Uncle Wiggily's Travels Page 12

  So Uncle Wiggily gave the pussy a boost up the bush, in which the robin'snest was built, and then the pussy, with her sharp claws climbed up therest of the distance all alone very nicely.

  "Now show me which are the eggs of the cowbird?" said the kittie-cat tothe robin when the nest was reached. So the robin mamma pointed out theeggs with her claw, and then with her foot the pussy clawed those cowbirdeggs out on the ground where they wouldn't hatch.

  "Now, that will be the last of those bad birds," said the pussy as shestarted to climb down to where Uncle Wiggily was waiting for her.

  "Yes, indeed, and thank you very much," spoke the robin. "Now, my littleones will have a chance to grow and live."

  And just then there was a fluttering and a rustling in the bushes, and thebad cowbird came flying past. And when she saw what had been done, and howher eggs had been tossed out of the robin's nest where they didn't belong,that cowbird flew at the pussy and was going to pick her eyes out.

  But Uncle Wiggily took his crutch, and tickled the cowbird so that shesneezed, and had to fly away without doing any harm. And Uncle Wiggilycalled after her that she ought to be ashamed of herself not to build herown nests. And I guess that cowbird was ashamed, but I'm not sure. Anyhowshe came back a little later and gathered up her eggs off the ground, andflew away with them, and what she did with them I'll tell you; oh, just assoon as you like.

  The bedtime story then will be about Uncle Wiggily and the tailorbird--that is, if the needle and thread don't dance up and down on the pincushion, and make it full of holes so the sawdust stuffing comes out andtickles the baby's pink toes.

  STORY XXXI

  UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE TAILOR BIRD

  After Uncle Wiggily and the pussy had helped the robin get the cowbird'seggs out of her nest, as I told you in the story before this, the rabbitand the kittie stayed in the woods a little while talking to the mammabird.

  "I should like to see the little robins hatch out of the eggs," said thepussy, as she frisked her tail about and smoothed out her fur.

  "So should I," added Uncle Wiggily.

  "I will gladly let you see my little birdies hatch," spoke the robin, "butit will take nearly a week yet, and you will have to wait."

  "Oh, I can't wait as long as that," went on the rabbit. "I must be off toseek my fortune."

  "Yes, and I must go and find my clothespin house," said the pussy.

  So they said good-by to the mamma robin, and away the pussy and UncleWiggily went, over the hills and down the dales through the woods and overlittle brooks.

  Pretty soon they came to a place in the woods where there were a wholelot of flowers nodding their heads in the wind, and it was such a prettyplace that Uncle Wiggily and the pussy stayed there a little while. And inabout a minute they heard something flying through the bushes and out flewthat same cowbird, and she laughed just as hard as she could laugh, as shepassed along.

  "Somebody is going to be surprised!" cried the cowbird and she flutteredher wings at the rabbit and the kittie, and then she hid herself off inthe woods.

  "I wonder what she means?" asked the pussy.

  "I'm sure I don't know," replied the rabbit. "But did you notice that shedidn't have her eggs with her?"

  "Sure enough!" exclaimed the pussy. "She must have left them in some otherbird's nest."

  "Well, we had better keep on, for it is getting late," spoke UncleWiggily, "and I want to find your clothespin house for you."

  On they hurried through the trees, and pretty soon--Oh, I guess about aslong as it takes you to eat a stick of peppermint candy--they suddenlycame to the pussy's clothespin house.

  "Oh, here's where I live!" she cried. "How glad I am to get back home!"She hurried in through the front door and no sooner was she inside thanshe cried out:

  "Come here! Come here, quickly, Uncle Wiggily! Did you ever see such asight in all your born days?"

  "What is it?" asked the rabbit, as he hopped in, and he was half afraidthat there might be a burglar fox hiding in the pussy's house.

  But it wasn't anything like that. Instead the rabbit saw the pussypointing to her bed, and there, right in the middle of the featherpillows, were some eggs.

  "The cowbird's eggs!" cried the kittie. "That's what she meant when shesaid some one was going to be surprised. Indeed, I am the one who issurprised. She brought her eggs here, thinking I would hatch them out forher, but I'll not do it!"

  So the pussy threw the eggs out of the window, on some soft straw, wherethey wouldn't be broken, and pretty soon that cowbird came back, as angryas a lion without any tail. And she grabbed up her eggs, and this time shetook them to the monkey, who played five hand-organs at once. And themonkey was a good-natured sort of a chap, so he hatched out the cowbird'seggs for her, and soon he had a lot of little calfbirds, and when theygrew up they gave him no end of trouble.

  "Well, now you are safe home," said Uncle Wiggily to the pussy, "I willtravel on."

  "First, let me fill your valise with something to eat," said the kittiecat, and she did so, and then the rabbit hopped on. He looked all over forhis fortune, but he couldn't find it, and pretty soon it got dark nightand he went to sleep in a hollow stump.

  "Surely, I will find my fortune to-day," thought Uncle Wiggily, as hearose the next morning, and combed out his whiskers. It was a bright,beautiful sunshiny morning, and everything was cheerful, and the birdswere singing. But, in spite of all that, something happened to the rabbit.

  He was just going past a berry bush, and he was reaching up to pick offsome of the red raspberries, when all at once a sharp claw was thrust outfrom the bush and a grab was made for the rabbit.

  "Now, I've got you!" cried a savage voice.

  "No, you haven't!" exclaimed Uncle Wiggily, and he jumped back just as asavage wolf sprang out at him.

  "Oh, don't worry, I'll get you yet!" went on the wolf and he made anotherspring. But the rabbit was ready for him and ran down the hill and thewolf ran after him, howling at the top of his grillery-growlery voice,for he was very hungry.

  My! how Uncle Wiggily did run. And the wolf ran also, and he was catchingup to the rabbit, and probably would have eaten him all up, but just thena kind bumble bee who knew Uncle Wiggily flew off a tree branch and stungthat wolf on the end of his nose.

  That wolf gave a howl, and made one more grab for Uncle Wiggily, but heonly managed to catch hold of his coat tails in his teeth, and there thewolf held on.

  "Let go of Uncle Wiggily!" buzzed the bee.

  "No I won't!" cried the wolf, most impolite-like.

  "Then I'll sting you again!" cried the bee, and she did so, and the rabbitgave a great pull, and he managed to pull himself away from the wolf. But,alas! Uncle Wiggily's nice red coat was all tattered and torn.

  "Oh, whatever shall I do?" cried Uncle Wiggily as the wolf ran away downthe hill and the rabbit looked at the torn and ripped coat. "I never cango on seeking my fortune with a torn coat."

  "I am sorry," said the bee, "but I can not help you. But if you see thetailor bird she may mend your coat for you."

  So the bee buzzed away and Uncle Wiggily went on looking for the tailorbird. This is a bird that makes a nest by sewing leaves together withgrass for thread. And would you believe me, in a little while UncleWiggily saw the very bird he wanted.

  She was making a nest with her bill for a needle and some dried grass forthread, and she was sewing the leaves together.

  "Will you kindly mend my coat for me where the wolf tore it?" asked therabbit politely.

  "Indeed I will," said the tailor bird. So she took some long, strongpieces of grass for thread. Then she made her sharp bill go back and forthin the cloth of Uncle Wiggily's coat and soon it was all mended again asgood as new. Then the rabbit thanked the bird and started off again toseek his fortune and you could hardly see where his coat was torn.

  Then Uncle Wiggily was very thankful to the tailor bird, and he stayed ather house for some time, helping her sweep the sidewalk mornings, andbringing up coal, a
nd all things like that. And the old gentleman had somemore adventures.

  But as I have already made this book quite long, I think I will have tosave the rest of the stories for another one. I'll get it ready as soonas I can for you, and the name of it is going to be "Uncle Wiggily'sFortune."

  Just think of that! He really does find his fortune in that book, thoughhe has quite some trouble, let me tell you. But bless your hearts! Troubleis only another kind of fun!

  So now we will say good-by to Uncle Wiggily for a time, and soon you mayhear more about him. Good-by and good luck to all of you.

  THE END

  * * * * *

  Uncle Wiggily Picture Books

  Three stories ineach bookByHoward R. Garis

  UNCLE WIGGILY'SSNOW PUDDING]

  Also twenty-sevencolor picturesByLang Campbell

  In these funny little books you can see in bright colored pictures theadventures of myself and my woodland friends. Also the pictures of somebad fellows, whose names you know.

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  No. 1. UNCLE WIGGILY'S AUTO SLED

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  No. 2. UNCLE WIGGILY'S SNOW MAN

  If the umbrella doesn't go out in the rain and splash water all over therubber boots on the gold fish, you may read

  No. 3. UNCLE WIGGILY'S HOLIDAYS

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  No. 4. UNCLE WIGGILY'S APPLE ROAST

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  No. 5. UNCLE WIGGILY'S PICNIC

  If the sugar cookie doesn't go out walking with the fountain pen, and getall black so it looks like a chocolate cake, you may read

  No. 6. UNCLE WIGGILY GOES FISHING

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