s house was too small for Reddy Fox to
squeeze in. Reddy Fox sat down and waited, but Peter Rabbit didn't
come out. By and by Reddy Fox gave it up and trotted off home where old
Mother Fox was waiting for him.

All this time Johnny Chuck had sat very still, watching Reddy Fox try to
catch Peter Rabbit. And when he saw Peter Rabbit pop into the house
of Jimmy Skunk and Reddy Fox trot away home, Johnny Chuck stood up and
brushed his little coat very clean and then he trotted back up the Lone
Little Path through the wood to his own dear little path through the
Green Meadows where the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind
were still playing, till he was safe in his own snug little house once
more.

CHAPTER X HOW SAMMY JAY WAS FOUND OUT

Sammy Jay was very busy, very busy indeed. When anyone happened that way
Sammy Jay pretended to be doing nothing at all, for Sammy Jay thought
himself a very fine gentleman. He was very proud of his handsome blue
coat with white trimmings and his high cap, and he would sit on a fence
post and make fun of Johnny Chuck working at a new door for his snug
little home in the Green Meadows, and of Striped Chipmunk storing up
heaps of corn and nuts for the winter, for most of the time Sammy Jay
was an idle fellow. And when Sammy Jay WAS busy, he was pretty sure
to be doing something that he ought not to do, for idle people almost
always get into mischief.

Sammy Jay was in mischief now, and that is why he pretended to be doing
nothing when he thought any one was looking.

Old Mother West Wind had come down from her home behind the Purple Hills
very early that morning. Indeed, jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had hardly
gotten out of bed when she crossed the Green Meadows on her way to help
the big ships across the ocean. Old Mother West Wind's eyes were sharp,
and she saw Sammy Jay before Sammy Jay saw her.

"Now what can Sammy Jay be so busy about, and why is he so very, very
quiet?" thought Old Mother West Wind. "He must be up to some mischief."

So when she opened her big bag and turned out all her Merry Little
Breezes to play on the Green Meadows she sent one of them to see what
Sammy Jay was doing in the old chestnut tree. The Merry Little Breeze
danced along over the tree tops just as if he hadn't a thought in the
world but to wake up all the little leaves and set them to dancing too,
and Sammy Jay, watching Old Mother West Wind and the other Merry Little
Breezes, didn't see this