It got so that Happy Jack looked forward
each day to the visit of Farmer Brown's boy, and as soon as he heard his
whistle, he would hasten to meet him. Some folks were unkind enough to
say that it was just because of the nuts and corn he was sure to find in
Farmer Brown's boy's pockets, but that wasn't so at all.
At last there came a day when he missed that cheery whistle. He waited
and waited. At last he went clear to the edge of the Green Forest, but
there was no whistle and no sign of Farmer Brown's boy. It was the same
way the next day and the next. Happy Jack forgot to frisk about the way
he usually does. He lost his appetite. He just sat around and moped.
When Tommy Tit the Chickadee came to call, as he did every day, Happy
Jack found that Tommy was anxious too. Tommy had been up to Farmer
Brown's dooryard several times, and he hadn't seen anything of Farmer
Brown's boy.
"I think he must have gone away," said Tommy.
"He would have come down here first and said good-by," replied Happy
Jack.
"You--you don't suppose something has happened to him, do you?" asked
Tommy.
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