Part 1 (1/2)

The Tale of Sandy Chipmunk.

by Arthur Scott Bailey.

I

SANDY'S NAME

In the first place, no doubt you will want to learn why he was known as _Sandy_. Many others, before you, have wondered how Sandy Chipmunk came by his name.

Whenever any one asked Sandy himself why he was so called, he always said that he was in too great a hurry to stop to explain. And it is a fact that of all the four-footed folk in Pleasant Valley--and on Blue Mountain as well--he was one of the busiest. He was a great worker. And when he played--as he sometimes did--he played just as hard as he worked.

In spite of his being so busy, there may have been another reason why he never would tell any one why he was named Sandy. Jimmy Rabbit was the first to suggest that perhaps Sandy Chipmunk didn't know.

Jimmy and some of his neighbors were sunning themselves in Farmer Green's pasture one day. And while they were idling away the afternoon Sandy Chipmunk scurried past on top of the stone wall, with his cheek-pouches full of nuts.

”There goes Sandy Chipmunk!” Jimmy Rabbit exclaimed. He called to Sandy.

But Sandy did not stop. He made no answer, either, beyond a flick of his tail. You see, his mouth was so full that he couldn't say a word.

”I was going to ask him about his name,” Jimmy Rabbit remarked. ”I've almost made up my mind that he doesn't know any more about it than anybody else.”

”Probably he doesn't,” Fatty c.o.o.n agreed. ”But it's easy to see why he's called Sandy. He likes to dig in the _sandy_ soil in this pasture.”

”I don't agree with you,” Billy Woodchuck said. ”_I_ think he was named Sandy on account of his yellowish, reddish, brownish color.”

Some of the others thought that Billy might have guessed the right answer. But Frisky Squirrel told them that that wasn't the reason at all.

”It's because he's _plucky_,” he declared. ”You know, _gritty_ is the same as _plucky_. And _sandy_ is the same as _gritty_. That's the reason,” Frisky said. ”It's plain as the nose on your face.” He was looking straight at Tommy Fox as he said that.

Now, Tommy Fox had a very long nose. And he became angry at once. His face would have grown red, probably, if it hadn't been that color always.

”You don't know what you're talking about!” he snapped.

Old Mr. Crow, who sat in a tree nearby, nodded his head.

”You're all wrong,” he told them. ”The reason for calling that young Chipmunk boy Sandy is because his real name is Alexander. And everybody who knows anything at all knows that Sandy is just a short way of saying Alexander.”

When they heard that, Fatty c.o.o.n and Billy Woodchuck and Frisky Squirrel looked foolish. People thought Mr. Crow was a wise old gentleman. And when he said a thing was so, that usually settled it.

”Here he comes again!” Mr. Crow said.

They all looked around. And sure enough! there was Sandy Chipmunk, hurrying along the top of the wall, to get more nuts to store away for the winter.

”Wait a moment!” Mr. Crow called to him. ”I want to tell you something.”

Sandy Chipmunk came to a halt and sat up on top of a stone, with his tail curled over his back.

”Talk fast, please!” he said. ”I'm in a great hurry. Winter will be here before you know it. And I want to store away a great many nuts before somebody else gathers them all.”