Chuck, Peter Rabbit, even old Grandfather Frog. Of course Sammy
Jay was there, looking his handsomest.

When they had all gathered around the Great Pine, Old Mother West
Wind pointed to the old nest way up in the top of it. "Is that
your nest?" she asked Blacky the Crow.

"It was, but I gave it to my cousin, Sammy Jay," said Blacky the
Crow.

"Is that your nest, and may I have a stick out of it?" asked Old
Mother West Wind of Sammy Jay.

"It is," said Sammy Jay, with his politest bow, "And you are
welcome to a stick out of it." To himself he thought, "She will
only take one from the top and that won't matter."

Old Mother West Wind suddenly puffed out her cheeks and blew so
hard that she blew a big stick right out of the bottom of the old
nest. Down it fell bumpity-bump on the branches of the Great
Pine. After it fell--what do you think? Why, hickory nuts and
chestnuts and acorns and hazel nuts, such a lot of them!

"Why! Why--e--e!" cried Happy Jack. "There are all my stolen nuts!"

Everybody turned to look at Sammy Jay, but he was flying off
through the wood as fast as he could go. "Stop thief!" cried Old
Mother West Wind. "Stop thief!" cried all the Merry Little Breezes
and Johnny Chuck and Billy Mink and all the rest. But Sammy Jay
didn't stop.