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 andby she 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.Peter just 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 allwho live 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 himin the 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 neighborsof the 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 suddenlyrealized that it 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 tobe found 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 hearthe news, 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.It didn'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 itto herself, 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, whenwho should 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, witha saucy 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 OldBriar-patch, because she had promised Peter Rabbit that she wouldn't.But she didn't see any harm in telling every one she met that therewas a secret there, at least that there was great news there, and so,because Jenny Wren is a great gossip, it wasn't long before all thelittle people on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest and aroundthe Smiling Pool had 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 wherea little 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."