Part 4 (1/2)

Instead of wanting to drive Polly Chuck away froan to worry for fear that Polly Chuck ht of that, his heart would sink ay down, and he would hurry to look for her and make sure that she was still there

When he was beside her, he felt very big and strong and brave and longed for a chance to show her how brave he was She was such a tihtened her, and Johnny Chuck was glad that this was so, for it gave him a chance to protect her

When he wasn't with her, he spent his ti for new patches of sweet clover to take her to At first she wouldn't go without a great deal of coaxing, but after a while he didn't have to coax at all She seeht to be with hirew happier and happier He was happier than he had ever been in all his life before You see Johnny Chuck had found the greatest thing in the world Do you knohat it is? It is called love

XII JOHNNY CHUCK PROVES HIS LOVE

These spring days were beautiful days on the Green Meadows It seemed to Johnny Chuck that the Green Meadows never had been so lovely or the songs of the birds so sweet He had forgotten all about his old friends, Jimmy Skunk and Peter Rabbit and the other little meadow people

You see, he couldn't think of anybody but Polly Chuck, and he didn't want to be with anybody but Polly Chuck He had even forgotten that he had started out to see the world He didn't care anything more about the world All he wanted was to be where Polly Chuck was Then he was perfectly happy That was because Johnny Chuck had found the greatest thing in the world, which is love But Johnny still had one great wish, the wish that hehe was and hoell he could take care of her

Onein a patch of sweet clover over near an old stone wall It was the same stone wall in which Johnny Chuck had escaped from old Whitetail the Marshhahen Johnny was a very little fellow

Suddenly Polly gave a little screa alht was to run to the old stone wall He was nearer to it than Polly was Then he saw that that dreadful dog would catch Polly before she could reach the stone wall

A great rage filled Johnny's heart, just as it had when he had fought the old gray Chuck Every hair stood on end, not with fear, but with anger, and he sprang in front of Polly

”Run, Polly, run!” he cried, and Polly ran

But Johnny didn't run Oh, ether ready to spring He showed all his sharp teeth and ground theely Little sparks of fire seen of fear in Johnny Chuck then, not the least little bit Just in front of hi and foolish dog, and he was terribly excited He barked until he almost lost his breath He didn't like the looks of Johnny Chuck's sharp teeth

So he circled around Johnny, trying to get behind hi circled, and always the little dog found those sharp teeth directly in front of him He barked and barked, until it seemed as if he would bark his head off

Finally the little dog, as young and foolish, grew tired of just dancing around and barking ”Pooh!” said he to hi and sprang straight at Johnny with an ugly growl

Johnny Chuck was ready for hi

His sharp teeth closed on one of the little dog's ears, and he held on while with his stout claws he scratched and tore

The little dog, as young and foolish and hadn't yet learned how to fight, couldn't get hold of Johnny Chuck anywhere Then he tried to shake Johnny Chuck off, but he couldn't, because Johnny held on to that ear with his sharp teeth

”Kiyi-yi-yi-yi!” yelled the little dog, for those teeth hurt dreadfully

”Kiyi-yi-yi-yi!”

Over and over they rolled and tuet away, and Johnny Chuck holding on to the little dog's ear Finally Johnny had to let go to get his breath The little dog sprang to his feet and started for home across the Green Meadows as fast as he could run

Johnny Chuck shook hirow fainter and fainter ”I'lad it wasn't Bowser the Hound,” muttered Johnny Chuck, as he started towards the old stone wall

There he found Polly Chuck peeping out at hiht

”My, how brave you are!” said Polly Chuck

”Pooh, that's nothing!” replied Johnny Chuck