CHAPTER XVIII HAPPY JACK DECIDES TO MAKE A CALL

 You'll find when all is said and done

Two heads are better far than one.

 

Happy Jack¹.

 

 

Happy Jack Squirrel hadn't slept very well. He had had bad dreams. Ever so many times in the night he had waked up, a very unusual thing for Happy Jack. The fact is, he had something on his mind. Yes, Sir, Happy Jack had something on his mind, and that something was Farmer Brown's boy. He often had had Farmer Brown's boy on his mind before, but in a very different way. Then it had been in the days when Farmer Brown's boy hunted through the Green Forest and over the Green Meadows with his terrible gun. Then everybody had Farmer Brown's boy on their minds most of the time. Happy Jack had hated him then, hated him because he had feared him. You know fear almost always leads to hate. But now it was different. Farmer Brown's boy had put away his terrible gun. Happy Jack no longer feared him. Love had taken the place of hate in his heart, for had not Farmer Brown's boy saved him from Shadow the Weasel, and brought him nuts and corn when food was scarce? And now Tommy Tit had brought word that some thing was the matter with Farmer Brown's boy. It was this that was on Happy Jack's mind and had given him such a bad night.

 

As soon as it was daylight, Happy Jack scrambled² out of bed to look for Tommy Tit. He didn't have long to wait, for Tommy is quite as early a riser as Happy Jack.

 

"Dee, dee, chickadee!

I hope you feel as well as me!"

sang Tommy merrily, as he flitted over to where Happy Jack was looking for his breakfast. The very sound of Tommy's voice made Happy Jack feel better. One must feel very badly indeed not to be a little more cheerful when Tommy Tit is about. The fact is, Tommy Tit packs about so much good cheer in that small person of his, that no one can be downhearted when he is about.

 

"Hello, Tommy," said Happy Jack. "If I could make other people feel as good as you do, do you know what I would do?"

 

"What?" asked Tommy.

 

"I'd go straight up to Farmer Brown's house and try to cheer up Farmer Brown's boy," replied Happy Jack.

 

"That's the very thing I have in mind," chuckled³ Tommy. "I've come over here to see if you won't come along with me. I've been up to his house so often that he won't think half so much of a visit from me as he will from you. Will you do it?"

 

Happy Jack looked a little startled. You see, he never had been over to Farmer Brown's house, and somehow he couldn't get over the idea that it would be a very dangerous thing to do. "I—I—do you really suppose I could?" he asked.

 

"I'm sure of it," replied Tommy Tit. "There's no one to be afraid of but Black Pussy⁴ and Bowser the Hound, and it's easy enough to keep out of their way. You can hide in the old stone wall until the way is clear and then run across to the big maple⁵ tree close to the house. Then you can look right in and see Farmer Brown's boy, and he can look out and see you. Will you do it?"

 

Happy Jack thought very hard for a few minutes. Then he made up his mind. "I'll do it!" said he in a very decided⁶ tone of voice. "Let's start right away."

 

"Good for you! Dee, dee, good for you!" cried Tommy Tit, and started to lead the way.

 

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 scrambled   

v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 chuckled   

轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
• She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

4 pussy   

n.(儿语)小猫，猫咪

参考例句：

• Why can't they leave my pussy alone?为什么他们就不能离我小猫咪远一点？
• The baby was playing with his pussy.孩子正和他的猫嬉戏。

5 maple   

n.槭树，枫树，槭木

参考例句：

• Maple sugar is made from the sap of maple trees.枫糖是由枫树的树液制成的。
• The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。