the Crow, and Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel had been invited, and
that each was to bring something good to eat. Sammy Jay smacked his
lips as he thought of this. Then he looked up at jolly, round, red Mr.
Sun and winked.

Now on all the Green Meadows and in all the Green Forest, there live
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