see it clearly
Jimmy Skunk Provides A Good Fellow
By Thornton W. Burgess
Jimmy Skunk laughed and laughed and laughed until his sides were sore. Johnny Chuck, sitting in his doorway under the apple tree saw Jimmy Skunk rolling over and over in the fence corner by Farmer Brown's cornfield and became so curious that he finally hitched up his trousers and started down the Lone Little Path to find out what it all meant.
"Hi, Jimmy Skunk, what are you laughing at?" shouted Johnny Chuck. Jimmy Skunk stopped laughing long enough to beckon to Johnny Chuck to come over in the fence corner.
"Look over there in the cornfield," said Jimmy Skunk, rubbing his sides, they were so sore from laughing.
Johnny Chuck looked. What do you he saw? Why, there was Blacky the Crow flopping about helplessly and squalling at the top of his voice, for Blacky was caught in a snare and he was too frightened to think. Johnny Chuck grinned, for Blacky the Cow is not loved by the little people of the Green Meadows. He is such a practical joker and such a tormentor that all the others are delighted to see him in trouble. So Johnny Chuck and Jimmy Skunk just sat and laughed. Then suddenly Johnny Chuck remembered something. He stopped laughing.
"Jimmy Skunk!" he exclaimed. "Farmer Brown's boy is coming down with a gun; I saw him from my doorway."
"What do we care?" replied Jimmy Skunk. "We'll just hide in my old house over yonder, and he will never know anything about it."
"Well, what about Blacky?" asked Johnny Chuck.
Jimmy Skunk grew very sober. "It certainly would serve him right if Farmer Brown's boy should find him there," said he. "But Blacky isn't such a bad fellow, after all. We must do something to help him," he added.
"I don't dare go out there in the middle of that field," said Johnny Chuck, "for it is such a long way from home, and I am afraid that Bowser the Hound would catch me."
"I am not afraid of Bowser the House," said Jimmy Skunk, "for Bowser doesn't like my little bag of scent. You stay here and watch, and I'll go see what I can do for Blacky."
So Jimmy Skunk for once in his life hurried. As fast as he could he ran over to where Blacky was still flopping about helplessly. Blacky was caught in a noose.
"Farmer Brown's boy is coming with a gun," said Jimmy Skunk, and grinned maliciously as he saw the fright grow in Blacky's eyes.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear, what shall I do?" cried Blacky in distress.
"If I were you I would fly away," said Jimmy.
"I can't! I can't! sobbed Blacky.
"Just try and see," said Jimmy Skunk.
Blacky spread his wings and sure enough he was free, but a long string dangled from one of his feet. Jimmy Skunk had bitten it off close to the stake to which it was tied.