University of Virginia Library

17. XVII
PLAYING A SOLDIER GAME

“COME on,” cried Billie Bushytail to Johnnie Bushytail, his brother, one day. “I've got my bow and arrow; now let's play at being soldiers.”

“All right,” agreed Johnnie. “Wait until I get a few more arrows and then we'll have a make-believe fight. Only I wish we had some of those sandwiches like we had at the ducks' picnic.”

“What for?”

“Well, soldiers have to eat, don't they? They carry things to eat on their backs, with the blankets they sleep in.”

“Oh, we can pretend we have something to eat,” said Billie. “Come on.”

“Where are you going, boys?” called out Grandma Lightfoot, looking from the window of the nest.

“We are going to play soldier,” said Johnnie.

“You must ask grandpa first,” went on the old lady squirrel. “I'm not sure he will let you.”

So up the tree they scampered, their little feet going pitter-patter just like a little doggie's when he runs across the oil-cloth in the kitchen. Grandpa Lightfoot was shaving in the bathroom, and his face was all covered with lather. What's that? You didn't know squirrels shaved? Well, that's strange. I believe I did forget to mention it, but please excuse me, and I'll see that it does not happen again. Well, grandpa was shaving,

and when the little squirrel boys hurried in to ask him if they could play soldier, he cried out:

“Easy now, boys! You startled me so that I almost cut me with my razor. You must come in more quietly when I am shaving, for my paw trembles a little. What is it you want?”

Then they told him, and he said: “Yes, you may play if you will be careful. But I wish you would take Jennie Chipmunk with you. She needs to have some fun.”

“Aw, a girl can't be a soldier,” complained Johnnie. “She wouldn't know how to fight.”

“She wouldn't need to fight,” went on Grandpa, carefully taking out a bit of lather that had gotten into his mouth. “She could be a Red Cross nurse, and look after wounded soldiers.”

“Oh, that will be fine!” cried Billie.

“Come on, Johnnie, we'll get Jennie. She can be a nurse, and when I am hurt she can carry me away on a stretcher.”

“No, I'm going to be hurt, so she can carry me,” said Johnnie very quickly.

“I chose that first,” cried his brother, and it really did look — mind you, I'm not saying for sure — but it did look as if there would be a quarrel. Then Jennie Chipmunk, smiling so she showed her pretty teeth, called out:

“Never mind, boys, you can both be wounded, and I'll carry you both. Will that do?”

“Oh, yes!” the squirrel brothers answered quickly, just like that — “Oh, yes!”

So they got their bows and arrows and scrambled down the tree to the ground, and Grandpa Lightfoot was glad to see them go, for they made him nervous, and his paw shook so when he was putting lather on his

face, that he got a lot more in his mouth, and it did not taste very nice, I do assure you.

Johnnie and Billie took their bows and arrows, and Johnnie got behind one tree, while Billie hid back of another. Then Jennie got some soft bark and leaves to make a little cot bed, on which to carry away the make-believe wounded squirrels. Then they played.

First, Johnnie shot an arrow, then Billie sent one from his bow, but the boy squirrels didn't hurt each other, because, you see, they were behind the trees. Oh, what lots of fun they had! They called out orders, made believe they were firing guns, and shouted “bang-bang” and “bung-bung,” just like a gun goes off, you know; and one was a general-squirrel and the other a captain, and they made believe they had cannon, and they had to call out pretty loud when they fired the cannon, louder than when they shot the

make-believe guns. Next they shot more arrows, and jumped up and down, and sideways and pretended to be dead; and oh, I don't know what they didn't do!

Then, all at once, Johnnie shot an arrow, and Billie didn't happen to be behind the tree, and the arrow hit him on the nose. My goodness me and a bag of peanuts! But how it did hurt, and how he cried! Just like a new baby.

“You did that on purpose!” he shouted to Johnnie, and Johnnie said he didn't at all. Then, before Billie knew what he was doing he shot an arrow at his brother, who wasn't behind the tree, and Johnnie was hit on the leg. It hurt, too, let me tell you. Then Johnnie cried, and Billie cried, and they had a very dreadful time indeed, until, all at once, Jennie Chipmunk began to laugh; and when they wanted to know why she was

laughing, she said: “Why, you are both wounded, and don't have to make believe at all, and I will have to carry you both away on the stretcher. I wonder if I can?”

And Jennie Chipmunk laughed again. Then Billie's nose felt better all at once, and so did Johnnie's leg, and they ran and got on the cot bed, but they were so heavy that Jennie could not carry them, and they had to walk. Then they played soldier once more, but they were careful not to shoot one another. An arrow did happen to hit Jennie by mistake, but it did not hurt her much, and she only laughed. Then they all went home. If the weather is fair to-morrow night, would you like to hear how Johnnie's and Billie's papa and mama came home from the boy's cage?