<h2><SPAN name="THE_MUSICAL_ALARM_CLOCK" id="THE_MUSICAL_ALARM_CLOCK"></SPAN>THE MUSICAL ALARM CLOCK</h2>
<p>Chippy Chipmunk sat on the Old Rail Fence, his little eyes shining like
bright glass beads, looking over toward the Old Bramble Patch.</p>
<p>Chippy Chipmunk felt very fine this particular morning. Mr. Merry Sun
shone down on the little chipmunk's back with its beautiful smooth
shining stripes of reddish brown and black, over which his little tail
was thrown like a ruffle.</p>
<p>"Helloa, helloa!" he shouted, for I guess the Little Jack Rabbit had
overslept himself that morning. "Helloa, Helloa!"</p>
<p>"Here I am," answered the little bunny, hopping up to the Old Rail
Fence. "What do you want?"</p>
<p>"Oh, nothing in particular," answered Chippy Chipmunk. "Only I was
wondering why you weren't around, that's all."</p>
<p>"I guess I'm late. You see, my Alarm Clock didn't wake up either," and
the little rabbit laughed. And just then they heard it ring, "Cling,
cling, cling, cling cling!" And then it began to sing:</p>
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">"The dew is shining on the grass<br/></span>
<span class="i0">'Tis time to be awake.<br/></span>
<span class="i0">The Morning Glory on her vine,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">The Lily on the lake,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Have lifted up a dewy head,—<br/></span>
<span class="i0">So hurry, tumble out of bed."<br/></span></div>
</div>
<p>"Come on, Chippy Chipmunk," said the little rabbit when the Alarm Clock
stopped singing, "Let's go for a walk up the Shady Forest Trail." So off
they started together and after a while, not so very far, they came to
the tree where Squirrel Nutcracker lived with his family. But Old Squire
Nutcracker wasn't at home, and neither was Mrs. Nutcracker, and of
course the two Squirrel Brothers were away. So the little rabbit and the
little chipmunk went along until they came to the Forest Pond in the
middle of which on a little island stood the big chestnut tree where Old
Barney Owl had his home.</p>
<p>"He sleeps all day," laughed the little bunny, "so he's at home!"</p>
<p>"But how are we to get over to the island?" asked Chippy Chipmunk. But
the little rabbit didn't answer. He was too busy pushing a log into the
water.</p>
<p>"Get aboard," he said to the little chipmunk, and then with a shove he
hopped on and pretty soon they reached the island, when they hopped off
and up to the big chestnut tree to knock on Old Barney Owl's front door.</p>
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">"Oh, Mr. Owl, pray do not scowl<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Because we've called on you.<br/></span>
<span class="i0">It's just a surprise, so open your eyes.<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Please, Mr. Barney, do."<br/></span></div>
</div>
<p>Now of course Little Jack Rabbit and Chippy Chipmunk knew that Old
Barney Owl couldn't see in the daytime, otherwise they wouldn't have
called on him. For Mr. Barney Owl loved to eat little rabbits and
chipmunks.</p>
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