Chatterer Laughs Last

Part One · Corn for Sammy

For three days, Sammy Jay stayed away. Chatterer the Red Squirrel began to wonder why.

Had Sammy grown tired of corn? Chatterer hoped so. He had not liked fetching it one bit.

Chatterer had learned his lesson. He had hidden corn in many places. Some was in a hollow apple tree.

On the fourth morning, Sammy came flapping down. "Good morning, Chatterer!" he said sweetly. "I am a little hungry."

"What a surprise," said Chatterer, and he bowed low. "I have the very best corn for you. Wait right here."

Sammy gave a polite nod. But he kept grinning. His eyes kept going to the stone wall.

Chatterer saw it. He looked where Sammy looked. In the grass was a patch of red.

It was Reddy Fox, lying flat and still. "Aha," thought Chatterer. "So that is the game."

Chatterer did not go near the wall. He ran up the apple tree. He raced along a branch to the hollow trunk.

He stuffed his cheeks with corn. Then he came back through the branches. He dropped it at Sammy's feet.

Sammy gobbled it fast, and did not enjoy it. He kept looking at the fox. The fox did not move.

Sammy flew off. Then Chatterer saw Reddy Fox creep away. His tail was low.

Chatterer laughed and laughed. He had known all along. "Next time," he thought, "it will be Sammy's turn."