Chapter VIII The Gentle South Wind
Chapter VIII The Gentle South Wind
Towards evening, they reached the top of a high hill, where Mr. Ring-Tailed Snorter stopped leaping, and gazed towards the South.
“Here comes my friend,” said he. “Good bye,” and without a “by your leave,” or the chanceof a “Thank you again,” the South wind had caught up Mr. Bushy Tail and was whirling him rapidly Northwards.
For nearly a week they travelled on, but much more pleasantly than with the fierce North wind.
At times the wind would stop blowing, and Mr. Bushy Tail would be gently dropped in some pretty wood or meadow, where he could find plenty to eat and to drink.
He filled his bag to overflowing with the most delicious squirrel’s food, and only regretted that the bag was not bigger.
At last one evening, the wind softly dropped him, and blew on alone. Mr. Bushy Tail looked about him, and saw that he was in his own woods, only a short distance from home.
How fast he scampered toward his house tree. He scarcely noticedthat since he had gone away Spring had come, and the first soft green shoots were covering the trees. The grass was full of flowers, and the birds were singing merrily.
Quickly he ran up into his nest, and there they all were, the dear wee family; Mrs. Bushy Tail, the children, and dear old Grandmother Chipmunk.
How delighted they were to see him. Poor little Mrs. Bushy Tailquite broke down and cried with joy, for she had never expected to see her husband alive again.
Mr. Chipmunk and Mr. Red Squirrel had come over, a few days after Mr. Bushy Tail’s visit, to inquire if he had reached home safely, and to bring great bags of provisions. When they heard that their friend was still missing, they had looked very anxious and sad.
The snow storm, in which Mr.Bushy Tail was blown away, had turned into such an awful blizzard, that every one thought he had been buried in the deep snow and frozen.
What a fine supper Mrs. Bushy Tail cooked from the wonderful bag, and how much they all ate.
Mr. Bushy Tail was told what a good boy Frisky had been, and how the baby had cut a new tooth, with which he had accidentally bitten Grandma Chipmunk.
Then, after the baby had been tucked away in his soft nest, they all sat down close to the fire, while Mr. Bushy Tail, taking Frisky on hisknee, told them of all his wonderful adventures. Of Mr. Quilly Ant-Eater and the Ring-Tailed Snorter; of that surprising slide down Mrs.Mole’s chimney, and of the terrible North wind.
And there we will leave them, a happy and contented little family.