MRS. PETER RABBIT

BY

THORNTON W. BURGESS

With illustrations byHARRISON CADY

1919

TO MY DAUGHTER

WHOSE ASSISTANCE IN THE PREPARATIONOF THIS VOLUME HAS BEEN INVALUABLEIT IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I PETER RABBIT LOSES HIS APPETITE

II PETER RABBIT PLANS A JOURNEY

III HOOTY THE OWL CHANGES HIS HUNTING GROUNDS

IV THE SHADOW WITH SHARP CLAWS

V IN THE OLD PASTURE

VI PETER RABBIT IS STILL LONESOME

VII PETER FINDS TRACKS

VIII THE STRANGE TRACKS IN THE OLD PASTURE

IX AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE

X PETER RABBIT ALMOST DECIDES TO RETURN HOME

XI PETER RABBIT HAS A SUDDEN CHANGE OF MIND

XII PETER LEARNS SOMETHING FROM TOMMY TIT

XIII LITTLE MISS FUZZYTAIL

XIV SOME ONE FOOLS OLD JED THUMPER

XV A PLEASANT SURPRISE FOR PETER

XVI PETER RABBIT'S LOOKING-GLASS

XVII PETER MEETS MISS FUZZYTAIL

XVIII TOMMY TIT PROVES A FRIEND INDEED

XIX OLD MAN COYOTE PAYS A DEBT

XX LITTLE MISS FUZZYTAIL WHISPERS "YES"

XXI PETER AND LITTLE MISS FUZZYTAIL LEAVE THE OLD PASTURE

XXII SAMMY JAY BECOMES CURIOUS

XXIII PETER INTRODUCES MRS. PETER

XXIV DANNY MEADOW MOUSE WARNS PETER RABBIT

XXV PETER RABBIT'S HEEDLESSNESS

XXVI PETER RABBIT LISTENS TO MRS. PETER

XXVII MISTAH MOCKER PLAYS A JOKE ON MRS. PETER

XXVIII NEWS FROM THE OLD BRIAR-PATCH

XXIX JIMMY SKUNK VISITS PETER RABBIT

XXX REDDY FOX LEARNS THE SECRET

XXXI BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES

XXXII PETER RABBIT'S NURSERY

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Every one who could walk, creep, or fly headed for the OldBriar-patch ..... Frontispiece

He dodged and jumped, and all the time the shadow followed him

That night Old Man Coyote started for the Old Pasture

"The quickest way for me to know is for you to tell me, " replied Jimmy

CHAPTER I

PETER RABBIT LOSES HIS APPETITE

Good appetite, you'll always find, Depends upon your state of mind. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit had lost his appetite. Now when Peter Rabbit loses hisappetite, something is very wrong indeed with him. Peter has boastedthat he can eat any time and all the time. In fact, the two things thatPeter thinks most about are his stomach and satisfying his curiosity, and nearly all of the scrapes that Peter has gotten into have beenbecause of those two things. So when Peter loses his appetite or hiscuriosity, there is surely something the matter with him. 

Ever since Old Man Coyote had come to live on the Green Meadows, Peterhad been afraid to go very far from the dear Old Briar-patch where hemakes his home, and where he always feels safe. Now there wasn't anyreason why he should go far from the dear Old Briar-patch. There wasplenty to eat in it and all around it, for sweet clover grew almost upto the very edge of it, and you know Peter is very fond of sweet clover. So there was plenty for Peter to eat without running any risk of danger. With nothing to do but eat and sleep, Peter should have grown fat andcontented. But he didn't. 

Now that is just the way with a lot of people. The more they have andthe less they have to worry about, the more discontented they become, and at last they are positively unhappy. There was little Danny MeadowMouse, living out on the Green Meadows; he was happy all the livelongday, and yet he had no safe castle like the dear Old Briar-patch wherehe could always be safe. Every minute of every day Danny had to keep hiseyes wide open and his wits working their very quickest, for any minutehe was likely to be in danger. Old Man Coyote or Reddy Fox or Granny Foxor Digger the Badger or Mr. Blacksnake was likely to come creepingthrough the grass any time, and they are always hungry for a fat MeadowMouse. And as if that weren't worry enough, Danny had to watch the sky, too, for Old Whitetail the Marsh Hawk, or his cousin Redtail, or Blackythe Crow, each of whom would be glad of a Meadow Mouse dinner. Yet inspite of all this, Danny was happy and never once lost his appetite. 

But Peter Rabbit, with nothing to worry him so long as he stayed in theOld Briar-patch, couldn't eat and grew more and more unhappy. 

"I don't know what's the matter with me. I really don't know what's thematter with me, " said Peter, as he turned up his nose at a patch ofsweet, tender young clover. "I think I'll go and cut some new pathsthrough the Old Briar-patch. "

Now, though he didn't know it, that was the very best thing he could do. It gave him something to think about. For two or three days he was verybusy cutting new paths, and his appetite came back. But when he had madeall the paths he wanted, and there was nothing else to do, he lost hisappetite again. He just sat still all day long and moped and thought andthought and thought. The trouble with Peter Rabbit's thinking was thatit was all about himself and how unhappy he was. Of course, the more hethought about this, the more unhappy he grew. 

"If I only had some one to talk to, I'd feel better, " said he tohimself. That reminded him of Johnny Chuck and what good times they usedto have together when Johnny lived on the Green Meadows. Then he thoughtof how happy Johnny seemed with his little family in his new home in theOld Orchard, in spite of all the worries his family made him. And rightthen Peter found out what was the matter with him. 

"I believe I'm just lonesome, " said Peter. "Yes, Sir, that's what's thematter with me. 

 "It isn't good to be alone, I've often heard my mother say. It makes one selfish, grouchy, cross, And quite unhappy all the day. One needs to think of other folks, And not of just one's self alone, To find the truest happiness, And joy and real content to own. 

"Now that I've found out what is the trouble with me, the question is, what am I going to do about it?"

CHAPTER II

PETER RABBIT PLANS A JOURNEY

It's a long jump that makes no landing. Peter Rabbit. 

"The trouble with me is that I'm lonesome, " repeated Peter Rabbit as hesat in the dear Old Briar-patch. "Yes, Sir, that's the only thing that'swrong with me. I'm just tired of myself, and that's why I've lost myappetite. And now I know what's the matter, what am I going to do aboutit? If I were sure, absolutely sure, that Old Man Coyote meant what hesaid about our being friends, I'd start out this very minute to call onall my old friends. My, my, my, it seems an age since I visited theSmiling Pool and saw Grandfather Frog and Jerry Muskrat and Billy Minkand Little Joe Otter! Mr. Coyote sounded as if he really meant to leaveme alone, but, but--well, perhaps he did mean it when he saw me sittinghere safe among the brambles, but if I should meet him out in the open, he might change his mind and--oh, dear, his teeth are terrible long andsharp!"

Peter sat a little longer, thinking and thinking. Then a bright ideapopped into his head. He kicked up his heels. 

"I'll do it, " said he. "I'll make a journey! That's what I'll do! I'llmake a journey and see the Great World. 

 "By staying here and sitting still I'm sure I'll simply grow quite ill. A change of scene is what I need To be from all my trouble freed. "

Of course if Peter had really stopped to think the matter overthoroughly he would have known that running away from one kind oftrouble is almost sure to lead to other troubles. But Peter is one ofthose who does his thinking afterward. Peter is what is calledimpulsive. That is, he does things and then thinks about them later, andoften wishes he hadn't done them. So now the minute the idea of making ajourney popped into his head, he made up his mind that he would do it, and that was all there was to it. You see, Peter never looks ahead. Ifhe could get rid of the trouble that bothered him now, which, you know, was nothing but lonesomeness, he wouldn't worry about the troubles hemight get into later. 

Now the minute Peter made up his mind to make a journey, he began tofeel better. His lost appetite returned, and the first thing he did wasto eat a good meal of sweet clover. 

"Let me see, " said he, as he filled his big stomach, "I believe I'llvisit the Old Pasture. It's a long way off and I've never been there, but I've heard Sammy Jay say that it's a very wonderful place, and Idon't believe it is any more dangerous than the Green Meadows and theGreen Forest, now that Old Man Coyote and Reddy and Granny Fox are allliving here. I'll start tonight when I am sure that Old Man Coyote isnowhere around, and I won't tell a soul where I am going. "

So Peter settled himself and tried to sleep the long day away, but hismind was so full of the long journey he was going to make that hecouldn't sleep much, and when he did have a nap, he dreamed of wonderfulsights and adventures out in the Great World. 

At last he saw jolly, round, red Mr. Sun drop down to his bed behind thePurple Hills. Old Mother West Wind came hurrying back from her day'swork and gathered her children, the Merry Little Breezes, into her bigbag, and then she, too, started for her home behind the Purple Hills. Alittle star came out and winked at Peter, and then way over on the edgeof the Green Forest he heard Old Man Coyote laugh. Peter grinned. Thatwas what he had been waiting for, since it meant that Old Man Coyote wasso far away that there was nothing to fear from him. 

Peter hopped out from the dear, safe Old Briar-patch, looked this wayand that way, and then, with his heart in his mouth, started towards theOld Pasture as fast as he could go, lipperty--lipperty--lip. 

CHAPTER III

HOOTY THE OWL CHANGES HIS HUNTING GROUNDS

 A full stomach makes a pleasant Day; An empty stomach turns the whole world gray. Peter Rabbit. 

Hooty the owl sat on the tip-top of a tall dead tree in the Green Forestwhile the Black Shadows crept swiftly among the trees. He was talking tohimself. It wouldn't have done for him to have spoken aloud what he wassaying to himself, for then the little people in feathers and fur onwhom he likes to make his dinner would have heard him and known justwhere he was. So he said it to himself, and sat so still that he lookedfor all the world like a part of the tree on which he was sitting. Whathe was saying was this:

"Towhit, towhoo! Towhit, towhoo! Will some one tell me what to do? My children have an appetite That keeps me hunting all the night, And though their stomachs I may stuff They never seem to have enough. Towhit, towhoo! Towhit, towhoo! Will some one tell me what to do?"

When it was dark enough he gave his fierce hunting call--"Whooo-hoo-hoo, whoo-hoo!"

Now that is a terrible sound in the dark woods, very terrible indeed tothe little forest people, because it sounds so fierce and hungry. Itmakes them jump and shiver, and that is just what Hooty wants them todo, for in doing it one of them is likely to make just the leastscratching with his claws, or to rustle a leaf. If he does, Hooty, whoseears are very, very wonderful, is almost sure to hear, and with hisgreat yellow eyes see him, and then--Hooty has his dinner. 

The very night when Peter Rabbit started on his journey to the OldPasture, Hooty the Owl had made up his mind that something had got to bedone to get more food for those hungry babies of his up in the bighemlock-tree in the darkest corner of the Green Forest. Hunting was verypoor, very poor indeed, and Hooty was at his wits' end to know what heshould do. He had hooted and hooted in vain in the Green Forest, and hehad sailed back and forth over the Green Meadows like a great blackshadow without seeing so much as a single Mouse. 

"It's all because of Old Man Coyote and Granny and Reddy Fox, " saidHooty angrily. "They've spoiled the hunting. Yes, Sir, that's just whatthey have done! If I expect to feed those hungry babies of mine, I mustfind new hunting grounds. I believe I'll go up to the Old Pasture. Perhaps I'll have better luck up there. "

So Hooty the Owl spread his broad wings and started for the Old Pasturejust a little while after Peter Rabbit had started for the same place. Of course he didn't know that Peter was on his way there, and of coursePeter didn't know that Hooty even thought of the Old Pasture. If he had, perhaps he would have thought twice before starting. Anyway, he wouldhave kept a sharper watch on the sky. But as it was his thoughts wereall of Old Man Coyote and Granny Fox, and that is where Peter made avery grave mistake, a very grave mistake indeed, as he was soon to findout. 

CHAPTEE IV

THE SHADOW WITH SHARP CLAWS

 Now what's the use, pray tell me this, When all is said and done; A thousand things and one to learn And then forget the one? For when that one alone you need, And nothing else will do, What good are all the thousand then? I do not see; do you? Peter Rabbit. 

Forgetting leads to more trouble than almost anything under the sun. Peter Rabbit knew this. Of course he knew it. Peter had had many anarrow escape just from forgetting something. He knew just as well asyou know that he might just as well not learn a thing as to learn it andthen forget it. But Peter is such a happy-go-lucky little fellow that heis very apt to forget, and forgetting leads him into all kinds ofdifficulties, just as it does most folks. 

Now Peter had learned when he was a very little fellow that when he wentout at night, he must watch out quite as sharply for Hooty the Owl asfor either Granny or Reddy Fox, and usually he did. But the night hestarted to make a journey to the Old Pasture, his mind was so full ofOld Man Coyote and Granny and Reddy Fox that he wholly forgot Hooty theOwl. So, as he scampered across the Green Meadows, lipperty--lipperty--lip, as fast as he could go, with his long ears and his big eyes and hiswobbly nose all watching out for danger on the ground, not once did hethink that there might be danger from the sky above him. 

It was a moonlight night, and Peter was sharp enough to keep in theshadows whenever he could. He would scamper as fast as he knew how fromone shadow to another and then sit down in the blackest part of eachshadow to get his breath, and to look and listen and so make sure thatno one was following him. The nearer he got to the Old Pasture, thesafer he felt from Old Man Coyote and Granny and Reddy Fox. When hescampered across the patches of moonshine his heart didn't come up inhis mouth the way it had at first. He grew bolder and bolder. Once ortwice he stopped for a mouthful of sweet clover. He was tired, for hehad come a long way, but he was almost to the Old Pasture now, and itlooked very dark and safe, for it was covered with bushes and brambles. 

"Plenty of hiding places there, " thought Peter. "It really looks as safeas the dear Old Briar-patch. No one will ever think to look for me wayoff here. "

Just then he spied a patch of sweet clover out in the moonlight. Hismouth began to water. "I'll just fill my stomach before I go into theOld Pasture, for there may not be any clover there, " said Peter. 

"You'd better be careful, Peter Rabbit, " said a wee warning voice insidehim. 

"Pooh!" said Peter. "There's nothing to be afraid of way up here!"

A shadow drifted across the sweet clover patch. Peter saw it. "That mustbe made by a cloud crossing the moon, " said Peter, and he was so sure ofit that he didn't even look up to see, but boldly hopped out to fill hisstomach. Just as he reached the patch of clover, the shadow drifted overit again. Then all in a flash a terrible thought entered Peter's head. He didn't stop to look up. He suddenly sprang sideways, and even as hedid so, sharp claws tore his coat and hurt him dreadfully. He twistedand dodged and jumped and turned this way and that way, and all the timethe shadow followed him. Once again sharp claws tore his coat and madehim squeal with pain. 

[Illustration: HE DODGED AND JUMPED, AND ALL THE TIME THE SHADOWFOLLOWED HIM. ]

At last, when his breath was almost gone, he reached the edge of the OldPasture and dived under a friendly old bramble-bush. 

"Oh, " sobbed Peter, "I forgot all about Hooty the Owl! Besides, I didn'tsuppose he ever came way up here. "

CHAPTER V

IN THE OLD PASTURE

Brambles never scratch those who understand and are considerate of them. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit sat under a friendly bramble-bush on the edge of the OldPasture and panted for breath, while his heart went pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, as if it would thump its way right through his sides. Peter had hada terrible fright. There were long tears in his coat, and he smarted andached dreadfully where the cruel claws of Hooty the Owl had torn him. And there he was in a strange place, not knowing which way to turn, foryou know he never had visited the Old Pasture before. 

But Peter had had so many narrow escapes in his life that he had learnednot to worry over dangers that are past. Peter is what wise men call aphi-los-o-pher. That is a big word, but its meaning is very simple. Aphilosopher is one who believes that it is foolish to think about thingsthat have happened, except to learn some lesson from them, and that thebest thing to do is to make the most of the present. Peter had learnedhis lesson. He was sure of that. 

"I never, never will forget again to watch out for Hooty the Owl, " saidhe to himself, as he nursed his wounds, "and so perhaps it is a goodthing that he so nearly caught me this time. If he hadn't, I might haveforgotten all about him some time when he could catch me. I certainlywouldn't have watched out for him way up here, for I didn't think heever came up to the Old Pasture. But now I know he does, Mr. Hooty'llhave to be smarter than he's ever been before to catch me napping again. My, how I do smart and ache! I know now just how Danny Meadow Mouse feltthat time Hooty caught him and dropped him into the Old Briar-patch. Ouch! Well, as my mother used to say:

 'Yesterday has gone away; Make the most of just to-day. '

Here I am up in the Old Pasture, and the question is, what shall I donext?"

Peter felt a queer little thrill as he peeped out from under thefriendly bramble-bush. Very strange and wonderful it seemed. Of coursehe couldn't see very far, because the Old Pasture was all overgrown withbushes and briars, and they made the very blackest of black shadows inthe moonlight. Peter wondered what dangers might be awaiting him there, but somehow he didn't feel much afraid. No, Sir, he didn't feel muchafraid. You see those briars looked good to him, for briars are alwaysfriendly to Peter and unfriendly to those who would do harm to Peter. Sowhen he saw them, he felt almost at home. 

Peter drew a long breath. Then he cried "Ouch!" You see, he hadforgotten for a minute how sore he was. He was eager to explore this newwonderland, for Sammy Jay had told him wonderful tales about it, and heknew that here old Granny Fox and Reddy Fox had found safety when FarmerBrown's boy had hunted for them so hard on the Green Meadows and in theGreen Forest. He felt sure that there must be the most splendid hiding-places, and it seemed as if he certainly must start right out to seethem, for you know Peter is very, very curious. But the first move hemade brought another "Ouch" from him, and he made up a wry face. 

"I guess the best thing for me to do is to stay right where I am, " saidhe, "for here I am safe under this friendly old bramble. "

So with a sigh Peter settled down to make himself as comfortable as hecould, and once, as far, far away on the Green Meadows he heard thevoice of Old Man Coyote, Peter even smiled. 

"I haven't anything to fear from him, anyway, for he'll never think ofcoming way up here, " said he. 

CHAPTER VI

PETER RABBIT IS STILL LONESOME

 A sympathetic word or two A wond'rous help is, when you're blue. So pity him who sits alone His aches and troubles to bemoan. Peter Rabbit. 

All the rest of that night Peter sat under a friendly old bramble-bushon the edge of the Old Pasture and nursed the sore places made by theclaws of Hooty the Owl. At last jolly, round, red Mr. Sun began to climbup in the blue, blue sky, just as he does every day. Peter looked up athim, and he felt sure that Mr. Sun winked at him. Somehow it made himfeel better. The fact is, Peter was beginning to feel just a wee, weebit homesick. It is bad enough to be in a strange place alone, but to besore and to smart and ache as Peter did makes that lonesome feeling awhole lot harder to bear. It is dreadful not to have any one to speakto, but to look around and not see a single thing you have ever seenbefore, --my, my, my, it certainly does give you a strange, sinkingfeeling way down inside!

Before that long night was over Peter felt as if his heart had gone waydown to his very toes. Yes, Sir, that's the way he felt. Every time hemoved at all he cried "Ouch!" He just knew that he was growing morestiff and sore every minute. Then he began to wonder what he should dofor something to eat, for he was in a strange place, you remember. Andthat made him think of all his private little paths through the dear OldBriar-patch, the little paths he had made all himself, and which no oneused but himself, excepting Danny Meadow Mouse when he came for a visit. 

"Perhaps I shall never, never see them again, " moaned Peter, and two bigtears filled his eyes and were just ready to drop. 

At that moment he looked up and saw jolly, round, red Mr. Sun wink. Peter tried to wink back, and that made the two tears fall. But therewere no more tears to follow. You see that wink had made all thedifference in the world, Peter's heart had jumped right back where itbelonged. Mr. Sun was one of his oldest friends and you know

 When trouble comes, a friendly face Makes bright the very darkest place. 

And so, just as he made bright all the Old Pasture, Mr. Sun also madebright the dark little corners in Peter's heart just because he was anold friend. To be sure Peter was still lonesome, but it was a differentkind of lonesomeness. He hadn't anybody to talk to, which is always adreadful thing to Peter, but he had only to look up to catch a friendlywink, and somehow that not only made him feel better inside but itseemed to make his aches and smarts better too. 

CHAPTER VII

PETER FINDS TRACKS

 Every day is different from every other day, And always there is something new to see along the way. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit had sat still just as long as he could. He was stiff andlame and sore from the wounds made by Hooty the Owl, but his curiositywouldn't let him sit still a minute longer. He just HAD to explore theOld Pasture. So with many a wry face and many an "Ouch" he limped outfrom the shelter of the friendly old bramble-bush and started out to seewhat the Old Pasture was like. 

Now Hooty the Owl had taught Peter wisdom. With his torn clothes and hisaches and smarts he couldn't very well forget to be careful. First hemade sure that there was no danger near, and this time he took pains tolook all around in the sky as well as on the ground. Then he limped outto the very patch of sweet clover where Hooty had so nearly caught himthe night before. 

"A good breakfast, " said Peter, "will make a new Rabbit of me. " You knowPeter thinks a great deal of his stomach. So he began to eat as fast ashe could, stopping every other mouthful to look and listen. "I know it'sa bad habit to eat fast, " said he, "but it's a whole lot worse to havean empty stomach. " So he ate and ate and ate as fast as he could makehis little jaws go, which is very fast indeed. 

When Peter's stomach was stuffed full he gave a great sigh of relief andlimped back to the friendly old bramble-bush to rest. But he couldn'tsit still long, for he just had to find out all about the Old Pasture. So pretty soon he started out to explore. Such a wonderful place as itseemed to Peter! There were clumps of bushes with little open spacesbetween, just the nicest kind of playgrounds. Then there were funnyspreading, prickly juniper-trees, which made the very safest places tocrawl out of harm's way and to hide. Everywhere were paths made by cows. Very wonderful they seemed to Peter, who had never seen any like thembefore. He liked to follow them because they led to all kinds of queerplaces. 

Sometimes he would come to places where tall trees made him think of theGreen Forest, only there were never more than a few trees together. Oncehe found an old tumble-down stone wall all covered with vines, and heshouted right out with delight. 

"It's a regular castle!" cried Peter, and he knew that there he would besafe from every one but Shadow the Weasel. But he never was wholly safefrom Shadow the Weasel anywhere, so he didn't let that thought worryhim. By and by he came to a wet place called a swamp. The ground wassoft, and there were little pools of water. Great ferns grew here justas they did along the bank of the Laughing Brook, only more of them. There were pretty birch-trees and wild cherry-trees. It was still anddark and oh, so peaceful! Peter liked that place and sat down under abig fern to rest. He didn't hear a sound excepting the beautiful silveryvoice of Veery the Thrush. Listening to it, Peter fell asleep, for hewas very tired. 

By and by Peter awoke. For a minute he couldn't think where he was. Thenhe remembered. But for a long time he sat perfectly still, thinking ofhis adventures and wondering if he would be missed down on the GreenMeadows. Then all of a sudden Peter saw something that made him sit upso suddenly that he cried "Ouch!" for he had forgotten all about howstiff and sore he was. 

What do you think Peter saw? Tracks! Yes, Sir, he saw tracks, Rabbittracks in the soft mud, and Peter knew that he hadn't made them!

CHAPTER VIII

THE STRANGE TRACKS IN THE OLD PASTURE

 Who has attentive ear and eye Will learn a lot if he but try. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit stared and stared at the tracks in the soft mud of theswamp in the Old Pasture. He would look first at the tracks, then at hisown feet, and finally back at the tracks again. He scratched his longright ear with his long right hind foot. Then he scratched his long leftear with his long left hind foot, all the time staring his hardest atthose strange tracks. They certainly were the tracks of a Rabbit, and itwas equally certain that they were not his own. 

"They are too big for mine, and they are too small for Jumper theHare's. Besides, Jumper is in the Green Forest and not way off up here, "said Peter to himself. "I wonder--well, I wonder if he will try to driveme away. "

You see Peter knew that if he had found a strange Rabbit in his dear OldBriar-patch he certainly would have tried his best to drive him out, forhe felt that the Old Briar-patch belonged to him. Now he wondered if themaker of these tracks would feel the same way about the Old Pasture. Peter looked troubled as he thought it over. Then his face cleared. 

"Perhaps, " said he hopefully, "he is a new comer here, too, and if heis, I'll have just as much right here as he has. Perhaps he simply hasbig feet and isn't any bigger or stronger than I am, and if that's thecase I'd like to see him drive me out!"

Peter swelled himself out and tried to look as big as he could when hesaid this, but swelling himself out this way reminded him of how stiffand sore he was from the wounds given him by Hooty the Owl, and he madea wry face. You see he realized all of a sudden that he didn't feel muchlike fighting. 

"My, " said Peter, "I guess I'd better find out all about this otherfellow before I have any trouble with him. The Old Pasture looks bigenough for a lot of Rabbits, and perhaps if I don't bother him, he won'tbother me. I wonder what he looks like. I believe I'll follow thesetracks and see what I can find. "

So Peter began to follow the tracks of the strange Rabbit, and he was sointerested that he almost forgot to limp. They led him this way and theyled him that way through the swamp and then out of it. At the foot of acertain birch-tree Peter stopped. 

"Ha!" said he, "now I shall know just how big this fellow is. "

How was he to know? Why, that tree was a kind of Rabbit measuring-stick. Yes, Sir, that is just what it was. You see, Rabbits like to keepa record of how they grow, just as some little boys and girls do, but asthey have no doors or walls to stand against, they use trees. And thiswas the measuring-tree of the Rabbit whose tracks Peter had beenfollowing. Peter stopped at the foot of it and sat down to think itover. He knew what that tree meant perfectly well. He had one or twomeasuring-trees of his own on the edge of the Green Forest. He knew, too, that it was more than a mere measuring-tree. It was a kind of "notrespassing" sign. It meant that some other Rabbit had lived here forsome time and felt that he owned this part of the Old Pasture. Peter'snose told him that, for the tree smelled very, very strong of Rabbit--ofthe Rabbit with the big feet. This was because whoever used it for ameasuring-tree used to rub himself against it as far up as he couldreach. 

Peter hopped up close to it. Then he sat up very straight and stretchedhimself as tall as he could, but he wisely took care not to rub againstthe tree. You see, he didn't want to leave his own mark there. So hestretched and stretched, but stretch as he would, he couldn't make hiswobbly little nose reach the mark made by the other Rabbit. 

"My sakes, he is a big fellow!" exclaimed Peter. "I guess I don't wantto meet him until I feel better and stronger than I do now. "

CHAPTER IX

AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE

 Legs are very useful when you want to run away; Long, sharp teeth are splendid if to fight you want to stay; But a far, far greater blessing, whether one may stay or quit, Is a clever, trusty, quick and ever ready wit. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit sat in a snug hiding-place in the Old Pasture and thoughtover what he had found out about the strange Rabbit whose tracks he hadfollowed. They had led him to a rubbing or measuring-tree, where thestrange Rabbit had placed his mark, and that mark was so high up on thetree that Peter knew the strange Rabbit must be a great deal bigger thanhimself. 

"If he's bigger, of course he is stronger, " thought Peter, "and if he isboth bigger and stronger, of course it won't be the least bit of use forme to fight him. Then, anyway, I'm too stiff and sore to fight. Andthen, he has no business to think he owns the Old Pasture, because hedoesn't. I have just as much right here as he has. Yes, Sir, I have justas much right in this Old Pasture as he has, and if he thinks he candrive me out he is going to find that he was never more mistaken in hislife! I'll show him! Yes, Sir-e-e, I'll show him! I guess my wits areas sharp as his, and I wouldn't wonder if they are a little bitsharper. "

Foolish Peter Rabbit! There he was boasting and bragging to himself ofwhat he would do to some one whom he hadn't even seen, all because hehad found a sign that told him the Old Pasture, in which he had made uphis mind to make his new home, was already the home of some one else. Peter was like a lot of other people; he wasn't fair. No, Sir, he wasn'tfair. He let his own desires destroy his sense of fair play. It was allright for him to put up signs in the dear Old Briar-patch and the GreenForest, warning other Rabbits that they must keep away, but it was allwrong for another Rabbit to do the same thing in the Old Pasture. Oh, my, yes! That was quite a different matter! The very thought of it madePeter very, very angry. When he thought of this other Rabbit, it wasalways as the stranger. That shows just how unfair Peter was, because, you see, Peter himself was really the stranger. It was his first visitto the Old Pasture, while it was very plain that the other had livedthere for some time. 

But Peter couldn't or wouldn't see that. He had counted so much onhaving the Old Pasture to himself and doing as he pleased, that he wastoo upset and disappointed to be fair. If the other Rabbit had beensmaller than he--well, that might have made a difference. The truth is, Peter was just a wee bit afraid. And perhaps it was that wee bit of fearthat made him unfair and unjust. Anyway, the longer he sat and thoughtabout it, the angrier he grew, and the more he bragged and boasted tohimself about what he would do. 

"I'll just keep out of sight until my wounds are healed, and then we'llsee who owns the Old Pasture!" thought Peter. 

No sooner had this thought popped into his head than he received asurprise, such an unpleasant surprise! It was three heavy thumps rightbehind him. Peter knew what that meant. Of course he knew. It meant thathe must run or fight. It meant that he had been so busy thinking abouthow smart he was going to be that he had forgotten to cover his owntracks, and so the maker of the big tracks he had followed had found himout. 

Thump! Thump! Thump! There it was again. Peter knew by the sound that itwas of no use to stay and fight, especially when he was so sore andstiff. There was nothing to do but run away. He simply had to. And thatis just what he did do, while his eyes were filled with tears of rageand bitterness. 

CHAPTER X

PETER RABBIT ALMOST DECIDES TO RETURN HOME

 I have no doubt that you've been told How timid folks are sometimes bold. Peter Rabbit. 

In all his life Peter Rabbit had never been so disappointed. Here he wasin the Old Pasture, about which he had dreamed and thought so long, andin reaching which he had had such a narrow escape from Hooty the Owl, and yet he was unhappy. The fact is, Peter was more unhappy than hecould remember ever to have been before. Not only was he unhappy, but hewas in great fear, and the worst of it was he was in fear of an enemywho could go wherever he could go himself. 

You see, it was this way: Peter had expected to find some enemies in theOld Pasture. He had felt quite sure that fierce old Mr. Goshawk was tobe watched for, and perhaps Mr. Redtail and one or two others of theHawk family. He knew that Granny and Reddy Fox had lived there once upona time and might come back if things got too unpleasant for them on theGreen Meadows, now that Old Man Coyote had made his home there. ButPeter didn't worry about any of these dangers. He was used to them, wasPeter. He had been dodging them ever since he could remember, A friendlybramble-bush, a little patch of briars, or an old stone wall near wasall that Peter needed to feel perfectly safe from these enemies, But nowhe was in danger wherever he went, for he had an enemy who could goeverywhere he could, and it seemed to Peter that this enemy wasfollowing him all the time. Who was it? Why, it was a great big oldRabbit with a very short temper, who, because he had lived there for along time, felt that he owned the Old Pasture and that Peter had noright there. 

Now, In spite of all his trouble, Peter had seen enough of the OldPasture to think it a very wonderful place, a very wonderful placeindeed. He had seen just enough to want to see more. You know how verycurious Peter is. It seemed to him that he just couldn't go back to thedear Old Briar-patch on the Green Meadows until he had seen everythingto be seen in the Old Pasture. So he couldn't make up his mind to goback home, but stayed and stayed, hoping each day that the old grayRabbit would get tired of hunting for him, and would let him alone. 

But the old gray Rabbit didn't do anything of the kind. He seemed totake the greatest delight in waiting until Peter thought that he hadfound a corner of the Old Pasture where he would be safe, and then instealing there when Peter was trying to take a nap, and driving him out. Twice Peter had tried to fight, but the old gray Rabbit was too big forhim. He knocked all the wind out of poor Peter with a kick from his bighind legs, and then with his sharp teeth he tore Peter's coat. 

Poor Peter! His coat had already been badly torn by the cruel claws ofHooty the Owl, and Old Mother Nature hadn't had time to mend it when hefought with the old gray Rabbit. After the second time Peter didn't tryto fight again. He just tried to keep out of the way. And he did, too. But in doing it he lost so much sleep and he had so little to eat thathe grew thin and thin and thinner, until, with his torn clothes, helooked like a scarecrow. 

 And still he hated to give in When there was still so much to see. "Persistence, I was taught, will win, And so I will persist, " said he. 

And he did persist day after day, until at last he felt that he reallymust give it up. He had stretched out wearily on a tiny sunning-bank inthe farthest corner of the Old Pasture, and had just about made up hismind that he would go back that very night to the dear Old Briar-patchon the Green Meadows, when a tiny rustle behind him made him jump to hisfeet with his heart in his mouth. But instead of the angry face of theold gray Rabbit he saw--what do you think? Why, two of the softest, gentlest eyes peeping at him from behind a big fern. 

CHAPTER XI

PETER RABBIT HAS A SUDDEN CHANGE OF MIND

 Whatever you decide to do Make up your mind to see it through. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit stared at the two soft, gentle eyes peeping at him frombehind the big fern just back of the sunning-bank in the far corner ofthe Old Pasture. He had so fully expected to see the angry face of thebig, gray, old Rabbit who had made life so miserable for him that for aminute he couldn't believe that he really saw what he did see. And so hejust stared and stared. It was very rude. Of course it was. It was veryrude indeed. It is always rude to stare at any one. So it was no wonderthat after a minute the two soft, gentle eyes disappeared behind one ofthe great green leaves of the fern. Peter gave a great sigh. Then heremembered how rude he had been to stare so. 

"I--I beg your pardon, " said Peter in his politest manner, which is verypolite indeed, for Peter can be very polite when he wants to be. "I begyour pardon. I didn't mean to frighten you. Please forgive me. "

With the greatest eagerness Peter waited for a reply. You know it wasbecause he had been so lonesome that he had left his home in the dearOld Briar-patch on the Green Meadows. And since he had been in the OldPasture he had been almost as lonesome, for he had had no one to talkto. So now he waited eagerly for a reply. You see, he felt sure that theowner of such soft, gentle eyes must have a soft, gentle voice and asoft, gentle heart, and there was nothing in the world that Peter neededjust then so much as sympathy. But though he waited and waited, therewasn't a sound from the big fern. 

"Perhaps you don't know who I am. I'm Peter Rabbit, and I've come uphere from the Green Meadows, and I'd like very much to be your friend, "continued Peter after a while. Still there was no sound. Peter peepedfrom the corner of one eye at the place where he had seen the two soft, gentle eyes, but there was nothing to be seen but the gently waving leafof the big fern. Peter didn't know just what to do. He wanted to hopover to the big fern and peep behind it, but he didn't dare to. He wasafraid that whoever was hiding there would run away. 

"I'm very lonesome; won't you speak to me?" said Peter, in his gentlestvoice, and he sighed a deep, doleful sort of sigh. Still there was noreply. Peter had just about made up his mind that he would go over tothe big fern when he saw those two soft, gentle eyes peeping from undera different leaf. It seemed to Peter that never in all his life had heseen such beautiful eyes. They looked so shy and bashful that Peter heldhis breath for fear that he would frighten them away. 

After a time the eyes disappeared. Then Peter saw a little movementamong the ferns, and he knew that whoever was there was stealing away. He wanted to follow, but something down inside him warned him that Itwas best to sit still. So Peter sat just where he was and kept perfectlystill for the longest time. 

But the eyes didn't appear again, and at last he felt sure that whoeverthey belonged to had really gone away. Then he sighed another greatsigh, for suddenly he felt more lonesome than ever. He hopped over tothe big fern and looked behind it. There in the soft earth was afootprint, the footprint of a Rabbit, and it was SMALLER than his own. It seemed to Peter that it was the most wonderful little footprint heever had seen. 

"I believe, " said Peter right out loud, "that I'll change my mind. Iwon't go back to the dear Old Briar-patch just yet, after all. "

CHAPTER XII

PETER LEARNS SOMETHING FEOM TOMMY TIT

 When you find a friend in trouble Pass along a word of cheer. Often it is very helpful Just to feel a friend is near. Peter Rabbit. 

"Hello, Peter Rabbit! What are you doing way up here, and what are youlooking so mournful about?"

Peter gave a great start of pleased surprise. That was the firstfriendly voice he had heard for days and days. 

"Hello yourself, Tommy Tit!" shouted Peter joyously. "My, my, my, but Iam glad to see you! But what are you doing up here in the Old Pastureyourself?"

Tommy Tit the Chickadee hung head down from the tip of a slender branchof a maple-tree and winked a saucy bright eye at Peter. "I've got asecret up here, " he said. 

Now there is nothing in the world Peter Rabbit loves more than a secret. But he cannot keep one to save him. No, Sir, Peter Rabbit can no morekeep a secret than he can fly. He means to. His intentions are the verybest in the world, but--

Alas! alack! poor Peter's tongue Is very, very loosely hung. And so, because he MUST talk and WILL talk every chance he gets, he cannot keepa secret. People who talk too much never can. 

"What is your secret?" asked Peter eagerly. 

Tommy Tit looked down at Peter, and his sharp little eyes twinkled. "It's a nest with six of the dearest little babies in the world in it, "he replied. 

"Oh, how lovely!" cried Peter. "Where is it, Tommy Tit?"

"In a hollow birch-stub, " replied Tommy, his eyes twinkling more thanever. 

"But where is the hollow birch-stub?" persisted Peter. 

Tommy laughed. "That's my real secret, " said he, "and if I should tellyou it wouldn't be a secret at all. Now tell me what you are doing uphere in the Old Pasture, Peter Rabbit. "

Peter saw that it was of no use to tease Tommy Tit for his secret, soinstead he poured out all his own troubles. He told how lonesome he hadbeen in the dear Old Briar-patch on the Green Meadows because he didn'tdare to go about for fear of Old Man Coyote, and how at last he haddecided to visit the Old Pasture. He told how Hooty the Owl had nearlycaught him on his way, and then how, ever since his arrival, he had beenhunted by the big, gray, old Rabbit so that he could neither eat norsleep and had become so miserable that at last he had made up his mindto go back to the dear Old Briar-patch. 

"Ho!" interrupted Tommy Tit, "I know him. He's Old Jed Thumper, theoldest, biggest, crossest Rabbit anywhere around. He's lived in the OldPasture so long that he thinks he owns it. It's a wonder that he hasn'tkilled you. "

"I guess perhaps he would have only I can run faster than he can, "replied Peter, looking a little shamefaced because he had to own up thathe ran away instead of fighting. 

Tommy Tit laughed. "That's the very wisest thing you could have done, "said he. "But why don't you go back to the dear Old Briar-patch in theGreen Meadows?"

Peter hesitated and looked a wee bit foolish. Finally he told Tommy Titall about the two soft, gentle eyes he had seen peeping at him frombehind a big fern, and how he wanted to know who the eyes belonged to. 

"If that's all you want to know, I can tell you, " said Tommy Tit, jumping out into the air to catch a foolish little bug who tried to flypast. "Those eyes belong to little Miss Fuzzy-tail, and she's thefavorite daughter of Old Jed Thumper. You take my advice, Peter Rabbit, and trot along home to the Old Briar-patch before you get into any moretrouble. There's my wife calling. Yes, my dear, I'm coming! Chickadee-dee-dee!"

And with a wink and a nod to Peter Rabbit, off flew Tommy Tit. 

CHAPTER XIII

LITTLE MISS FUZZYTAIL

Foolish questions waste time, but wise questions lead to knowledge. Peter Rabbit. 

"Little Miss Fuzzytail!" Peter said it over and over again, as he sat onthe sunning-bank in the far corner of the Old Pasture, where Tommy Titthe Chickadee had left him. 

"It's a pretty name, " said Peter. "Yes, Sir, it's a pretty name. It'sthe prettiest name I've ever heard. I wonder if she is just as pretty. I--I--think she must be. Yes, I am quite sure she must be. " Peter wasthinking of the soft, gentle eyes he had seen peeping at him from behindthe big fern, and of the dainty little footprint he had found thereafterward. So he sat on the sunning-bank, dreaming pleasant dreams andwondering if he could find little Miss Fuzzytail if he should go lookfor her. 

Now all the time, although Peter didn't know it, little Miss Fuzzytailwas very close by. She was right back in her old hiding-place behind thebig fern, shyly peeping out at him from under a great leaf, where shewas sure he wouldn't see her. She saw the long tears in Peter's coat, made by the cruel claws of Hooty the Owl, and she saw the places whereher father, Old Jed Thumper, had pulled the hair out with his teeth. Shesaw how thin and miserable Peter looked, and tears of pity filled thesoft, gentle eyes of little Miss Fuzzytail, for, you see, she had a verytender heart. 

"He's got a very nice face, " thought Miss Fuzzytail, "and he certainlywas very polite, and I do love good manners. And Peter is such a nicesounding name! It sounds so honest and good and true. Poor fellow! PoorPeter Rabbit!" Here little Miss Fuzzytail wiped her eyes. "He looks somiserable I do wish I could do something for him. I--I--oh, dear, I dobelieve he is coming right over here! I guess I better be going. How helimps!"

Once more the tears filled her soft, gentle eyes as she stole away, making not the least little sound. When she was sure she was far enoughaway to hurry without attracting Peter's attention, she began to run. 

"I saw him talking to my old friend Tommy Tit the Chickadee, and I justknow that Tommy will tell me all about him, " she thought, as shescampered along certain private little paths of her own. 

Just as she expected, she found Tommy Tit and his anxious little wife, Phoebe, very busy hunting for food for six hungry little babies snuglyhidden in a hollow near the top of the old birch-stub. Tommy was toobusy to talk then, so little Miss Fuzzytail sat down under a friendlybramble-bush to rest and wait, and while she waited, she carefullywashed her face and brushed her coat until it fairly shone. You see, notin all the Old Pasture, or the Green Forest, was there so slim and trimand neat and dainty a Rabbit as little Miss Fuzzytail, and she was very, very particular about her appearance. 

By and by, Tommy Tit stopped to rest. He looked down at Miss Fuzzytailand winked a saucy black eye. Miss Fuzzytail winked back. Then bothlaughed, for they were very good friends, indeed. 

"Tell me, Tommy Tit, all about Peter Rabbit, " commanded little MissFuzzytail. And Tommy did. 

CHAPTER XIV

SOME ONE FOOLS OLD JED THUMPER

You cannot judge a person's temper by his size. There is more meannessin the head of a Weasel than in the whole of a Bear. Peter Rabbit. 

Old Jed Thumper sat in his bull-briar castle in the middle of the OldPasture, scowling fiercely and muttering to himself. He was very angry, was Old Jed Thumper. He was so angry that presently he stopped mutteringand began to chew rapidly on nothing at all but his temper, which is away angry Rabbits have. 

The more he chewed his temper, the angrier he grew. He was big and stoutand strong and gray. He had lived so long in the Old Pasture that hefelt that it belonged to him and that no other Rabbit had any rightthere unless he said so. Yet here was a strange Rabbit who had had theimpudence to come up from the Green Meadows and refused to be drivenaway. Such impudence!

Of course it was Peter Rabbit of whom Old Jed Thumper was thinking. Itwas two days since he had caught a glimpse of Peter, but he knew thatPeter was still in the Old Pasture, for he had found fresh tracks eachday. That very morning he had visited his favorite feeding ground, onlyto find Peter's tracks there. It had made him so angry that he had losthis appetite, and he had gone straight back to his bull-briar castle tothink it over. At last Old Jed Thumper stopped chewing on his temper. Hescowled more fiercely than ever and stamped the ground impatiently. 

"I'll hunt that fellow till I kill him, or drive him so far from the OldPasture that he'll never think of coming back. I certainly will!" hesaid aloud, and started forth to hunt. 

Now it would have been better for the plans of Old Jed Thumper if he hadkept them to himself instead of speaking aloud. Two dainty little earsheard what he said, and two soft, gentle eyes watched him leave thebull-briar castle. He started straight for the far corner of the OldPasture where, although he didn't know it, Peter Rabbit had found a warmlittle sunning-bank. But he hadn't gone far when, from way off in theopposite direction, he heard a sound that made him stop short and prickup his long ears to listen. There it was again--thump, thump! He wasjust going to thump back an angry reply, when he thought better of it. 

"If do that, " thought he, "I'll only warn him, and he'll run away, justas he has before. "

So instead, he turned and hurried in the direction from which the thumpshad come, taking the greatest care to make no noise. Every few jumps hewould stop to listen. Twice more he heard those thumps, and each timenew rage filled his heart, and for a minute or two he chewed his temper. 

"He's down at my blueberry-patch, " he muttered. 

At last he reached the blueberry-patch. Very softly he crept to a placewhere he could see and not be seen. No one was there. No, Sir, no onewas there! He waited and watched, and there wasn't a hair of PeterRabbit to be seen. He was just getting ready to go look for Peter'stracks when he heard that thump, thump again. This time it came from hisfavorite clover-patch where he never allowed even his favorite daughter, little Miss Fuzzytail, to go. Anger nearly choked him as he hurried inthat direction. But when he got there, just as before no one was to beseen. 

So, all the morning long, Old Jed Thumper hurried from one place toanother and never once caught sight of Peter Rabbit. Can you guess why?Well, the reason was that all the time Peter was stretched out on hiswarm sunning-bank getting the rest he so much needed. It was some oneelse who was fooling Old Jed Thumper. 

CHAPTER XV

A PLEASANT SURPRISE FOR PETER

 Sticks will break and sticks will bend, And all things bad will have an end. Peter Rabbit. 

All morning, while someone was fooling Old Jed Thumper, the cross oldRabbit who thought he owned the Old Pasture, Peter Rabbit lay stretchedout on the warm little sunning-bank, dreaming of soft, gentle eyes andbeautiful little footprints. It was a dangerous place to go to sleep, because at any time fierce Mr. Goshawk might have come that way, and ifhe had, and had found Peter Rabbit asleep, why, that would have been theend of Peter and all the stories about him. 

Peter did go to sleep. You see, the sunning-bank was so warm andcomfortable, and he was so tired and had had so little sleep for such along time that, in spite of all he could do, he nodded and nodded andfinally slipped off into dreamland. 

Peter slept a long time, for no one came to disturb him. It was pastnoon when he opened his eyes and blinked up at jolly, round, red Mr. Sun. For a minute he couldn't remember where he was. When he did, hesprang to his feet and hastily looked this way and that way. 

"My gracious!" exclaimed Peter. "My gracious, what a careless fellow Iam! It's a wonder that Old Jed Thumper didn't find me asleep. My, butI'm hungry! Seems as if I hadn't had a good square meal for a year. "

Peter stopped suddenly and began to wrinkle his nose. "Um-m!" said he, "if I didn't know better, I should say that there is a patch of sweetclover close by. Um-m, my, my! Am I really awake, or am I stilldreaming? I certainly do smell sweet clover!"

Slowly Peter turned his head In the direction from which the delicioussmell seemed to come. Then he whirled around and stared as hard as everhe could, his mouth gaping wide open in surprise. He blinked, rubbed hiseyes, then blinked again. There could be no doubt of it; there on theedge of the sunning-bank was a neat little pile of tender, sweet clover. Yes, Sir, there it was!

Peter walked all around it, looking for all the world as if he couldn'tbelieve that it was real. Finally he reached out and nibbled a leaf ofit. It WAS real!

There was no doubt in Peter's mind then. Some one had put it there whilePeter was asleep, and Peter knew that it was meant for him. Who could ithave been?

Suddenly a thought popped into Peter's head. He stopped eating andhopped over to the big fern from behind which he had first seen the twosoft, gentle eyes peeping at him the day before. There in the soft earthwas a fresh footprint, and it looked very, very much like the footprintof dainty little Miss Fuzzytail!

Peter's heart gave a happy little jump. He felt sure now who had put theclover there. He looked wistfully about among the ferns, but she wasnowhere to be seen. Finally he hopped back to the pile of clover and ateit, every bit, and it seemed to him that it was the sweetest, tenderestclover he had ever tasted in all his life. 

CHAPTER XVI

PETER RABBIT'S LOOKING-GLASS

 If people by their looks are judged, As judged they're sure to be, Why each should always look his best, I'm sure you will agree. Peter Rabbit. 

For the first time in his life Peter Rabbit had begun to think about hisclothes. Always he had been such a happy-go-lucky fellow that it neverhad entered his head to care how he looked. He laughed at Sammy Jay forthinking so much of that beautiful blue-and-white coat he wears, and hepoked fun at Reddy Fox for bragging so much about his handsome suit. Asfor himself, Peter didn't care how he looked. If his coat was whole, orin rags and tags, it was all the same to Peter. But now Peter, sittingon the edge of his sunning-bank in the far corner of the Old Pasture, suddenly realized that he wanted to be good-looking. Yes, Sir, he wantedto be good-looking. He wished that he were bigger. He wished that hewere the biggest and strongest Rabbit in the world. He wished that hehad a handsome coat. And it was all because of the soft, gentle eyes oflittle Miss Fuzzytail that he had seen peeping out at him so often. Hefelt sure that it was little Miss Fuzzytail herself who had left thepile of sweet clover close by his sunning-bank the other day while hewas asleep. 

The fact is, Peter Rabbit was falling in love. Yes, Sir, Peter Rabbitwas falling in love. All he had seen of little Miss Fuzzytail were hersoft, gentle eyes, for she was very shy and had kept out of sight. Butever since he had first seen them, he had thought and dreamed of nothingelse, until it seemed as if there were nothing in the world he wanted somuch as to meet her. Perhaps he would have wanted this still more if hehad known that it was she who had fooled her father, Old Jed Thumper, the big, gray, old Rabbit, so that Peter might have the long nap on thesunning-bank he so needed. 

"I've just got to meet her. I've just got to!" said Peter to himself, and right then he began to wish that he were big and fine-looking. 

"My, I must be a sight!" he thought, "I wonder how I do look, anyway. Imust hunt up a looking-glass and find out. "

Now when Peter Rabbit thinks of doing a thing, he wastes very littletime. It was that way now. He started at once for the bit of swamp wherehe had first seen the tracks of Old Jed Thumper. He still limped fromthe wounds made by Hooty the Owl. But in spite of this he could travelpretty fast, and it didn't take him long to reach the swamp. 

There, just as he expected, he found a looking-glass. What was it like?Why, it was just a tiny pool of water. Yes, Sir, it was a quiet pool ofwater that reflected the ferns growing around it and the branches of thetrees hanging over it, and Peter Rabbit himself sitting on the edge ofit. That was Peter's looking-glass. 

For a long time he stared into it. At last he gave a great sigh. "My, but I am a sight!" he exclaimed. 

He was. His coat was ragged and torn from the claws of Hooty the Owl andthe teeth of Old Jed Thumper. The white patch on the seat of histrousers was stained and dirty from sitting down in the mud. There wereburrs tangled in his waistcoat. He was thin and altogether a miserablelooking Rabbit. 

"It must be that Miss Fuzzytail just pities me. She certainly can'tadmire me, " muttered Peter, as he pulled out the burrs. 

For the next hour Peter was very busy. He washed and he brushed and hecombed. When, at last, he had done all that he could, he took anotherlook in his looking-glass, and what he saw was a very different lookingRabbit. 

"Though I am homely, lank and lean, I can at least be neat and clean, "

said he, as he started back for the sunning-bank. 

CHAPTER XVII

PETER MEETS MISS FUZZYTAIL

 That this is true there's no denying-- There's nothing in the world like trying. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit was feeling better. Certainly he was looking better. Yousee, just as soon as Old Mother Nature saw that Peter was trying to lookas well as he could, and was keeping himself as neat and tidy as he knewhow, she was ready to help, as she always is. She did her best with therents in his coat, made by the claws of Hooty the Owl and the teeth ofOld Jed Thumper, and so it wasn't long before Peter's coat looked nearlyas good as new. Then, too, Peter was getting enough to eat these days. Days and days had passed since he had seen Old Jed Thumper, and this hadgiven him time to eat and sleep. 

Peter wondered what had become of Old Jed Thumper. "Perhaps somethinghas happened to him, " thought Peter. "I--I almost hope something has. "Then, being ashamed of such a wish, he added, "Something not verydreadful, but which will keep him from hunting me for a while and tryingto drive me out of the Old Pasture. "

Now all this time Peter had been trying to find little Miss Fuzzytail. He was already in love with her, although all he had seen of her wereher two soft, gentle eyes, shyly peeping at him from behind a big fern. He had wandered here and sauntered there, looking for her, but althoughhe found her footprints very often, she always managed to keep out ofhis sight, You see, she knew the Old Pasture so much better than he did, and all the little paths in it, that she had very little trouble inkeeping out of his way. Then, too, she was very busy, for it was she whowas keeping her cross father, Old Jed Thumper, away from Peter, becauseshe was so sorry for Peter. But Peter didn't know this. If he had, I amafraid that he would have been more in love than ever. 

The harder she was to find, the more Peter wanted to find her. He spenta great deal of time each day brushing his coat and making himself lookas fine as he could, and while he was doing it, he kept wishing over andover again that something would happen so that he could show little MissFuzzytail what a smart, brave fellow he really was. 

But one day followed another, and Peter seemed no nearer than ever tomeeting little Miss Fuzzytail. He was thinking of this one morning andwas really growing very down-hearted, as he sat under a friendlybramble-bush, when suddenly there was a sharp little scream of frightfrom behind a little juniper-tree. 

Somehow Peter knew whose voice that was, although he never had heard itbefore. He sprang around the little juniper-tree, and what he saw filledhim with such rage that he didn't once stop to think of himself. Therewas little Miss Fuzzytail in the clutches of Black Pussy, Farmer Brown'scat, who often stole away from home to hunt in the Old Pasture. Like aflash Peter sprang over Black Pussy, and as he did so he kicked with allhis might. The cat hadn't seen him coming, and the kick knocked herright into the prickly juniper-tree. Of course she lost her grip onlittle Miss Fuzzytail, who hadn't been hurt so much as frightened. 

By the time the cat got out of the juniper-tree, Peter and MissFuzzytail were sitting side by side safe in the middle of a bull-briarpatch. 

"Oh? how brave you are!" sobbed little Miss Fuzzytail. 

And this is the way that Peter Rabbit at last got his heart's desire. 

CHAPTER XVIII

TOMMY TIT PROVES A FRIEND INDEED

Nothing in all the world is so precious as a true friend. Peter Rabbit. 

After Peter Rabbit had saved little Miss Fuzzytail from Black Pussy, thecat who belonged way down at Farmer Brown's house and had no businesshunting in the Old Pasture, he went with her as near to her home as shewould let him. She said that it wasn't necessary that he should go asingle step, but Peter insisted that she needed him to see that no moreharm came to her. Miss Fuzzytail laughed at that, for she felt quiteable to take care of herself. It had been just stupid carelessness onher part that had given Black Pussy the chance to catch her, she said, and she was very sure that she never would be so careless again. Whatshe didn't tell Peter was that she had been so busy peeping at him andadmiring him that she had quite forgotten to watch out for danger forherself. 

Finally she said that he could go part way with her. But when they werealmost within sight of the bull-briar castle of her father, Old JedThumper, the big, gray Rabbit who thought he owned the Old Pasture, shemade Peter turn back. You see, she was afraid of what Old Jed Thumpermight do to Peter, and--well, the truth is she was afraid of what hemight do to her if he should find out that she had made friends withPeter. 

So Peter was forced to go back, but he took with him a half promise thatshe would meet him the next night up near his sunning-bank in the farcorner of the Old Pasture. 

After that there were many pleasant days for Peter Rabbit. Sometimeslittle Miss Fuzzytail would meet him, and sometimes she would shyly hidefrom, him, but somehow, somewhere, he managed to see her every day, andso all the time in Peter's heart was a little song:

 "The sky is blue; the leaves are green; The golden sunbeams peep between; My heart is joyful as can be, And all the world looks bright to me. "

And then one day Old Jed Thumper found out all about how his daughter, little Miss Fuzzytail, and Peter Rabbit had become such good friends. Old Jed Thumper went into a terrible rage. He chewed and chewed withnothing in his mouth, that is, nothing but his temper, the way an angryRabbit will. He vowed and declared that if he never ate another mouthfulhe would drive Peter Rabbit from the Old Pasture. 

My, my, my, those were bad days for Peter Rabbit! Yes, Sir, thosecertainly were bad days! Old Jed Thumper had found out how little MissFuzzytail had been fooling him by making him think Peter was in parts ofthe Old Pasture in quite the opposite direction from where he reallywas. Worse still, he found Peter's favorite sunning-bank in the farcorner of the Old Pasture and would hide near it and try to catch Peterevery time Peter tried to get a few minutes' rest there. He didsomething worse than that. 

One day he saw fierce Mr. Goshawk hunting. He let Mr. Goshawk almostcatch him. And then ducked under a bramble-bush. Then he showed himselfagain and once more escaped in the same way. So he led fierce Mr. Goshawk to a point where Mr. Goshawk could look down and see PeterRabbit stretched out on his sunning-bank, trying to get a little rest. Right; away Mr. Goshawk forgot all about Old Jed Thumper and sailed upin the sky from where he could swoop down on Peter, while Old JedThumper, chuckling to himself wickedly, hid where he could watch whatwould happen. 

That certainly would have been the last of Peter Rabbit if it hadn'tbeen for Tommy Tit the Chickadee. Tommy saw Mr. Goshawk and just in timewarned Peter, and so Mr. Goshawk got only his claws full of soft earthfor his pains, while Old Jed Thumper once more chewed on nothing in rageand disappointment. Dear me, dear me, those certainly were dreadful daysfor Peter Rabbit and little Miss Fuzzytail. You see, all the time littleMiss Fuzzytail was terribly worried for fear Peter would be caught. 

[Illustration with caption: THAT NIGHT OLD MAN COYOTE STARTED FOR THEOLD PASTURE. ]

CHAPTER XIX

OLD MAN COYOTE PAYS A DEBT

 Some little seeds of goodness You'll find in every heart, To sprout and keep on growing When once they get a start. Peter Rabbit. 

Matters went from bad to worse with Peter Rabbit and little MissFuzzytail. Peter would have made up his mind to go back to his old homein the dear Old Briar-patch on the Green Meadows, but he felt that hejust couldn't leave little Miss Fuzzytail, and little Miss Fuzzytailcouldn't make up her mind to go with Peter, because she felt that shejust couldn't leave the Old Pasture, which always had been her home. SoPeter spent his days and nights ready to jump and run from Jed Thumper, the gray old Rabbit who thought he owned the Old Pasture, and who haddeclared that he would drive Peter out. 

Now Peter, as you know, had an old friend in the Old Pasture, Tommy Titthe Chickadee. One day Tommy took it into his head to fly down to theGreen Meadows. There he found everybody wondering what had become ofPeter Rabbit, for you remember Peter had stolen away from the dear OldBriar-patch in the night and had told no one where he was going. 

Now one of the first to ask Tommy Tit if he had seen Peter Rabbit wasOld Man Coyote. Tommy told him where Peter was and of the dreadful timePeter was having, Old Man Coyote asked a lot of questions about the OldPasture and thanked Tommy very politely as Tommy flew over to theSmiling Pool to call on Grandfather Frog and Jerry Muskrat. 

That night, after jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had gone to bed behind thePurple Hills, and the Black Shadows had crept over the Green Meadows, Old Man Coyote started for the Old Pasture, Now, he had never been therebefore, but he had asked so many questions of Tommy Tit, and he is sosmart anyway, that it didn't take him long to go all through the OldPasture and to find the bull-briar castle of Old Jed Thumper, who wasmaking life so miserable for Peter Rabbit, He wasn't at home, but OldMan Coyote's wonderful nose soon found his tracks, and he followed themswiftly, without making a sound. Pretty soon he came to a bramble-bush, and under it he could see Old Jed Thumper. For just a minute hechuckled, a noiseless chuckle, to himself. Then he opened his mouth andout came that terrible sound which had so frightened all the littlepeople on the Green Meadows when Old Man Coyote had first come there tolive. 

"Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho! Hee, hee, hee! Ha, ho, hee, ho!"

Old Jed Thumper never had heard anything like that before. It frightenedhim so that before he thought what he was doing he had jumped out fromunder the bramble-bush. Of course this was just what Old Man Coyotewanted. In a flash he was after him, and then began such a race as theOld Pasture never had seen before. Round and round, this way and thatway, along the cow paths raced Old Jed Thumper with Old Man Coyote athis heels, until at last, out of breath, so tired that it seemed to himhe couldn't run another step, frightened almost out of his senses, OldJed Thumper reached his bull-briar castle and was safe. 

Then Old Man Coyote laughed his terrible laugh once more and trottedover to the tumble-down stone-wall in which his keen nose told him PeterRabbit was hiding. 

"One good turn deserves another, and I always pay my debts, PeterRabbit" said he. "You did me a good turn some time ago down on the GreenMeadows, when you told me how Granny and Reddy Fox were planning to maketrouble for me by leading Bowser the Hound to the place where I took mydaily nap, and now we are even. I don't think that old gray Rabbit willdare to poke so much as his nose out of his bull-briar castle for aweek. Now I am going back to the Green Meadows, Good night, PeterRabbit, and don't forget that I always pay my debts. "

"Good night, and thank you, Mr. Coyote, " said Peter, and then, when OldMan Coyote had gone, he added to himself in a shame-faced way: "I didn'tbelieve him when he said that he guessed we would be friends. "

CHAPTER XX

LITTLE MISS FUZZYTAIL WHISPERS "YES"

 Love is a beautiful, wonderful thing. There's nothing quite like it on all the green earth. 

 'Tis love in the heart teaches birdies to sing, And gives the wide world all its joy and its mirth. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit was finding this out. Always he had been happy, forhappiness had been born in him. But the happiness he had known beforewas nothing to the happiness that was his when he found that he lovedlittle Miss Fuzzytail and that little Miss Fuzzytail loved him, Peterwas sure that she did love him, although she wouldn't say so. But lovedoesn't need words, and Peter had seen it shining in the two soft, gentle eyes of little Miss Fuzzytail. So Peter was happy in spite of thetrouble that Old led Thumper, the big, gray Rabbit who was the father oflittle Miss Fuzzytail, had made for him in the Old Pasture, He had tried very hard, very hard indeed, to get little Miss Fuzzytailto go back with him to the dear Old Briar-patch on the Green Meadows, but in spite of all he could say she couldn't make up her mind to leavethe Old Pasture, which, you know, had been her home ever since she wasborn. And Peter couldn't make up his mind to go back there and leaveher, because--why, because he loved her so much that he felt that hecould never, never be happy without her. Then, when Old Jed Thumper washunting Peter so hard that he hardly had a chance to eat or sleep, hadcome Old Man Coyote the Wolf and given Old Jed Thumper such a frightthat for a week he didn't dare poke so much as his nose out of his bull-briar castle. 

Now, although Old Man Coyote didn't know it, his terrible voice hadfrightened little Miss Fuzzytail almost as much as it had Old JedThumper. You see, she never had heard it before, She didn't even knowwhat it was, and all that night she had crouched in her most secrethiding-place, shivering and shaking with fright. The next morning Peterhad found her there. She hadn't slept a wink, and she was still toofrightened to even go look for her breakfast. 

"Oh, Peter Rabbit, did you hear that terrible noise last night?" shecried. 

"What noise?" asked Peter, just as if he didn't know anything about it. 

"Why, that terrible voice!" cried little Miss Fuzzytail, and shivered atthe thought of it. 

"What was it like?" asked Peter. 

"Oh, I can't tell you, " said little Miss Fuzzy tall, "It wasn't likeanything I ever had heard before. It was something like the voice ofHooty the Owl and the voice of Dippy the Loon and the voice of a littleyelping dog all in one, and it was just terrible!"

"Oh?" replied Peter, "you must mean the voice of my friend. Old ManCoyote. He came up here last night just to do me a good turn because Ionce did him a good turn. "

Then he told all about how Old Man Coyote had come to the Green Meadowsto live, and how he was smarter than even old Granny Fox, but he didn'ttell her how he himself had once been frightened almost out of a year'sgrowth by that terrible voice, or that it was because he hadn't reallybelieved that Old Man Coyote was his friend that had led him to leavethe Old Briar-patch and come up to the Old Pasture. 

"Is--is he fond of Rabbits?" asked little Miss Fuzzytail. 

Peter was quite sure that he was. 

"And do you think he'll come up here hunting again?" she asked. 

Peter didn't know, but he suspected that he would. 

"Oh, dear, " wailed little Miss Fuzzytail. "Now, I never, never will feelsafe again!"

Then Peter had a happy thought. "I tell you what, " said he, "the safestplace in the world for you and me is my dear Old Briar-patch, Won't yougo there now?"

Little Miss Fuzzytail sighed and dropped a tear or two. Then she nestledup close to Peter. "Yes, " she whispered. 

CHAPTER XXI

PETER AND LITTLE MISS FUZZYTAIL LEAVE THE OLD PASTURE

 A danger past is a danger past, So why not just forget it? Watch out instead for the one ahead Until you've safely met it, Peter Rabbit. 

As soon as little Miss Fuzzytail had agreed to go with him to make herhome in the dear Old Briar-patch down on the Green Meadows, Peter Rabbitfairly boiled over with impatience to start, He had had so much troublein the Old Pasture that he was afraid if they waited too long littleMiss Fuzzytail might change her mind, and if she should do that--well, Peter didn't know what he would do. 

But Peter, who always had been so happy-go-lucky, with no one to thinkabout but himself, now felt for the first time re-sponsi-bil-ity. That'sa big word, but it is a word that everybody has to learn the meaning ofsometime. Johnny Chuck learned it when he made a home for Polly Chuck inFarmer Brown's orchard, and tried to keep it a secret, so that no harmwould come to Polly. It means taking care of other people or otherpeople's things, and feeling that you must take even greater care thanyou would of yourself or your own things, So, while Peter himself wouldhave been willing to take chances, and might even have made the journeydown to the dear Old Briar-patch in broad daylight, he felt that thatwouldn't do at all for little Miss Fuzzytail; that he must avoid everypossible chance of danger for her. 

So Peter waited for a dark night, not too dark, you know, but a nightwhen there was no moon to make great patches of light, but only thekindly little Stars looking down and twinkling in the friendly way theyhave. At last there was just such a night. All the afternoon little MissFuzzytail went about in the Old Pasture saying good-by to her friendsand visiting each one of her favorite little paths and hiding-places, and I suspect that in each one she dropped a tear or two, for you seeshe felt sure that she never would see them again, although Peter hadpromised that he would bring her back to the Old Pasture for a visitwhenever she wanted to come. 

At last it was time to start. Peter led the way. Very big and brave andstrong and important he felt, and very timid and frightened felt littleMiss Fuzzytail, hopping after him close at his heels. You see, she feltthat she was going out into the Great World, of which she knew nothingat all. 

"Oh, Peter, " she whispered, "supposing we should meet Reddy Fox! Iwouldn't know where to run or hide. "

"We are not going to meet Reddy Fox, " replied Peter, "but if we should, all you have to do is to just keep your eyes on the white patch on theseat of my trousers and follow me. I have fooled Reddy so many timesthat I'm not afraid of him. "

Never in all his life had Peter been so watchful and careful. That wasbecause he felt his re-sponsi-bil-ity. Every few jumps he would stop tosit up and look and listen. Then little Miss Fuzzytail would nestle upclose to him, and Peter's heart would swell with happiness, and he wouldfeel, oh, so proud and important. Once they heard the sharp bark ofReddy Fox, but it was a long way off, and Peter smiled, for he knew thatReddy was hunting on the edge of the Green Forest. 

Once a dim shadow swept across the meadow grass ahead of them. Peterdropped flat in the grass and kept perfectly still, and little MissFuzzytail did just as he did, as she had promised she would. 

"Wha--what was it?" she whispered. 

"I think it was Hooty the Owl, " Peter whispered back, "but he didn't seeus. " After what seemed like a long, long time they heard Hooty's fiercehunting call, but it came from way back of them on the edge of the OldPasture. Peter hopped to his feet. 

"Come on, " said he. "There's nothing to fear from him now. "

So slowly and watchfully Peter led the way down across the Green Meadowswhile the little Stars looked down and twinkled in the most friendlyway, and just as jolly, round, red Mr. Sun started to kick off hisbedclothes behind the Purple Hills they reached the dear Old Briar-patch. 

"Here we are!" cried Peter. 

"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried little Miss Fuzzytail, hopping along one ofPeter's private little paths. 

CHAPTER XXII

SAMMY JAY BECOMES CURIOUS

Learn all you can about others, but keep your own affairs to yourself. Peter Rabbit. 

Of course it was Sammy Jay who first found out that Peter Rabbit wasback in the dear Old Briar-patch. Sammy took it into his head to flyover there the very morning of Peter's home-coming. Indeed, little MissFuzzytail hadn't had time to half see the clear Old Briar-patch which, you know, was to be her new home, when Peter saw Sammy Jay coming. NowPeter was not quite ready to have all the world know that there was aMrs. Peter, for of course that was what little Miss Fuzzytail was nowthat she had come to make her home with Peter. They wanted to keep bythemselves for a little while and just be happy with each other. So assoon as Peter saw Sammy Jay headed towards the Old Briar-patch, he hidlittle Miss Fuzzytail under the thickest sweet-briar bush, and thenhurried out to the nearest sweet-clover patch. 

Of course Sammy Jay saw him right away, and of course Sammy was verymuch surprised. 

"Hello, Peter Rabbit! Where'd you come from?" he shouted, as he settledhimself comfortably in a little poplar-tree growing on the edge of theOld Briar-patch. 

"Oh, " said Peter with a very grand air, "I've been on a long journey tosee the Great World. "

"Which means, " said Sammy Jay with a chuckle, "that you've been in theOld Pasture all this time, and let me tell you, Peter Rabbit, the OldPasture is a very small part of the Great World. By the way, Tommy Titthe Chickadee was down here the other day and told us all about you. Hesaid that you had fallen in love with little Miss Fuzzytail, and heguessed that you were going to make your home up there. What's thematter? Did her father, Old Jed Thumper, drive you out?"

"No, he didn't!" snapped Peter angrily, "It's none of your business whatI came home for, Sammy Jay, but I'll tell you just the same. I came homebecause I wanted to. "

Sammy chuckled, for he dearly loves to tease Peter and make him angry. Then the imp of mischief, who seems always to live just under that smartcap of Sammy's, prompted him to ask: "Did you come home alone?"

Now Peter couldn't say "yes" for that would be an untruth, and whateverfaults Peter may have, he is at least truthful. So he just pretended notto have heard Sammy's question. 

Now when Sammy had asked the question he had thought nothing about it. It had just popped into his head by way of something to say. But SammyJay is sharp, and he noticed right away that Peter didn't answer butbegan to talk about other things, "Ha, ha!" thought Sammy to himself, "I believe he didn't come alone, Iwonder now if he brought Miss Fuzzytail with him. "

Right away Sammy began to peer down into the Old Briar-patch, twistingand turning so that he could see in every direction, and all the timetalking as fast as his tongue could go. Two or three times he flew outover the Old Briar-patch, pretending to try to catch moths, but reallyso that he could look down into certain hiding-places. The last timethat he did this he spied little Mrs. Peter, who was, you know, MissFuzzytail. At once Sammy Jay started for the Green Forest, screaming atthe top of his voice:

"Peter Rabbit's married! Peter Rabbit's married!"

CHAPTER XXIII

PETER INTRODUCES MRS. PETER

 It's what you do for others, Not what they do for you, That makes you feel so happy All through and through and through. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit made a wry face as he listened to Sammy Jay shrieking atthe top of his voice as he flew through the Green Forest and over theGreen Meadows, " Peter Rabbit's married!" "Peter Rabbit's married!" Hesaw the Merry Little Breezes who, you know, are the children of OldMother West Wind, start for the dear Old Briar-patch as soon as theyheard Sammy Jay, and he knew that they would be only the first of a lotof visitors. He hurried to where Mrs. Peter was hiding under a sweet-briar bush. 

"Do you hear what that mischief-maker, Sammy Jay, is screaming?" askedPeter. 

Mrs. Peter nodded. "Don't--don't you think it sounds kind of--well, kindof NICE, Peter?" she asked in a bashful sort of way. 

Peter chuckled. "It sounds more than KIND of nice to me, " said he. "Doyou know, I used to think that Sammy Jay never did and never could sayanything nice, but I've just changed my mind. Though he isn't saying itto be nice, it really is the nicest thing I've ever heard him say. Wehaven't been able to keep our secret, so I think the very best thing wecan do is to invite everybody to call. Then we can get it over with andhave a little time to ourselves. Here come the Merry Little Breezes, andI know that they will be glad to take the invitations for us. "

Mrs. Peter agreed, for she thought that anything Peter did or suggestedwas just about right. So the Merry Little Breezes were soon skipping anddancing over the Green Meadows and through the Green Forest with thismessage:

"Mr. And Mrs. Peter Rabbit will be at home in the Old Briar-patch totheir friends to-morrow after-noon at shadow-time. "

"Why did you make it at shadow-time?" asked Mrs. Peter. 

"Because that will give all our friends a chance to come, " repliedPeter. "Those who sleep through the day will have waked up, and thosewho sleep through the night will not have gone to bed. Besides, it willbe safer for some of the smallest of them if the Black Shadows are aboutfor them to hide in on their way here. "

"How thoughtful you are, " said little Mrs. Peter with a little sigh ofhappiness. 

Of course, every one who could walk, creep, or fly headed for the OldBriar-patch the next day at shadow-time, for almost every one knows andloves Peter Rabbit, and of course every one was very anxious to meetMrs. Peter. From the Smiling Pool came Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Jerry Muskrat, Spotty the Turtle, and old Grandfather Frog. From theGreen Forest came Bobby Coon, Unc' Billy Possum and Mrs. Possum, PricklyPorky the Porcupine, Whitefoot the Woodmouse, Happy Jack the GraySquirrel, Chatterer the Red Squirrel, Blacky the Crow, Sammy Jay, Ol'Mistah Buzzard, Mistah Mockingbird, and Sticky-toes the Treetoad. Fromthe Green Meadows came Danny Meadow Mouse, Old Mr. Toad, Digger theBadger, Jimmy Skunk, and Striped Chipmunk, who lives near the old stone-wall between the edge of the Green Meadows and the Green Forest. Johnnyand Polly Chuck came down from the Old Orchard and Drummer theWoodpecker came from the same place. 

Of course Old Man Coyote paid his respects, and when he came everybodybut Prickly Porky and Digger the Badger and Jimmy Skunk made way for himwith great respect. Granny and Reddy Fox and Hooty the Owl didn't call, but they sat where they could look on and make fun. You see, Peter hadfooled all three so many times that they felt none too friendly. 

Very proud looked Peter as he stood under a bramble-bush with Mrs. Peterby his side and introduced her to his many friends, and very sweet andmodest and retiring looked little Mrs. Peter as she sat beside him. Everybody said that she was "too sweet for anything", and when Reddy Foxoverheard that remark he grinned and said:

"Not for me! She can't be too sweet for me, and I hope I'll have achance to find out just how sweet she is. "

What do you suppose he meant?

CHAPTER XXIV

DANNY MEADOW MOUSE WARNS PETER RABBIT

 Good advice Is always needed But, alas! is seldom heeded, Peter Rabbit. 

Danny Meadow Mouse waited until all the rest of Peter Rabbit's friendshad left the Old Briar-patch after paying their respects to Peter andMrs. Peter, He waited for two reasons, did Danny Meadow Mouse. In thefirst place, he had seen old Granny Fox and Reddy Fox hanging about alittle way off, and though they had disappeared after a while, Danny hadan idea that they were not far away, but were hiding so that they mightcatch him on his way home. Of course, he hadn't the slightest intentionof giving them the chance. He had made up his mind to ask Peter if hemight spend the night in a corner of the Old Briar-patch, and he wasvery sure that Peter would say he might, for he and Peter are very goodfriends, very good friends indeed. 

The second good reason Danny had for waiting was this very friendship. You see, Peter had been away from the Green Meadows so long that Dannyfelt sure he couldn't know all about how things were there now, and sohe wanted to warn Peter that the Green Meadows were not nearly as safeas before Old Man Coyote had come there to live. So Danny waited, andwhen all the rest of the callers had left he called Peter to one sidewhere little Mrs. Peter couldn't hear. Danny stood up on his hind legsso as to whisper in one of Peter's ears. 

"Do you know that Old Man Coyote is the most dangerous enemy we have, Peter Rabbit? Do you know that?" he asked. 

Peter Rabbit shook his head. "I don't believe that, Danny, " said he. "His terrible voice has frightened you so that you just think him as badas he sounds. Why, Old Man Coyote is a friend of mine. "

Then he told Danny how Old Man Coyote had done him a good turn In theOld Pasture in return for a good turn Peter had once done him, and howhe said that he always paid his debts. 

Danny Meadow Mouse looked doubtful. "What else did he say?" he demanded. "Nothing, excepting that we were even now, " replied Peter. 

"Ha!" said Danny Meadow Mouse. 

The way he said it made Peter turn to look at him sharply. 

"Ha!" said Danny again. "If you are even, why you don't owe himanything, and he doesn't owe you anything. Watch out, Peter Rabbit!Watch out! I would stick pretty close to the Old Briar-patch with Mrs. Peter if I were you. I would indeed. You used to think old Granny Foxpretty smart, but Old Man Coyote is smarter. Yes, Sir, he is smarter!And every one of the rest of us has got to be smarter than ever beforeto keep out of his clutches. Watch out, Peter Rabbit, if you and Old ManCoyote are even. Now, if you don't mind, I'll curl up in my old hiding-place for the night. I really don't dare go back home to-night. "

Of course Peter told Danny Meadow Mouse that he was welcome to spend thenight in the Old Briar-patch, and thanked Danny for his warning as hebade him good-night. But Peter never carries his troubles with him forlong, and by the time he had rejoined little Mrs. Peter he was very muchinclined to laugh at Danny's fear. 

"What did that funny little Meadow Mouse have to say?" asked Mrs. Peter. 

Peter told her and then added, "But I don't believe we have anything tofear from Old Man Coyote. You know he is my friend. "

"But I don't know that he is mine!" replied little Mrs. Peter, and theway she said it made Peter look at her anxiously. "I believe DannyMeadow Mouse is right, " she continued, "Oh, Peter, you will watch out, won't you?"

And Peter promised her that he would. 

CHAPTER XXV

PETER RABBIT'S HEEDLESSNESS

 Heedlessness is just the twin of thoughtlessness, you know, And where you find them both at once, there trouble's sure to grow. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit didn't mean to be heedless. No, indeed! Oh, my, no! Peterthought so much of Mrs. Peter, he meant to be so thoughtful that shenever would have a thing to worry about. But Peter was heedless. Healways was heedless. This is the worst of a bad habit--you can try tolet go of it, but it won't let go of you. 

So it was with Peter. He had been heedless so long that now he actuallydidn't know when he was heedless. 

When there was nobody but himself to think about, and no one to worryabout him, his heedlessness didn't so much matter. If anything hadhappened to him then, there would have been no one to suffer. But nowall this was changed. You see, there was little Mrs. Peter. At firstPeter had been perfectly content to stay with her in the dear Old Briar-patch. He had led her through all his private little paths, and they hadplanned where they would make two or three more. He had showed her allhis secret hiding-places and the shortest way to the sweet-clover patch. He had pointed out where the Lone Little Path came down to the edge ofthe Green Forest and so out on to the Green Meadows. He had shown herwhere the Crooked Little Path came down the hill. Little Mrs. Peter hadbeen delighted with everything, and not once had she complained of beinghomesick for the Old Pasture. 

But after a little while Peter began to get uneasy. You see in the daysbefore Old Man Coyote had come to live on the Green Meadows, Peter hadcome and gone about as he pleased. Of course he had had to watch out forGranny and Reddy Fox, but he had had to watch out for them ever since hewas a baby, so he didn't fear them very much in spite of theirsmartness. He felt quite as smart as they and perhaps a little bitsmarter. Anyway, they never had caught him, and he didn't believe theyever would. So he had come and gone as he pleased, and poked his noseinto everybody's business, and gossiped with everybody. 

Of course it was quite natural that Peter should want to call on all hisold friends and visit the Green Forest, the Old Orchard, the LaughingBrook, and the Smiling Pool. Probably Mrs. Peter wouldn't have worriedvery much if it hadn't been for the warning left by Danny Meadow Mouse. 

Danny had said that Old Man Coyote was more to be feared than all theHawk family and all the Fox family together, because he was smarter andslyer than any of them. At first Peter had looked very serious, butafter Danny had gone back to his own home Peter had laughed at Danny forbeing so afraid, and he began to go farther and farther away from thesafe Old Briar-patch. 

One day he had ventured as far as halfway up the Crooked Little Path. Hewas thinking so hard of a surprise he was planning for little Mrs. Peterthat he forgot to watch out and almost ran into Old Man Coyote before hesaw him. There was a hungry look, such a hungry look in Old Man Coyote'seyes as he grinned and said "Good morning" that Peter didn't even stopto be polite. He remembered that Jimmy Skunk's old house was near, andhe reached it just one jump ahead of Old Man Coyote. 

"I thought you said that we were friends, " panted Peter, as he heard Mr. Coyote sniffing at the doorway. 

"So we were until I had paid my debt to you. Now that I've paid that, weare even, and it is everybody watch out for himself, " replied Old ManCoyote. "But don't forget that I always pay my debts, Peter Rabbit. "

CHAPTER XXVI

PETER RABBIT LISTENS TO MRS. PETER

Safety first is a wise rule for those who would live long. Peter Rabbit. 

Peter Rabbit was glad enough to get back to the dear Old Briar-patchafter his narrow escape from Old Man Coyote by dodging into JimmySkunk's old house halfway up the hill. And little Mrs. Peter was gladenough to have him, you may be sure. She had been watching Peter when heso heedlessly almost ran into Old Man Coyote, and it had seemed to heras if her heart stopped beating until Peter reached the safety of thatold house of Jimmy Skunk just one jump ahead. Then she saw Old ManCoyote hide in the grass near by and she was terribly, terribly afraidthat Peter would be heedless again and come out, thinking that Mr. Coyote had gone. 

Poor little Mrs. Peter! She was so anxious that she couldn't sit still. She felt that she just had to do something to warn Peter. She stole outfrom the dear Old Briar-patch and halfway to where Old Man Coyote washiding. He was so busy watching the doorway of the old house where Peterwas hiding that he didn't notice her at all. Little Mrs. Peter found abunch of tall grass behind which she could sit up and still not be seen. So there she sat without moving for a long, long time, never once takingher eyes from Old Man Coyote and the doorway of the old house. By and byshe saw Peter poke his nose out to see if the way was clear. Old ManCoyote saw him too, and began to grin. It was a hungry, wicked-lookinggrin, and it made little Mrs. Peter very, very angry indeed. 

She waited just a minute longer to make sure that Peter was where hecould see her, and then she thumped the ground very hard, which, youknow, is the way Rabbits signal to each other. Peter heard it right awayand thumped back that he would stay right where he was, though rightdown in his heart Peter thought that little Mrs. Peter was just nervousand foolish, for he was sure that Old Man Coyote had given up and goneaway long ago. 

Now of course Old Man Coyote heard those thumps, and he knew just whatthey meant. He knew that he never, never could catch Peter so long asMrs. Peter was watching him and ready to warn Peter, So he came out ofhis hiding-place with an ugly snarl and sprang toward little Mrs. Peterjust to frighten her. He laughed as he watched her run and, allbreathless, dive into the dear, Old Briar-patch, and then he trottedaway to his favorite napping-place. 

As soon as Peter was sure that he was safe he started for home, andthere little Mrs. Peter scolded him soundly for being so heedless andthoughtless. 

Peter didn't have a word to say. For a long time he sat thinking andthinking, every once in a while scratching his head as if puzzled. Little Mrs. Peter noticed it. 

"What's the matter with you, Peter?" she asked finally. 

"I'm just studying what Old Man Coyote means by telling me one day thathe is my friend, and proving it by doing me a good turn, and then tryingto catch me the very next time he sees me. I don't understand it, " saidPeter, shaking his head, "Oh, you dear old stupid!" replied little Mrs. Peter. "Now, you listento me. You did Old Man Coyote a good turn and he paid you back by doingyou a good turn. That made you even, didn't it?"

Peter nodded. 

"Well, then you are right back where you started from, and Old ManCoyote doesn't see any reason why he should treat you any differentlythan at first, and I don't see why he should either, when I come tothink it over. I tell you what, Peter, the thing for you to do is tokeep doing good turns to Old Man Coyote so that he will always be indebt to you. Then he will always be your friend, "

As little Mrs. Peter stopped speaking, Peter sprang to his feet. "Thevery thing!" he cried. "It's sort of a Golden Rule, and I do believe itwill work. "

"Of course it will, " replied little Mrs. Peter. 

CHAPTER XXVII

MISTAH MOCKER PLAYS A JOKE ON MRS. PETER

 This little point remember, please-- There's little gained by those who tease. Peter Rabbit. 

Mistah Mocker the Mockingbird had been very late in coming up to theGreen Meadows from way down South. The truth is, he had almost decidednot to come. You see, he loves the sunny south-land so much, and all wholive there love him so much, that if it hadn't been for Unc' BillyPossum and Ol' Mistah Buzzard he never, never would have thought ofleaving, even for a little while. Unc' Billy and Ol' Mistah Buzzard areparticular friends of his, very particular friends, and he felt that hejust had to come up for a little visit. 

Now Mistah Mocker reached the Green Meadows just after Peter Rabbit hadbrought little Mrs. Peter down from the Old Pasture to live with him inthe dear Old Briar-patch. He knew that little Mrs. Peter didn't knowanything about him, for he never had visited the Old Pasture where shehad spent her life. But he knew all the bird people who do live there, for he had met them in the sunny southland, where they spent the winter, "I believe I'll go pay my respects to Mrs. Peter, " said Mistah Mockerone day, winking at Ol' Mistah Buzzard. Ol' Mistah Buzzard chuckled andwinked back. 

"Ah cert'nly hopes yo'all will behave yo'self right proper and notforget that yo' is a member of one of the oldest families in the Souf, "said he. 

Mistah Mocker looked quite solemn as he promised to behave himself, butthere was a twinkle in his eyes as he flew toward the Old Briar-patch. There he hid in a thick tangle of vines. Now it happened that PeterRabbit had gone over to the sweet-clover patch, and little Mrs. Peterwas quite alone. Somehow she got to thinking of her old home, and forthe first time she began to feel just a wee, wee bit homesick. It wasjust then that she heard a familiar voice. Little Mrs. Peter pricked upher ears and smiled happily. 

"That's the voice of Tommy Tit the Chickadee, and it must be that hiswife is with him, for I hear him calling 'Phoebe! Phoebe!' How lovely ofthem to come down to see me so soon. "

Just then she heard another voice, a deep, beautiful, ringing voice, avoice that she loved. It was the voice of Veery the Thrush. "Oh!" criedlittle Mrs. Peter, and then held her breath so as not to miss one noteof the beautiful song. Hardly had the song ended when she heard thefamiliar voice of Redeye the Vireo. Little Mrs. Peter clapped her handshappily. "It must be a surprise party by my old friends and neighbors ofthe Old Pasture!" she cried. "How good of them to come way down here, and how glad I shall be to see them!"

With that little Mrs. Peter hurried over to the tangle of vines fromwhich all the voices seemed to come and eagerly peered this way and thatway for a sight of her friends. But all she saw was a stranger wearing avery sober-colored suit. He was very polite and told her that he was anold friend of Peter Rabbit. 

"If you are a friend of Peter, then you are a friend of mine. " saidlittle Mrs. Peter very prettily. "Have you seen anybody in this tangleof vines since you arrived? I am sure some friends of mine are here, butI haven't been able to find them. "

"No, " said the stranger, who was, of course, Mistah Mocker theMockingbird. "I haven't seen any one here, and I don't think there hasbeen any one here but myself. "

"Oh, yes, indeed there has!" cried little Mrs. Peter. "I heard theirvoices, and I couldn't possibly be mistaken in those, especially thebeautiful voice of Veery the Thrush, I--I would like very much to findthem. "

Mistah Mocker had the grace to look ashamed of himself when saw howdisappointed little Mrs. Peter was. Very softly he began to sing thesong of Veery the Thrush. 

Little Mrs. Peter looked up quickly. "There it is!" she cried. "There"--she stopped with her mouth gaping wide open. She suddenly realized thatit was Mistah Mocker who was singing. 

"I--I'm very sorry, " he stammered. "I did it just for a joke and not tomake you feel bad. Will you forgive me?"

"Yes, " replied little Mrs. Peter, "if you will come here often atshadow-time and sing to me. " And Mistah Mocker promised that he would. 

CHAPTER XXVIII

NEWS FROM THE OLD BRIAR-PATCH

 To use your eyes is very wise And much to be commended; But never see what cannot be For such as you intended. Peter Rabbit. 

Jenny Wren is a busybody. Yes, Sir, she certainly is a busybody. Ifthere is anything going on in her neighborhood that she doesn't knowabout, it isn't because she doesn't try to find out. She is so small andspry that it is hard work to keep track of her, and she pops out at themost unexpected times and places. Then, before you can say a word, sheis gone. 

And in all the Old Orchard or on the Green Meadows there is not to befound another tongue so busy as that of Jenny Wren. It is sharpsometimes, but when she wants it to be so there is none smoother. Yousee she is a great gossip, is Jenny Wren, a great gossip. But if you geton the right side of Jenny Wren and ask her to keep a secret, she'll doit. No one knows how to keep a secret better than she does. 

How it happened nobody knows, but it did happen that when Peter Rabbitcame home to the clear Old Briar-patch, bringing Mrs. Peter with him, Jenny Wren didn't hear about it. Probably it was because the new homewhich she had just completed was so carefully hidden that the messengerssent by Peter to invite all his friends to call didn't find it, andafterward she was so busy with household affairs that she didn't havetime to gossip. Anyway, Peter had been back some time before Jenny Wrenknew it. She was quite upset to think that she was the last to hear thenews, but she consoled herself with the thought that she had beenattending strictly to her duties, and now that her children were able tolook out for themselves she could make up for lost time. 

Just as soon as she could get away, she started for the Old Briar-patch. She wanted to hear all about Peter's adventures in the Old Pasture andto meet Mrs. Peter. But like a great many other busybodies, she wantedto find out all she could about Peter's affairs, and she thought thatthe surest way to do it was not to let Peter know that she was aboutuntil she had had a chance to use her sharp little eyes all she wantedto. So when she reached the Old Briar-patch, she didn't make a sound. Itdidn't take her long to find Peter. He was sitting under one of hisfavorite bramble-bushes smiling to himself. He smiled and smiled untilJenny Wren had to bite her tongue to keep from asking what was pleasinghim so. 

[Illustration with caption: "THE QUICKEST WAY FOR ME TO KNOW IS FOR YOUTO TELL ME, " REPLIED JIMMY. ]

"He looks tickled almost to death over something, but very likely if Ishould ask him what it is he wouldn't tell me, " thought Jenny Wren. "Iguess I'll look around a bit first. I wonder where Mrs. Peter is. "

So leaving Peter to smile to his heart's content, she went peeking andpeering through the Old Briar-patch. Of course it wasn't a nice thing todo, not a bit nice. But Jenny Wren didn't stop to think of that. By andby she saw something that made her flutter all over with excitement. Shelooked and looked until she could sit still no longer. Then she hurriedback to where Peter was sitting. He was still smiling. 

"Oh, Peter Rabbit, it's perfectly lovely!" she cried. 

Peter looked up quickly, and a worried look chased the smile away. "Hello, Jenny Wren! Where did you come from? I haven't seen you since Igot back, " said he. 

"I've been so busy that I haven't had time to call before, " repliedJenny. "I know what you've been smiling about, Peter, and it's perfectlysplendid. Has everybody heard the news?"

"No, " said Peter, "nobody knows it but you, and I don't want anybodyelse to know it just yet. Will you keep it a secret, Jenny Wren?"

Now Jenny was just bursting with desire to spread the news, but Peterlooked so anxious that finally she promised that she would keep it toherself, and she really meant to. But though Peter looked greatlyrelieved as he watched her start for home, he didn't smile as he hadbefore. "I wish her tongue didn't wag so much, " said he. 

CHAPTER XXIX

JIMMY SKUNK VISITS PETER RABBIT

 It's hard to keep a secret which you fairly ache to tell; So not to know such secrets is often quite as well. Peter Rabbit. 

On her way home from the Old Briar-patch, Jenny Wren stopped to rest ina bush beside the Crooked Little Path that comes down the hill, when whoshould come along but Jimmy Skunk. Now just as usual Jenny Wren wasfidgeting and fussing about, and Jimmy Skunk grinned as he watched her. 

"Hello, Jenny Wren!" said he. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm resting on my way home from the Old Briar-patch, if you must know, Jimmy Skunk!" replied Jenny Wren, changing her position half a dozentimes while she was speaking. 

"Ho, ho, ho!" laughed Jimmy Skunk. "Do you call that resting! That's ajoke, Jenny Wren. Resting! Why, you couldn't sit still and rest if youtried!"

"I could so! I'm resting right now, so there, Jimmy Skunk!" protestedJenny Wren in a very indignant tone of voice, and hopped all over thelittle bush while she was speaking. "I guess if you knew what I know, you'd be excited too. "

"Well, I guess the quickest way for me to know is for you to tell me, "replied Jimmy. "I'm just aching to be excited. "

Jimmy grinned, for you know Jimmy Skunk never does get excited and neverhurries, no matter what happens. 

"You'll have to keep right on aching then, " replied Jenny Wren, with asaucy flirt of her funny little tail. "There's great news in the OldBriar-patch, and I'm the only one that knows it, but I've promised notto tell. "

Jimmy pricked up his ears. "News in the Old Briar-patch must havesomething to do with Peter Rabbit, " said he. "What has Peter done now?"

"I'll never tell! I'll never tell!" cried Jenny Wren, growing so excitedthat it seemed to Jimmy as if there was danger that she would turnherself inside out. "I promised not to and I never will!" Then, for fearthat she would in spite of herself, she flew on her way home. 

Jimmy watched her out of sight with a puzzled frown. "If I didn't knowthat she gets so terribly excited over nothing, I'd think that therereally is some news in the Old Briar-patch, " he muttered to himself. "Anyway, I haven't anything better to do, so I believe I'll drop aroundthat way and make Peter Rabbit a call. "

He found Peter in some sweet clover just outside the Old Briar-patch, and it struck Jimmy that Peter looked uncommonly happy. He said as much. 

"I am, " replied Peter, before he thought. Then he added hastily, "Yousee, I've been uncommonly happy ever since I returned with Mrs. Peterfrom the Old Pasture. "

"But I hear there's great news over here in the Old Briar-patch, "persisted Jimmy Skunk. "What is it, Peter?"

Peter pretended to be very much surprised. "Great news!" he repeated. "Great news! Why, what news can there be over here? Who told you that?"

"A little bird told me, " replied Jimmy slyly. 

"It must have been Jenny Wren!" said Peter, once more speaking before hethought. 

"Then there IS news over here!" cried Jimmy triumphantly. "What is it, Peter?"

But Peter shook his head as if he hadn't the slightest idea and couldn'timagine. Jimmy coaxed and teased, but all in vain. Finally he startedfor home no wiser than before. 

"Just the same, I believe that Jenny Wren told the truth and that thereis news over in the Old Briar-patch, " he muttered to himself. "Somethinghas happened over there, and Peter won't tell. I wonder what it can be. "

CHAPTER XXX

REDDY FOX LEARNS THE SECRET

 Nothing that you ever do, Nothing good or nothing bad, But has effect on other folks-- Gives them pain or makes them glad. Peter Rabbit. 

Of course Jenny Wren didn't mean to tell the secret of the Old Briar-patch, because she had promised Peter Rabbit that she wouldn't. But shedidn't see any harm in telling every one she met that there was a secretthere, at least that there was great news there, and so, because JennyWren is a great gossip, it wasn't long before all the little people onthe Green Meadows and in the Green Forest and around the Smiling Poolhad heard it and were wondering what the news could be. 

After Jimmy Skunk's visit came a whole string of visitors to the OldBriar-patch. One would hardly have left before another would appear. Each one tried to act as if he had just happened around that way anddidn't want to pass Peter's home without making a call, but each oneasked so many questions that Peter knew what had really brought himthere was the desire to find out what the news in the Old Briar-patchcould be. But Peter was too smart for them, and they all went away nowiser than they came, that is, all but one, and that one was Reddy Fox. 

There isn't much going on in the Green Forest or on the Green Meadowsthat Reddy doesn't know about. He is sly, is Reddy Fox, and his eyes aresharp and his ears are keen, so little happens that he doesn't see orhear about. Of course he heard the foolish gossip of Jenny Wren and hepricked up his ears. 

"So there's news down in the Old Briar-patch, is there? A secret thatJenny Wren won't tell? I think I'll trot down there and make Peter acall. Of course he'll be glad to see me. "

Reddy grinned wickedly as he said this to himself, for he knew thatthere was no one for whom Peter Rabbit had less love, unless it was oldGranny Fox. 

So Reddy trotted down to the Old Briar-patch. Peter saw him coming andscowled, for he guessed right away what Reddy was coming for, and hemade ready to answer all Reddy's questions and still tell him nothing, as he had with all the others who had called. 

But Reddy asked no questions. He didn't once mention the fact that hehad heard there was news in the Old Briar-patch. He didn't once speak ofJenny Wren. He just talked about the weather and the Old Pasture, wherePeter had made such a long visit, and all the time was as pleasant andpolite as if he and Peter were the dearest of friends. 

But while he was talking, Reddy was using those sharp eyes and thosekeen ears of his the best he knew how. But the Old Briar-patch was verythick, and he could see only a little way into it, and out of it came nosound to hint of a secret there. Then Reddy began to walk around the OldBriar-patch in quite the most matter-of-fact way, but as he walked thatwonderful nose of his was testing every little breath of air that cameout of the Old Briar-patch. At last he reached a certain place where alittle stronger breath of air tickled his nose. He stopped for a fewminutes, and slowly a smile grew and grew. Then, without saying a word, he turned and trotted back towards the Green Forest. 

Peter Rabbit watched him go. Then he joined Mrs. Peter in the heart ofthe Old Briar-patch. "My dear, " he said, with a sigh that was almost asob, "Reddy Fox has found out our secret. "

"Never mind, " said little Mrs. Peter brightly. "It would have to befound out soon, anyway. "

Trotting back up the Lone Little Path, Reddy Fox was grinning broadly. "It IS news!" said he. "Jenny Wren was right, it IS news! But I don'tbelieve anybody else knows it yet, and I hope they won't find it outright away, least of all Old Man Coyote. What a wonderful thing a goodnose is! It tells me what my eyes cannot see nor my ears hear. "

CHAPTER XXXI

BLACKY THE CROW HAS SHARP EYES

 Mischief always waits to greet Idle hands and idle feet. Peter Rabbit. 

That is what a lot of people say about Blacky the Crow. Of course it istrue that Blacky does get into a lot of mischief, but if people reallyknew him they would find that he isn't as black as he looks. In fact, Blacky the Crow does a whole lot of good in his own peculiar way, butpeople are always looking for him to do bad things, and you know youmost always see what you expect to see. Thus the good Blacky does isn'tseen, while the bad is, and so he has grown to have a reputation blackerthan the coat he wears. 

But this doesn't worry Blacky the Crow. No, Sir, it doesn't worry him abit. You see he has grown used to it. And then he is so smart that he isnever afraid of being caught when he does do wrong things. No one hassharper eyes than Blacky, and no one knows better how to use them. Thereis very little going on in the Green Forest or on the Green Meadows thathe misses when he is about. 

The day after Reddy Fox visited the Old Briar-patch and with hiswonderful nose found out Peter Rabbit's secret, Blacky just happened tofly over the Old Briar-patch on his way to Farmer Brown's cornfield. Now, being over the Old Briar-patch, he could look right down into itand see all through it. Just as he reached it, he remembered havingheard Sammy Jay say something about gossipy little Jenny Wren's havingsaid that there was great news there. He hadn't thought much about it atthe time, but now that he was right there, he might as well have a lookfor himself and see if there was any truth in it. 

So Blacky the Crow flew a little lower, and his sharp eyes looked thisway and that way through all the bramble-bushes of the Old Briar-patch. He saw Peter Rabbit right away and winked at him. He thought Peterlooked worried and anxious. 

"Peter must have something on his mind, " thought Blacky. "I wonder whereMrs. Peter is. "

Just then he caught sight of her under the thickest growing sweet-briarbush. He had opened his mouth to shout, "Hello, Mrs. Peter, " when he sawsomething that surprised him so that he didn't speak at all. He almostforgot to flap his wings to keep himself in the air. He hovered rightwhere he was for a few minutes, looking down through the brambles. Thenwith a hoarse chuckle, he started for the Smiling Pool, forgetting allabout Farmer Brown's cornfield. "Caw, caw, caw!" he shrieked, "PeterRabbit's got a family! Peter Rabbit's got a family!"

Reddy Fox heard him and ground his teeth. "Now Old Man Coyote will knowand will try to catch those young Rabbits, when they ought to be minebecause I found out about them first, " he grumbled. 

Jimmy Skunk heard Blacky and grinned broadly. "So that's the great newsJenny Wren found out!" said he. "I hope Peter will take better care ofhis babies than he ever has of himself. I must call at once. "

Redtail the Hawk heard, and he smiled too, but it wasn't a kindly smilelike Jimmy Skunk's. "I think young Rabbit will taste very good for achange, " said he. 

CHAPTER XXXII

PETER RABBIT'S NURSERY

 With home, the home you call your own, It really doesn't matter where, There is no place, in all the world, That ever will or can compare. Peter Rabbit. 

The news was out at last, thanks to Blacky the Crow. Peter Rabbit had afamily! Yes, Sir, Peter Rabbit had a family! Right away the Old Briar-patch became the most interesting place on the Green Meadows to all thelittle people who live there and in the near-by Green Forest. Of courseall of Peter's friends called as soon as ever they could. They foundPeter looking very proud, and very important, and very happy. Mrs. Peterlooked just as proud, and just as happy, but she also looked veryanxious. You see, while she was very glad to have so many friends call, there were also other visitors. That is, they were not exactly callers, but they hung around the outside of the Old Briar-patch, and they seemedquite as much interested as the friends who really called. Indeed, theyseemed more interested. 

Who were they? Why, Reddy Fox was one. Then there was Old Man Coyote, also Redtail the Hawk and Digger the Badger, and just at dusk Hooty theOwl. They all seemed very much interested indeed, but every time littleMrs. Peter saw them, she shivered. You see, she couldn't help thinkingthat there was a dreadful, hungry look in their eyes, and if the truthis to be told, there probably was. 

But happy-go-lucky Peter Rabbit didn't let this worry him. Hadn't hegrown up from a teeny-weeny baby and been smart enough to escape allthese dangers which worried Mrs. Peter so? And if he could do it, ofcourse his own babies could do it, with him to teach them and show themhow. Besides, they were too little to go outside of the Old Briar-patchnow. Indeed, they were too little to go outside their nursery, which wasin a clump of sweet-briar bushes in the very middle of the Old Briar-patch, and Peter felt that there they were perfectly safe. 

"It isn't time to worry yet, " said Peter to little Mrs. Peter, as he sawthe fright in her eyes as the shadow of Redtail passed over them. "Idon't believe in borrowing trouble. Time enough to worry when there issomething to worry about, and that won't be until these littlescallawags of ours are big enough to run around and get into mischief. Did you ever see such beautiful babies in all your life?"

For a minute the worried look left little Mrs. Peter, and she gazed atthe four little helpless babies fondly. "No, " she replied softly, "Inever did. Oh, Peter, they are perfectly lovely! This one is the perfectimage of you, and I'm going to call him Little Pete. And don't you thinkhis brother looks like his grandfather? I think we'll call him LittleJed. "

Peter coughed behind his hand as if something had stuck in his throat. He had no love for Little Jed's grandfather, Old Jed Thumper, the big, gray, old Rabbit who had tried so hard to drive him from the OldPasture, but he didn't say anything. If Mrs. Peter wanted to name thisone Little Jed, he wouldn't say a word. Aloud he said:

"I think, my dear, that this one looks just as you must have looked whenyou were little, and so we'll call her Fuzzy. And her sister we'll callWuzzy, " continued Peter. "Was ever there such a splendid nursery forbaby Rabbits?"

"I don't believe there ever was, Peter. It's better than my old nurseryin the Old Pasture, " replied little Mrs. Peter, as with a sigh ofperfect happiness she stretched out beside their four babies. 

And Peter softly tiptoed away to the nearest sweet-clover patch with hisheart almost bursting with pride. 

Of the doings of Peter and Mrs. Peter Rabbit and their four childrenthere are many more stories, so many that one book will not hold all ofthem. Besides, Bowser the Hound insists that I must write a book abouthim, and I have promised to do it right away. So the next book will beBowser the Hound.