If you a naughty act will do, You may at first escape;
But soon or later you’ll get caught—
So don’t get in a scrape.
 
Featherhead was the worst pupil in the Shady Forest School and made lots of trouble for Professor Crow.
 
One day he held a small piece of looking glass in the sunlight. The flash almost blinded the poor old crow’s eyes, and at first he couldn’t tell who had done it. But naughtiness will always out, and the next time Featherhead was caught.
 
[14]Yes, sir! The next time he tried it on Professor Crow, that old gentleman bird jumped down from the platform and took hold of that naughty squirrel’s ear. And not so very gently, either.
 
Featherhead squirmed and tried to get away, but the good professor held on tight, and pretty soon the little squirrel grew very quiet indeed. He grew as quiet as a little lamb; that’s what he did.
 
“Young man!” said Professor Crow in a hard, stern voice, “your father, Squirrel Nutcracker, is a dear old friend of mine. If it weren’t for that I’d give you a flogging.”
 
Goodness me! When Featherhead heard that he trembled all over, and his beautiful bushy tail lost its curl and dragged on the floor like a piece of string!
 
“You’re a bad lot,” went on the old pro[15]fessor bird. “You never know your lessons, and if you don’t mend your ways I’ll expel you from the school!”
 
Gracious me! Think of having that said to you! Goosey Lucy’s little son, Goosey Gander, almost fell off the dunce stool, and Little Rabbit was so frightened that his little pink nose trembled for an hour.
 
Nobody played games during that day, but hung around in little groups talking it over. And you may be sure they kept away from Featherhead, who stood all alone by the flag pole wishing he hadn’t been such a bad squirrel.