Jerry Muskrat saw Blacky the Crow and told him , and Great-Grandfather Frog heard him . Blacky the Crow met his first cousin , Sammy Jay , and told him . Sammy Jay met Happy Jack Squirrel and told him . Happy Jack met his cousin , Striped Chipmunk , and told him . Striped Chipmunk passed the house of old Mr. Toad and told him . The next morning , very early , before Old Mother West Wind had come down from the Purple Hills , Johnny Chuck stole over to his new home to begin work on his new back door . He had hardly begun to dig when he heard some one cough right behind him . He whirled around and there sat Peter Rabbit looking as innocent and surprised as if he had really just discovered the new home for the first time . `` What a splendid new home you have , Johnny Chuck ! '' said Peter Rabbit . `` Y -- e -- s , '' said Johnny Chuck , slowly . `` It 's a secret , '' he added suddenly . `` You wo n't tell , will you , Peter Rabbit ? '' Peter Rabbit promised that he would n't tell . Then Johnny Chuck felt better and went back to work as soon as Peter Rabbit left . He had hardly begun , however , when some one just above him said : `` Good morning , Johnny Chuck . '' Johnny Chuck looked up and there in the old apple tree sat Blacky the Crow and his cousin , Sammy Jay . Just then there was a rustle in the grass and out popped Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter and Jerry Muskrat and Happy Jack Squirrel and Striped Chipmunk and Bobby Coon . When Johnny Chuck had recovered from his surprise and looked over to the doorway of his new home there sat Reddy Fox on Johnny Chuck 's precious new mound . It seemed as if all the little meadow people were there , all but Jimmy Skunk , who wisely stayed away .
`` We 've come to see your new home , '' said Striped XXXXX , `` and we think it 's the nicest home we 've seen for a long time . ''
Blacky Chipmunk Coon Frog Jay Mother Rabbit Skunk Toad right