haps have to dig
down through the snow to get them. Most people are just like Happy
Jack--they do the easiest thing.

Each day Farmer Brown's boy looked more and more like himself. His
cheeks stuck out less and less, and finally did not stick out at all.
And now he smiled at Happy Jack with his mouth as well as with his eyes.
You know when his cheeks had stuck out so, he couldn't smile at all
except with his eyes. Happy Jack didn't know what had been the matter
with Farmer Brown's boy, but whatever it was, he was better now, and
that made Happy Jack feel better.

One morning he got a surprise. When he ran out along the branch of the
tree that led to the window-sill he suddenly discovered something wrong.
There were no nuts on the sill! More than this there was something very
suspicious looking about the window. It didn't look just right. The
truth is it was partly open, but Happy Jack didn't understand this, not
then, anyway. He stopped short and scolded, a way he has when things
don't suit him. Farmer Brown's boy came to the window and called to him.
Then he thrust a hand out, and in it were some of the fattest nuts Happy
Jack ever had seen. His mouth watered right away. There might be
something wrong with the window, but certainly the sill was all right.
It would do no harm to go that far.

So Happy Jack nimbly jumped across to the window-sill. Farmer Brown's
boy's hand with the fat nuts was still there, and Happy Jack lost no
time in getting one. Then he sat up on the sill to eat it. My, but it
was good! It was just as good as it had looked. Happy Jack's eyes
twinkled as he ate. When he had finished that nut, he wanted another.
But now Farmer Brown's boy had drawn his hand inside the window. He was
still holding it out with the nuts in it, but to get them Happy Jack
must go inside, and he couldn't get it out of his head that that was a
very dangerous thing to do. What if that window should be closed while
he was in there? Then he would be a prisoner.

So he sat up and begged. He knew that Farmer Brown's boy knew what he
wanted. But Farmer Brown's boy kept his hand just where it was.

"Come on, you little rascal," said he. "You ought to know me well enough
by this time to know that I won't hurt you or let any harm come to you.
Hurry up, because I can't stand here all day. You see, I've just got
over the mumps, and if I should catch cold I might be sick again. Come
along now, and show how brave you are."

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