Happy Jack

THE QUARREL

    It’s up to you and up to me
    To see how thrifty we can be. 
    To do our bit like soldiers true
    It’s up to me and up to you.

    Happy Jack.

Two angry little people were making a dreadful noise in the Green Forest.  It was a beautiful morning, a very beautiful fall morning, but all the beauty of it was being spoiled by the dreadful noise these two little people.  You see they were quarreling.  Yes, Sir, they were quarreling, and it wasn’t at all nice to see or nice to hear.

You know who they were.  One was Happy Jack Squirrel, who wears a coat of gray, and the other was Chatterer the Red Squirrel, who always wears a red coat with vest of white.  When Happy Jack had dropped that nut from the tiptop of the tall hickory tree and it had landed right on top of Chatterer’s head it really had been an accident.  All the time Happy Jack had been sitting as still as still could be, hoping that his cousin Chatterer would pass by without looking up and so seeing the big fat nuts in the top of that tree.  You see Happy Jack was greedy and wanted all of them himself.  Now Chatterer the Red Squirrel has a sharp temper, and also he has sharp eyes.  All the time he was scolding Happy Jack and calling him names Chatterer’s bright eyes were taking note of all those big, fat hickory-nuts and his mouth began to water.  Without wasting any more time he started up the tree to get some.

Happy Jack grew very angry, very angry indeed.  He hurried down to meet Chatterer the Red Squirrel and to prevent him climbing the tree.

“You keep out of this tree; it’s mine!” he shrieked.

“No such thing!  You don’t own the tree and I’ve got just as much right here as you have!” screamed Chatterer, dodging around to the other side of the tree.

“’Tis, too, mine!  I found it first!” shouted Happy Jack.  “You’re a thief, so there!”

“I’m not!”

“You are!”

“You’re a pig, Happy Jack!  You’re just a great big pig!”

“I’m not a pig!  I found these nuts first and I tell you they’re mine!” shrieked Happy Jack, so angry that every time he spoke he jerked his tail.  And all the time he was chasing round and round the trunk of the tree trying to prevent Chatterer getting up.

Now Happy Jack is ever so much bigger than his cousin Chatterer but he isn’t as spry.  So in spite of him Chatterer got past, and like a little red flash was up in the top of the tree where the big, fat nuts were.  But he didn’t have time to pick even one, for after him came Happy Jack so angry that Chatterer knew that he would fare badly if Happy Jack should catch him.  Round and round, over and across, this way and that way, in the top of the tall hickory tree raced Chatterer the Red Squirrel with his cousin, Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel, right at his heels, and calling him everything bad to be thought of.  Yes, indeed it was truly dreadful, and Peter Rabbit, who happened along just then, put his hands over his ears so as not to hear such a dreadful quarrel.

[Illustration:  Peter Rabbit, who happened along just then, put his hands over his ears.]