ive
no greater scamps than Sammy Jay and Blacky the Crow and Reddy Fox and
Shadow the Weasel. The worst of it is, they are not honest. They steal
whenever they get a chance, and always they try to get others into
trouble. That was why Peter Rabbit had left them out, when he planned
his surprise party for Unc' Billy Possum.

Sammy Jay called the three others together under the Lone Pine and
told them all about Peter Rabbit's plan and how they had been left
out. Of course Blacky the Crow and Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel
were angry, very angry indeed, for no one likes to be left out of a
good time. The more Sammy Jay told them, the angrier they grew; and
the angrier they grew, the more Sammy Jay chuckled, way down inside.
Sammy had a plan, and the angrier the others grew, the more likely
were they to help him.

"You wait till I catch Peter Rabbit!" said Reddy Fox and showed all
his teeth. He quite forgot that, despite all his smartness, he never
yet had caught Peter Rabbit.

Blacky the Crow scratched his head thoughtfully. "We can spoil his
surprise by telling Unc' Billy Possum all about it beforehand," said
he.

Sammy Jay winked at each of the others. He cleared his throat and
looked all around, to make sure that no one else was near. Then he
leaned forward and whispered: "Let's invite ourselves to the party."

"What do you mean?" exclaimed the others, all together.

"Just what I say," replied Sammy. "We'll be the real surprise. Before
the party begins, you will hide close to where it is to be. When
everybody has got there and brought all the good things to eat, I'll
come flying along and scream: 'Here comes Bowser the Hound!' Of course
every one will run away, and we'll have all the good things to eat."

"Haw! haw! haw! The very thing! We'll all be there," cried Blacky the
Crow.

The four little scamps shook hands and separated. As they went across
the Green Meadows, Sammy Jay's voice floated back to the Lone Pine. He
was singing, although he has a very poor voice for singing, and this
was his song:

[Illustration: "What do you mean?" exclaimed the others all
together.]

"Some folks think they're mighty smart--
Oh, la me! Oh, la me!
Like the knave who stole the tart--
Oh, la me! Oh, la me!
Some folks will waken up some day--
And find they can't fool Mr. Jay!"

"Is that so? Really now, I want to know," said old Mr. Toad, crawling
from under the very piece of bark on