at
the Shady Forest Pond. He spent no time at all getting out his skates,
but his mother took two minutes and a half tying a woolen muffler around
his neck. She knew, like all wise mothers, that it's lots more fun to
skate when one is nice and warm.

When he reached the pond the Squirrel Brothers were already there,
skating merrily over the ice.

Busy Beaver in his winter home below could hear them whirring along,
cutting fancy figures in the ice, and calling merrily to one another.

After a while, when the little rabbit and the squirrel brothers had
grown tired of skating, they ran over to make a call on Old Barney Owl,
who lived in the Big Chestnut Tree on a small island, right in the
middle of the pond.

Although it was now pretty late in the afternoon, the old gentleman
owl was still asleep, and when he opened the door, his eyes winked and
blinked, and at first he didn't know them at all. In fact, he shut the
door right in their faces. I suppose he thought they had knocked just to
wake him up. Perhaps they had, for when the door closed with a bang they
all began to laugh.

[Illustration: Little Jack and The Squirrel Brothers Skated Merrily.
_Page_ 113]

By and by Featherhead knocked again, and when Old Barney Owl opened it
a second time, the naughty little squirrel said:

"Here is a nice fresh egg!"

Goodness me! When the old owl, whose eyes were still very blinky, found
out it wasn't an egg, but a snowball, he dropped it on the little
squirrel's head, and slammed the door again.

Now, if Featherhead had only gone back to his skating, all would have
been well. But he didn't. No, indeed. Instead, he knocked again, and
when the old owl opened the door, that naughty squirrel dropped a
snowball down his collar. Goodness gracious me! What a scuffle there
was all at once, and, just like that! the old owl pulled the little
squirrel into his house and closed the door.

Oh, what a scowl had Mr. Owl,
And Featherhead felt nearly dead.
He was so scared at what he'd done
He couldn't move his feet to run.

And, goodness gracious! so would I
Have felt as if I'd surely die,
If some big giant from his tree
Had through his doorway pulled poor me.

From head to toe I'd surely quake,
And feel my frightened heart would break.
But now let's turn the page to see
If ever Featherhead gets free.

"HELP! HELP!"