"They must think it's Candy"]
BUDDY JIM AND THE HARVEST MICE
_The golden glow was waving Her pom-poms in the sun, And the click of busy reapers said That harvest had begun; The Sumac trees were dressing up In gowns of crimson hue But there didn't seem to be a thing A little boy could do._
Buddy Jim sat on the top step of the porch and didn't know _what_ todo! He had fed the rabbits and chickens, and everybody else was busy!He had been told that he must not go to the harvest field because themen didn't want little boys around machinery; and _nearly_ he was_lonesome_! Then Old Bob the gardener came by with his cheery whistleand his "Hello, Buddy, old scout, what's doing today?" "Nothing," saidBuddy. "Why, Bob?" "Well," said Old Bob the gardener, "I'm pretty busy,myself, today, and I was wondering if perhaps a little boy about yoursize wouldn't be so kind as to go down to the far pasture and salt thesheep for me."
"Why, of course I will," said Buddy Jim. "But, Bob, how _do_ you saltsheep?"
"Oh," said Old Bob the gardener, "you just take some salt along andsprinkle it on the ground. I always put it near the big flat rock justinside the five barred gate. The sheep will come and get it. They willbe there by the time _you_ are most likely, because they can smell salta long way."
"Shall I take Old Dog Sandy along, Bob?" asked Buddy. "Better not,"advised old Bob the gardener, "he wouldn't hurt them, I know, but thesheep would not understand. They think all dogs are their enemies."
When Buddy got to the far pasture the sheep were all in sight nibblingat the short grass. As soon as they saw him scattering the salt onthe ground, how they _did_ run to get it! Buddy climbed up on thefive-barred gate to watch them eat it. "They must think it's candy," hesaid to himself.
After they had eaten every tiniest bit of the salt, the old bellwether started away and all the others followed him. "They are goingto the spring now to get a drink," thought Buddy Jim. "So I think I'llgo home." But just then who should fly gracefully along and lighton the top bar of the five-barred gate quite near to Buddy Jim, butMr. Red-headed Woodpecker, dressed all in his very best. He paid noattention at all to Buddy. He just sat there thinking about something.Then he flew over to an old stump with a hole in one side of it for adoor, and began knocking loudly with his long bill on the side of thestump.
Presently a little bit of a Mother person came to the door and peepedout. When she saw who was there she drew her head back, and Buddy heardher say: "Please, Mr. Woodpecker, don't make so much noise. My babiescan't sleep at all."
"O, so you are at home this time, Mrs. Harvest Mouse," said Red-headedWoodpecker. "Well, I've come to collect my rent, if you please!"
"I am sorry, Mr. Woodpecker," said the little Mother person, "but thereisn't a thing in the house that you could use. Father Harvest Mouse hashad to get up early and go out to find something for our own breakfast."
"In that case," said Mr. Red-headed Woodpecker, "I'll wait until hecomes back, and if he doesn't bring something that I like better,why, baby mice will taste pretty good," and he began drumming on theold stump again. "I wonder what I can do to help that little Motherperson?" Buddy asked himself. He could hear the little Mother tryingto hush her frightened babies, and he knew that she was just as muchfrightened as they were. Just then little Father Harvest Mouse camerunning along the top bar of the five-barred gate. He had his mouthfull of heads of wheat. They stuck out from his funny little face justlike big whiskers, and he _could_ hardly see over them. He stoppedshort as he heard Red-headed Woodpecker knocking at his door, and thenhe saw Buddy Jim. "O dear, O dear," he said, as well as he could withhis mouth full of wheat, "this place is full of enemies! It is quitetime that we moved."
"I'm not your enemy," said Buddy Jim, softly.
"Aren't you?" said the little fellow. "Well, you can see for yourselfthat Red-headed Woodpecker is."
"Why did he ask Mrs. Harvest Mouse for the rent?" asked Buddy. "Doesyour house belong to him?"
"It once belonged to one of his family," said Father Harvest Mouse."But it had not been used in years and years until we found it and madeit over for a home for ourselves and our babies. He never bothers usunless he knows we have small children. I scarcely ever leave home inthe day-time, but I went out today to find a new home. We shall movetonight."
"Where are you going to live?" asked Buddy Jim. "We are going to movenearer the wheat fields," said Father Harvest Mouse. "I am going tobuild my own house this time. But I wish that old chap would fly away,so I could go and feed my family. They must be nearly starved."
"I'll make him go away," said Buddy Jim, taking his sling shot from hispocket. "I won't hit him, but I'll frighten him."
Mr. Red-headed Woodpecker was so busy knocking at Mother HarvestMouse's door that he did not notice anything at all until Bing! came astone from the sling shot. He flew over to the fence. Then as nothinghappened he flew back, and began knocking as before. Then Buddy Jimsent another shot that hit the stump a little nearer _to_ the oldfellow. Then he saw Buddy, and with a saucy "Here, here, quit it, quitit," he flew away.
"Thank you ever so much for helping us," said the little Father Mouseas he ran home.
Buddy Jim stayed a while to see if Red-headed Woodpecker would comeback. But he didn't. "He must think I'm one of those fellows who reallymean to hurt the birds," said Buddy. "I'm sorry for that. But he wasn'tfair, and he's got to learn better. I wish he could behave himself.He's so good looking I can't help liking him. But he's got to playfair. He's got to play fair," said Buddy Jim, striking out for home.