It would take two like you to make me run
away!"
Johnny Chuck gave a startled jump. There was a strange Chuck glaring
at him from behind a little bunch of grass. He was a big, gray old
Chuck whom Johnny never had seen on the Green Meadows before,
and he didn't look the least bit afraid. No, Sir, he didn't look the teeniest,
weeniest bit afraid! Somehow, Johnny Chuck didn't feel half so big and
strong and brave as he had a few minutes before. But it wouldn't do to
let this stranger know it. Of course not! So, though he felt very small
inside, Johnny made all his hair bristle up and tried to look very fierce.
"Who are you and what are you doing on my Green Meadows?" he
demanded.
"Your Green Meadows! Your Green Meadows! Ho, ho, ho! Your
Green Meadows!" The stranger laughed an unpleasant laugh. "How
long since you owned the Green Meadows? I have just come down on
to them from the Old Pasture, and I