第20章 THE TALE OF TIMMY TIPTOES(2)

Goody Tiptoes passed a lonely and unhappy night.Next morning sheventured back to the nut-bushes to look for him; but the other unkind squirrels drove her away.

She wandered all over the wood, calling--"Timmy Tiptoes! Timmy Tiptoes! Oh, where is Timmy Tiptoes?"IN the meantime Timmy Tiptoes came to his senses.He found himself tucked up in a little moss bed, very much in the dark, feeling sore; it seemed to be under ground.Timmy coughed and groaned, because his ribs hurted him.There was a chirpy noise, and a small striped Chipmunk appeared with a night light, and hoped he felt better?

It was most kind to Timmy Tiptoes; it lent him its nightcap; and the house was full of provisions.

THE Chipmunk explained that it had rained nuts through the top of the tree --"Besides, I found a few buried!" It laughed and chuckled when it heard Timmy's story.While Timmy was confined to bed, it 'ticed him to eat quantities--"But how shall I ever get out through that hole unless I thin myself? My wife will be anxious!" "Just another nut --or two nuts; let me crack them for you," said the Chipmunk.Timmy Tiptoes grew fatter and fatter!

NOW Goody Tiptoes had set to work again by herself.She did not put any more nuts into the woodpecker's hole, because she had always doubted how they could be got out again.She hid them under a tree root; they rattled down, down, down.Once when Goody emptied an extra big bagful, there was a decided squeak; and next time Goody brought another bagful, a little striped Chipmunk scrambled out in a hurry.

"IT is getting perfectly full- up down-stairs; the sitting-room is full, and they are rolling along the passage; and my husband, Chippy Hackee, has run away and left me.What is the explanation of these showers of nuts?""I am sure I beg your pardon; I did not not know that anybody lived here," said Mrs.Goody Tiptoes; "but where is Chippy Hackee? My husband, Timmy Tiptoes, has run away too." "I know where Chippy is; a little bird told me," said Mrs.Chippy Hackee.

SHE led the way to the woodpecker's tree, and they listened at the hole.

Down below there was a noise of nut crackers, and a fat squirrel voice and a thin squirrel voice were singing together--"My little old man and I fell out, How shall we bring this matter about? Bring it about as well as you can, And get you gone, you little old man!""You could squeeze in, through that little round hole," said Goody Tiptoes."Yes, I could," said the Chipmunk, "but my husband, Chippy Hackee, bites!"Down below there was a noise of cracking nuts and nibbling; and then the fat squirrel voice and the thin squirrel voice sang--"For the diddlum day Day diddle dum di! Day diddle diddle dum day!"THEN Goody peeped in at the hole, and called down--"Timmy Tiptoes! Oh fie, Timmy Tiptoes!" And Timmy replied, "Is that you, Goody Tiptoes? Why, certainly!"He came up and kissed Goody through the hole; but he was so fat that he could not get out.

Chippy Hackee was not too fat, but he did not want to come; he stayed down below and chuckled.

AND so it went on for a fortnight; till a big wind blew off the top of the tree, and opened up the hole and let in the rain.

Then Timmy Tiptoes came out, and went home with an umbrella.

BUT Chippy Hackee continued to camp out for another week, although it was uncomfortable.

AT last a large bear came walking through the wood.Perhaps he also was looking for nuts; he seemed to be sniffing around.

CHIPPY HACKEE went home in a hurry!

AND when Chippy Hackee got home, he found he had caught a cold in his head; and he was more uncomfortable still.

And now Timmy and Goody Tiptoes keep their nut-store fastened up with a little padlock.

AND whenever that little bird sees the Chipmunks, he sings--"Who's- been- digging-up MY-nuts? Who's been digging-up MY-nuts?" But nobody ever answers!

THE END