`` 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 Chipmunk , `` and we think it 's the nicest home we 've seen for a long time . '' `` It 's so nicely hidden away , it 's really quite secret , '' said Reddy Fox , grinning wickedly . Just then up raced the Merry Little Breezes and one of them had a message for Johnny Chuck from Great-Grandfather Frog . It was this : `` Whisper a secret to a friend and you shout it in the ear of the whole world . '' After every one had admired the new home , they said good-bye and scattered over the Green Meadows . Then Johnny Chuck began to dig again , but this time he was n't making his new back door . No indeed ! Johnny Chuck was digging at that new mound of yellow gravel of which he had been so proud .
Jolly , round , red Mr. Sun blinked to be sure that he saw aright , for Johnny XXXXX was filling up his new home between the roots of the old apple tree .
Blacky Chuck Fox Jay Meadows Mink Muskrat Otter Rabbit left