It was no wonder that Johnnie Green shouted. For he had lost his pet c.o.o.n. He had lost him before he ever had him. And he was sadly disappointed.
But Fatty c.o.o.n was not disappointed, for he had not wanted to be a pet at all. And he was very glad--you may be sure--to get safely home once more.
X
FATTY c.o.o.n AND THE MONSTER
One night Fatty c.o.o.n was strolling along the road that wound through the valley. He was in no hurry, for he had just left Farmer Green"s apple orchard, where he had bolted all the apples he could possibly eat. The night was dark and though it was not very late, all the country people seemed to be in bed. There were no farmers driving along the road. Fatty had it all to himself. And so he walked slowly homewards. It was then that the terrible monster almost caught him.
This is how it all happened. There was a br-br-br-r-r-r in the air.
Fatty really should have heard it long before he did. But he had eaten so many apples that he had begun to feel sleepy; and his ears were not so sharp as they should have been. And when at last Fatty heard that br-r-r-r it was quite loud. He was startled. And he stopped right in the middle of the road to listen. Fatty had never heard such a sound before.
The strange animal was on him before he knew it. Its glaring eyes blinded him. And if it had not screamed at him Fatty would never have escaped. It was the terrible screech of the monster which finally made Fatty jump. It was a frightful cry--like six wildcats all wailing together. And Fatty leaped to one side of the road just before the monster reached him.
The great creature went past Fatty like the wind and tore on up the hill. He seemed to be running so fast that he could not stop. Fatty could hear him panting as he climbed the sharp rise of the road.
Fatty c.o.o.n hurried away. He wanted to get home before the monster could stop and come back to look for him.
When Fatty told his mother about his narrow escape Mrs. c.o.o.n became much excited. She felt sure that Fatty was not mistaken, for had she not heard that strange cry herself?
There it was again! Woo-ooo-ooo-oo-o! It began low, rose to a shriek, and then died away again.
Mrs. c.o.o.n and Fatty climbed to the very top of their old poplar and gazed down the valley.
"Look, Mother!" Fatty cried. "He"s stopped at Farmer Green"s! You can see his eyes from here!"
Mrs. c.o.o.n looked. Sure enough! It was just as Fatty said. And that horrid call echoed across the valley once more.
Farmer Green stuck his head out of his chamber-window, to see what the man in the automobile wanted.
"Where"s the nearest village, please?" the stranger asked. And after Farmer Green had told him the man drove his car on again.
From their tree-top Fatty and his mother watched the monster dash down the valley. They knew he had gone, because they could see the gleam of those awful eyes.
"Do you suppose he ate up Farmer Green and his family?" Fatty asked in a frightened voice.
"I hope so," she said. "Then perhaps there"ll be no more traps in the woods."
"But who would plant the corn?" Fatty asked.
Mrs. c.o.o.n did not appear to hear his question.
XI
JASPER JAY TELLS SOME NEWS
It was quite late in the fall, and the weather had grown very cold. Mrs.
c.o.o.n and her family had not left their home for several days; but on this day she thought it would be pleasant to go out in the sunshine and get a breath of fresh air and a bite to eat.
Fatty was the only one of her children that was not asleep; and he complained of being very hungry. So Mrs. c.o.o.n decided to take him with her.
The hunting was not very good. There were no birds" eggs at all to be found in the trees. The river and the brook and the creek were all frozen over, so Fatty and his mother could not catch any fish. And as for corn--Farmer Green had long ago gathered the last ear of it. Fatty wished that it was summertime. But it only made him hungrier than ever, to think of all the good things to eat that summer brings. He was feeling very unhappy when his mother said to him sharply--
"Run up this tree! Hurry, now! Don"t ask any questions."
Now, Fatty did not always mind his mother as quickly as he might have.
But this time he saw that she had stopped and was sniffing the air as if there was something about it she did not like.
That was enough for Fatty. He scrambled up the nearest tree. For he knew that his mother had discovered danger of some sort.
Mrs. c.o.o.n followed close behind Fatty. And they had no sooner hidden in the branches than Fatty saw what it was that his mother had smelled.
It was Johnnie Green! He pa.s.sed right underneath the tree where they were perched. And as Mrs. c.o.o.n peeped down at him she shuddered and shivered and shook so hard that Fatty couldn"t help noticing it.
"What"s the matter?" he asked, as soon as Johnnie Green was out of sight.
"His cap!" Mrs. c.o.o.n exclaimed. "He is wearing a c.o.o.n-skin cap!" Now do you wonder that she was upset? "Don"t ever go near Farmer Green"s house," she warned Fatty. "You don"t want to be made into a cap, or a pair of gloves, or a coat, or anything like that, do you?"
"No, indeed, Mother!" Fatty was quite sure that such an adventure wouldn"t please him at all. And he told himself right then and there that he would never go anywhere near Farmer Green"s house. We shall see how well Fatty remembered.
That very afternoon Fatty c.o.o.n heard some very pleasant news. It was Jasper Jay who told him.
Jasper Jay was a very noisy blue jay who lived in the neighborhood. He did not go south with most of the other birds when the cold weather came. He liked the winter and he was forever tearing about the woods, squalling and scolding at everybody. He was a very noisy fellow.
Well! when Fatty and his mother had reached home after their hunt, Fatty stayed out of doors. He climbed to the top of a tall pine tree nearby and stretched himself along a limb, to enjoy the sunshine, which felt very good upon his broad back. It was there that Jasper Jay found him and told him the pleasant news. And Fatty was very glad to hear the news, because he was still hungry.
This is what Jasper Jay told Fatty: he told him that Farmer Green had as many as forty fat turkeys, which roosted every night in a spreading oak in Farmer Green"s front yard.
"If I liked turkeys I would certainly go down there some night and get one," said Jasper Jay.
XII
FORTY FAT TURKEYS
When Jasper Jay told Fatty c.o.o.n about Farmer Green"s forty fat turkeys Fatty felt hungrier than ever.
"Oh! I mustn"t go near Farmer Green"s house!" he said. "My mother told me to keep away from there. . . . What time did you say the turkeys go to roost?"