the hollow chestnut tree, sometimes to the great oak on the edge of
the Green Forest Striped Chipmunk scampered.

Old Mother West Wind, coming down from the Purple Hills very early in
the morning, had found Striped Chipmunk up before her and hard at work.
Later, when jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had climbed up into the sky, the
Merry Little Breezes had spied Striped Chipmunk whisking along the old
stone wall and had raced over to play with him, for the Merry Little
Breezes are very fond of Striped Chipmunk. They got there just in time
to see him disappear under a great stone in the old wall. In a minute
he was out again and off as fast as he could go to the old hickory tree.

"Oh, Striped Chipmunk, come play with us," shouted the Merry Little
Breezes, running after him.

But Striped Chipmunk just flirted his funny little tail and winked with
both his bright eyes at them.

"Busy! busy! busy!" said Striped Chipmunk, hurrying along as fast as
his short legs could take him.

The Merry Little Breezes laughed, and one of them, dancing ahead,
pulled the funny little tail of Striped Chipmunk.

"It's a beautiful day; do come and play with us," cried the Merry
Little Breeze.

But Striped Chipmunk flirted his tail over his back once more.

"Busy! busy! busy!" he shouted over his shoulder and ran faster than
ever.

In a few minutes he was back again, but such a queer-looking fellow as
he was! His head was twice as big as it had been before and you would
hardly have known that it was Striped Chipmunk but for the saucy way he
twitched his funny little tail and the spry way he scampered along the
old stone wall.

"Oh, Striped Chipmunk's got the mumps!" shouted the Merry Little
Breezes.

But Striped Chipmunk said never a word. He couldn't. He ran faster
than ever until he disappeared under the big stone. When he popped his
head out again he was just his usual saucy little self.

"Say, Striped Chipmunk," cried the Merry Little Breezes, rushing over
to him, "tell us how you happen to have pockets in your cheeks."

But Striped Chipmunk just snapped his bright eyes at them and said
"Busy! busy! busy!" as he scuttled over to the hollow chestnut tree.

The Merry Little Breezes saw that it was no use at all to try to tempt
Striped Chipmunk to play with them or to answer questions.

"I tell you what," cried one, "let's go ask Great-Grandfather Frog how
Striped Chipmunk happens to have pockets in his cheeks. He'll know."