Mountain. Then, by chance, Sammy had visited the Laughing Brook
just as the big stranger had come down there to drink. For once
Sammy had kept his tongue still. "There is going to be excitement
here when Lightfoot discovers this fellow," thought Sammy. "If
they ever meet, and I have a feeling that they will, there is
going to be a fight worth seeing. I must pass the word around."

So Sammy Jay hunted up his cousin, Blacky the Crow, and told him
what he had discovered. Then he hunted up Bobby Coon and told him.
He saw Unc' Billy Possum sitting in the doorway of his hollow
tree and told him. He discovered Jumper the Hare sitting
under a little hemlock-tree and told him. Then he flew over to
the dear Old Briar-patch to tell Peter Rabbit. Of course he told
Drummer the Woodpecker, Tommy Tit the Chickadee, and Yank Yank
the Nuthatch, who were over in the Old Orchard, and they at once
hurried to the Green Forest, for they couldn't think of missing
anything so exciting as would be the meeting between Lightfoot
and the big stranger from the Great Mountain.

Sammy didn't forget to tell Paddy the Beaver, but it was no news
to Paddy. Paddy had seen the big stranger on the edge of his pond
early the night before.

Of course, Lightfoot knew nothing about all this. His one thought
was to find that big stranger and drive him from the Green Forest,
and so he continued his search tirelessly.



CHAPTER XXXVI: Sammy Jay Takes A Hand