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Tale of Billy Woodchuck

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<h2>XIX</h2> <h2>MR. WOODCHUCK MOVES</h2> Mr. Woodchuck was annoyed. And he had good reason to be. The weather was fine and he had planned to spend the whole day sunning himself on a big rock not far from his own dooryard. But he had scarcely found a comfortable seat for himself, after finishing his breakfast, when he caught sight of Farmer Green and his hired man coming across the fields. They were headed straight for the pasture. And Mr. Woodchuck began to complain so loudly about his rest being disturbed, and how mean it was of Farmer Green to come poking about other people’s dooryards, that Mrs. Woodchuck came to her[96] door to see what had happened. As soon as she saw those men she called her children all home. It was too bad. But until the intruders had gone, their underground house was the best place for the whole Woodchuck family. Mr. Woodchuck alone lingered in the doorway. He made up his mind that he would not go inside until he had to, anyhow. A little later there came a terrible noise like a clap of thunder. Even in their house down there in the ground Mrs. Woodchuck and her children felt the walls shake. “What can have happened?” she asked her husband. He had come in somewhat out of breath, soon after that frightful sound. “It seems to be a new kind of gun,” he said, “though I didn’t notice that the men[97] brought one with them. It went off close to an old stump; and you should have seen the wood and dirt fly. The noise has given me a headache. That is why I came into the house.” Now, Mrs. Woodchuck knew him very well. And though he tried not to let her know it, she saw that he was scared. But she did not mention that to him. There were the children, you know. She didn’t want them to be frightened. Now and then that booming, roaring, thundering sound would burst upon their ears again. And the earth would rock. Each time that happened Mrs. Woodchuck would go to her back door, where she could not be seen easily, and peep out. And what she saw filled her with fear. Mr. Woodchuck did not help to make the day any pleasanter, for he was forever complaining about his lame back. He[98] claimed that he needed sunshine; and he said that as soon as he could find time he intended to report Farmer Green to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “This is almost enough,” he said, “to make me move to the West. I have a cousin who went there years ago. It is a long way from here—at least a mile the other side of Blue Mountain. Yes! I would move at once—except that I will not be driven out of my own house by anyone.” He looked so fierce as he said that that Billy Woodchuck thought there could be no braver person in the whole world. Then something happened that made Mr. Woodchuck change his mind very quickly. A roar ten times louder than any of the others seemed to split their ears apart. Their house was swept by a great[99] gust of wind—a thing that had never happened before. And strangest of all! their chamber became light as day! That was when Mr. Woodchuck moved. He did not stop to take even a pocket-handkerchief with him. But then, he left in a great hurry. <hr /> [100] <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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