CHAPTER VBAD NEWS
WhenReady opened his eyes, he found himself in the loveliest little bed in the world. The animals by digging, gnawing, and scratching had made a large hollow place in the ground, and the birds had lined it with feathers. Even the flowers had given some of their leaves for the pillow.
You have no idea how comfortable it was. The Eagle’s trained nurse was giving Ready a teaspoonful of medicine every other minute. A special dog doctor was taking his pulse, and hundreds of birds were standing by waiting for orders. Ready really felt very comfortable.
A special dog doctor was taking his pulse
A special dog doctor was taking his pulse
“He is better,” said the dog doctor, “but not yet on his feet.” Of course that was quite true, was it not?
“Is there anything you would like?” asked the trained nurse.
Ready raised his head and said anxiously, “May I still have my first wish granted, if I ask for anything else?”
“Certainly,” said the Eagle.
“Certainly,” said all the others.
“I very much want something to eat,” said Ready, falling back upon the pillows.
Such a commotion as there was then! Twenty blue-birds at once brought in a tray of liver. A course of bones followed, and a large dish of milk was served for dessert. Ready was a very happy dog indeed.
Then the Eagle said, “We will all have recess and refreshments.”
Twenty blue birds brought in a tray of liver
Twenty blue birds brought in a tray of liver
Now there was much moving about, eating, and talking. Every one came up to Ready and spoke to him. Many begged him to make week-end visits. Some asked him to house parties, and all the young dogs wanted his photograph.
At last the Eagle raised his rod and every one came to order. “We will now,” he saidin a businesslike manner, “try to find Master Dick’s home at the seashore.”
Ready then told him all he knew about it, which, of course, was very little. It was a red house near the sea with a pine tree in front of it.
“That is quite enough,” said the Eagle, “I will send out my messengers to find it.”
The Eagle now called together his trusty messengers. There were five of them. A Blue Heron for watchfulness; a Crow for good judgment; a Swift for rapid flight; a Night Hawk for keen eyesight; and a little Sparrow for running the errands.
The Eagle talked to them all in a low tone for a few minutes, giving them directions and money for the journey.
Then the dance began, and who do you thinkwas Ready’s partner this time? Why, the Eagle of course! It is a splendid thing to dance with the King of Birds, and a rare thing for a dog.
It seemed to be dog night, for the Owl, who had not danced for years, stepped out with a dog. The Owl knew only one dance, an old-fashioned hop waltz. The dog knew no dance at all. He jostled about on his hind legs.
They really looked so ridiculous that some gay young cat-birds laughed aloud, and called out, “Toddle, toddle, don’t just waddle.”
They were immediately cuffed by their elders
They were immediately cuffed by their elders
They were immediately cuffed by their elders for such bad manners, and made to sit out a whole dance in the dressing room, which was curtained off from the rest of the place by a row of young pine trees.
Telegram for the Eagle
Telegram for the Eagle
Suddenly the dance was interrupted by the entrance of the young Sparrow, who had returned with a telegram for the Eagle.
Everything stopped at once and the Eagle’s grandson immediately flew to the top of thegreat oak tree, where his honored grandfather’s spectacles had been placed in an oriole’s nest for safe-keeping.
He returned in twenty seconds and found everybody waiting breathlessly.
The Eagle looked troubled after he had read the telegram. Then he and the Owl whispered silently together.
“Bad news,” cawed the crows.
“Bad news,” shrieked the blue jays.
“Bad news,” squeaked the field mice.
The noise was terrific, and the Eagle waved his rod angrily, crying, “Silence!”
“We are having trouble with the moths, butterflies and bats,” he continued sternly, hitting at a restless young pullet.
“You remember, that once we asked them tojoin our gathering, but the bats behaved so badly by bumping into everything that it broke up the dancing.
“Bad news,” cawed the crows and shrieked the blue jays
“Bad news,” cawed the crows and shrieked the blue jays
“The moths also were too silly for words. They almost stopped the orchestra by hitting them all the time. As for the butterflies, they went to bed as usual without even taking the trouble to send regrets.”
“Shameful, shameful!” hissed everybody.
“And so,” continued the Eagle, “we havenever given them another invitation.”
“Why should we?” sang a king bird shrilly.
“Why should we?” squeaked and piped, barked and crowed, chirped and croaked, the whole company.
“But,” the Eagle went on, waving his rod for silence, “the bats did not like being left out, and now they refuse to carry my messages over their telegraph wires. They have formed a union against us, and I can get nothing through to the Sandpiper because it is over a wire which they control. The telegram reads:
“REFUSE TO SEND SANDPIPER MESSAGE UNLESS ADMITTED TO MEETINGTO-NIGHT.”
“REFUSE TO SEND SANDPIPER MESSAGE UNLESS ADMITTED TO MEETINGTO-NIGHT.”
Of course no one understood a word of this message except the Owl, who kept a Book ofKnowledge in his nest and always brought it with him in case it should be needed. He now explained that the message meant that they would not be able to get Ready back to Master Dick unless the moths and bats were allowed to come to the meeting that night.
The Owl kept a Book of Knowledge
The Owl kept a Book of Knowledge
He also explained that this telegram had been written by the oldest Bat in the world, who, for several years, had made his home in the attic ofone of the offices of the Western Union Telegraph Company. That is where he had learned all the big words to put in telegrams, and also that no self-respecting telegram could have more than ten words in it.
The Owl explained this very clearly to everyone. He even pointed out the words in the telegram and they all counted them aloud: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.”
“Your Majesty, I think there is but one thing to do,” said the Owl at last in a firm voice, “and that is to grant them admittance to-night.”
“We will put it to a vote,” said the Eagle, stepping up to his throne and rapping loudly for order. Then he shouted, “All in favor of getting Ready home by admitting these bats, moths and butterflies, say ‘Aye.’”
“Aye,” shouted everybody and everything.
Ready felt that he ought not to vote on such a delicate matter, but he could not help wagging his tail.
“Contrary ‘No,’” shrieked the Eagle.
Silence from everybody, for they were quite used to public meetings now, and the wiser birds and beasts always watched the foolish ones and cuffed them if they made a sound.
“The motion is carried,” said the Eagle. “The Owl will now send a telegram to admit them. The message will reach the Sandpiper and all will be right in ten minutes.”
The Owl, being a wise old bird, had the telegram prepared beforehand. It said:
ACCEPT TERMS. SEND MESSAGE TO SANDPIPER AND COME AT ONCE.
ACCEPT TERMS. SEND MESSAGE TO SANDPIPER AND COME AT ONCE.
If you will count, you will see that this telegram has exactly ten words. Wasn’t that very clever of the Owl?
The ten minutes passed very quickly, as everybody was talking in little groups about telegrams. Many tried to write them. You could hear a group of young crows counting the words, “Caw, caw, caw.”
The oldest Bat in the world appeared
The oldest Bat in the world appeared
Suddenly, without a word of warning, the oldest Bat in the world appeared with four or five foolish moth millers. Of course no butterflies came.
The Bat flew immediately toward the Eagle and almost knocked off his glasses. Then, after running into the Owl, he batted about the dance hall. The millers followed, trying hard to imitate him.
The Bat next sat for a few moments on a rooster’s back and then hit a swallow who was flying across the floor. Finally, without a word of good-bye he was off again, with the millers flopping feebly after him.
Everybody was much relieved to have it all over. Indeed, most of the lady birds and beasts had been so frightened that they put their handkerchiefsover their heads.
The warblers started a song at once and soon everybody joined in.
“Zee, Zee, Zee,Happy are we.Gone are the Bats,So remove your hats.”
“Zee, Zee, Zee,Happy are we.Gone are the Bats,So remove your hats.”
“Zee, Zee, Zee,Happy are we.Gone are the Bats,So remove your hats.”
“Zee, Zee, Zee,
Happy are we.
Gone are the Bats,
So remove your hats.”
The Eagle almost smiled as he announced: “Now the plans are made for Ready’s departure.” He did not even need to rap for silence, for everybody was so interested.
“My trusty messengers have just telephoned me that everything is all right,” the Eagle continued. “They have stopped for refreshments and rest at the Night Hawk’s house and will return shortly.
“You must start at once with the Chipmunks,” he said, looking most kindly at Ready, whocame and knelt before him. “Good running will bring you to the end of the woods by dawn. I have telegraphed ahead to have your breakfast waiting for you under the last oak tree in the woods.
“It is to be guarded by the Red Headed Woodpecker, who has kindly consented to give his services. Rest here a half hour, but no longer.
“Then the Swallows will show you the way to the beach. They have promised to fly low so that you will not lose them.
“About noon, you will meet a Field Mouse. If she says, ‘Ready,’ you will follow her to a place where your dinner will be hidden. There you will meet the Sandpiper, who will take you along the beach until you come to an inlet.
“You must go the rest of the way alone, as the Heron, who was to take you, has appendicitis. The road, however is straight ahead and will take you to your master’s home.”
The Chipmunks were putting on their overcoats
The Chipmunks were putting on their overcoats
Ready bowed low before the Eagle, barking his thanks again and again, while the Chipmunks were putting on their overcoats for the journey.
Some one called out “Speech, speech,” but the Eagle put a stop to that by saying thatReady needed to save his strength for the journey.
An old Frog gave Ready the queerest thing
An old Frog gave Ready the queerest thing
Just then an old Frog hopped up and gave Ready the queerest thing. You could never guess what it was—a hot-water bag!
She said in a croaking voice, “I have never really been warm in my life, but a hot water bag has been a great comfort to me, and has kept me next door to warm.”
There was nothing for Ready to do withouthurting this old Frog’s feelings, but to accept the bag with thanks. Yet he wondered how he could ever carry such an awkward thing. However, the trained nurse kindly fastened it to his collar and then he started off with the Chipmunks.
They heard the animals cheering and calling “Good luck to Ready!” long after they were out of sight.