Part 2 (1/2)
That really began to worry hiht that it was all a joke on the part of the little people of the Green Forest and the Green Meadows, and that they had an to think that it ht be true that he did talk in his sleep, and this worried him a whole lot If he did that, Hooty the Oould surely find hi there wouldn't be anything left of him but a few feathers froht about it, the an to grow thin He kept out of sight whenever possible and no longer screah the Green Forest In fact his voice was rarely heard during the day But it seeht At least everybody said that he was Worse still, different ones said that they heard him in different places in the Green Forest and even down on the Green Meadows Could it be that he was flying about as well as talking in his sleep? And nobody believed hiht that he ake and doing it purposely They ht, for his eyes are ht and not for darkness, like the eyes of Boohthawk and Hooty the Owl But they didn't seeht they heard hi Brook Yet everywhen he awoke, Saht before, safely hidden in the thickest part of a big pine-tree
”If they are not all crazy, then I must be,” said Sammy Jay to himself, as he turned away from the breakfast which he could not eat Then he had a happy idea ”Why didn't I think of it before? I'll sleep all day, and then I'll keep awake all night and see what happens then!” he exclaimed
So Sammy Jay hurried away to the darkest part of the Green Forest and tried to sleep through the day
VII
SAMMY JAY SITS UP ALL NIGHT
Sammy Jay sat in the dark and shi+vered Sammy was lonely, more lonely than he had ever supposed anybody could be And to tell the truth Sammy Jay was scared Yes, Sir, that was just the way Sammy Jay felt--scared Every time a leaf rustled, Sammy jumped almost out of his skin His heart went pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat He could hear it hiht he could, and it see, he would surely hear it
You see it was the first tione to sleep just as soon as jolly, round, red Mr Sun had pulled his rosy night-cap on and gone to bed behind the Purple Hills But to-night Sa pine-tree and kept blinking his eyes to keep froo to sleep at all that night, no ht be He just would keep his eyes and his ears wide open
What was he doing it for? Why, because all the little ht lately Sa in the harsh, unpleasant way he does during the day, and some of them were very cross, because they said that he waked them up when they wanted to sleep Now Saht unless--well, unless he did it in his sleep and didn't know it So he had ht and see if in theany one would say that he had waked theh the Green Forest and grow blacker and blacker The blacker they grew, the lonesomer he beca at all, and every little noise ht, but in the dark, when you cannot see a thing, every little sound seeives you such a creepy, creepy feeling Sammy Jay had it now He felt so creepy that it see over and over to hi to be afraid of I'm just as safe as if I was fast asleep” But still he shi+vered and shook
By and by, looking up through the top of the big pine-tree, he saw the little stars coht down at hi at him in the jolliest way Somehow, he didn't feel quite so lonely then, and he tried to wink back Then little, soft, silvery bars of light began to creep through the branches of the trees and along the ground They were moonbeaan to feel better
”Whooo-hoo-hoo, whooo-hoo!”
It was a terrible sound, fierce and hungry Sammy Jay nearly fell froht Then he remembered just in ti-cry of Hooty the Owl Sa heap, while twice h the Green Forest Then a shadow floated over the big pine-tree Hooty the Owl had floithout seeing him, and Sammy breathed easier
VIII
SAMMY JAY IS GLAD HE SAT UP ALL NIGHT
Sa awake now Not a bit! He couldn't have gone to sleep if he wanted to--not since Hooty the Owl had frightened hi-call
He was too frightened and shi+very and creepy to sleep But he didn't want to, anyway
So he sat in the thickest part of the big pine-tree, shi+vering and creepy and o down the Lone Little Path on his way to Fanner Brown's cornfield, where the corn was just beginning to get ht he saw Peter Rabbit jureatest kind of a time all by himself Pretty soon Peter was joined by his cousin, Jumper the Hare Such antics as they did cut up! Sahed aloud as he watched It was less lonely with them there, and he did want to call to them dreadfully But that would never, never do, for no one ht
By and by along caht He touched noses with Peter Rabbit and Ju” in the Green Forest
”Isn't it most time for Sammy Jay to scream in his sleep?” asked Peter Rabbit
Sammy pricked up his ears ”Scream in his sleep! Nonsense! Sammy Jay isn't any more asleep than I ahten good honest folks ant to sleep For my part, I don't see what any one wants to sleep for on such a fine night as this, anyway It serves 'eet waked up,” replied Jimmy Skunk
”But Sa about it,” said Peter Rabbit ”Have you ever seen hiht, Jimmy Skunk?”
”No, I don't have to,” replied Jiuess I know his voice when I hear it, and I've heard it enough tioodness knows! Tell me this, Peter Rabbit: who else is there that cries 'Thief!