ly, round, red Mr. Sun, looking down from the sky, smiled and smiled
to see Johnny Chuck waddling down the Lone Little Path, for he loved
the merry-hearted little fellow, as do all the little meadow
people--all but Reddy Fox, for Reddy Fox has not forgotten the surprise
Johnny Chuck once gave him and how he called him a "'fraid cat."

Once in a while Johnny Chuck stopped to brush his coat carefully, for
he is very particular about his appearance, is Johnny Chuck. By and by
he came to the old butternut tree down by the Smiling Pool. He could
see it a long time before he reached it, and up in the top of it he
could see Blacky the Crow flapping his wings and cawing at the top of
his voice.

"There must be something going on," said Johnny Chuck to himself, and
began to waddle faster. He looked so very queer when he tried to hurry
that jolly round, red Mr. Sun smiled more than ever.

When he was almost to the old butter-nut tree Johnny Chuck sat up very
straight so that his head came just above the tall meadow grasses
beside the Lone Little Path. He could see the Merry Little Breezes
dancing and racing under the old butternut tree and having such a good
time! And he could see the long ears of Peter Rabbit standing up
straight above the tall meadow grasses. One of the Merry Little
Breezes spied Johnny Chuck.

"Hurry up, Johnny Chuck!" he shouted, and Johnny Chuck hurried.

When he reached the old butternut tree he was all out of breath. He
was puffing and blowing and he was so warm that he wished just for a
minute, a single little minute, that he could swim like Billy Mink and
Jerry Muskrat and Little Joe Otter, so that he could jump into the
Smiling Pool and cool off.

"Hello, Johnny Chuck!" shouted Peter Rabbit.

"Hello yourself, and see how you like it!" replied Johnny Chuck.

"Hello myself!" said Peter Rabbit.

And then because it was so very foolish everybody laughed. It is a
good thing to feel foolishly happy on a beautiful sunshiny day,
especially down on the Green Meadows.

Jimmy Skunk was there. He was feeling very, very good indeed, was
Jimmy Skunk, for he had found some very fine beetles for his breakfast.

Little Joe Otter was there, and Billy Mink and Jerry Muskrat and Happy
Jack Squirrel, and of course Reddy Fox was there. Oh my, yes, of
course Reddy Fox was there! Reddy Fox never misses a chance to show
off. He was wearing his very newest red coat and his whitest
waistcoat. He had brus