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Tale of Billy Woodchuck

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<h2>X</h2> <h2>UNCLE JERRY CHUCK</h2> Not only Mr. Woodchuck, but his friends as well, were angry with Billy, because he forgot to whistle a warning to them, when dog Spot caught them in the clover-patch. And whenever they met Billy Woodchuck anywhere they would scold at him, and tell him that he was a heedless, careless boy. “It will be a long time before you have another chance to be a sentinel and listen for danger,” Uncle Jerry Chuck told him. After he heard that, there was nothing that Billy wanted to do so much as to stand guard again. Before, he had been happy and contented. But now that he learned[54] that there was something he mightn’t do he knew he should never be satisfied until he did it. Every day Billy went to one of his father’s friends and asked him if he didn’t want somebody to listen for him. But they all told him that he was a good-for-nothing rascal and bade him be off. Finally Billy went to Uncle Jerry Chuck’s house and fairly begged the old gentleman to let him do some listening. The sly old gentleman had been waiting for just that thing. He was very fond of taking naps in the sunshine and he wanted to find some youngster like Billy, with sharp ears, to stay near him while he slept and waken him in case some enemy should see him. Now, if Uncle Jerry had been willing to pay them, he might have found plenty of first-class listeners. But he was stingy.[55] He was always trying to get something for nothing. And now he said to Billy: “I’ll give you just one more chance. Maybe you learned a lesson down in the clover-patch. Perhaps you won’t forget to remember to whistle, after what happened that time.” “No, Uncle Jerry!” said Billy Woodchuck. He was very polite. “When may I begin?” he asked. “Right now!” Uncle Jerry told him. “Come with me, up on top of the big rock.” And he walked off at once, with Billy at his side. “But there’s nothing for you to eat there,” said Billy. “Eat?” Uncle Jerry exclaimed. “I’m not going to eat. I’m going to sleep.” So Uncle Jerry Chuck went to sleep on top of the big rock. All the time he slept, Billy Woodchuck sat upon his hind legs[56] and listened with all his might and main. But his sharp ears caught no hint of danger. After a while he began to wish that old Spot would come along—or a skunk or a fox. For it seemed as if Uncle Jerry never would wake up again. Billy wouldn’t have minded quite so much, if Uncle Jerry hadn’t snored. But, of course, that made it much harder to listen. At last Uncle Jerry Chuck opened his eyes and slowly rose to his feet and stretched himself. “You’ve done very well, for a beginner,” he told Billy. “Come back here to-morrow at the same hour and I’ll try you again.” Now, Billy Woodchuck had done enough listening to last him for a long time. But he didn’t know just how to tell[57] that to Uncle Jerry. And almost before he knew it he found himself saying: “Yes, sir!” <hr /> [58] <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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