Part 2 (1/2)

Now, strange to say, no one laughed at Peter, queer as the story sounded You see, they all rehed at hireat footprints he had found deep in the Green Forest, and how later it had been proven that he really did see them, for they were made by Buster Bear who had come down from the Great Woods to live in the Green Forest Then it had been Peter's turn to laugh at them So now, ih at it

”I never heard of such a creature,” said Jimmy Skunk, ”and I can't quite believe that there is such a one, but it is very clear to e You know the old saying that he laughs best who laughs last, and I'h and say, 'I told you so'”

”That is very true,” replied Old Mr Toad sole out of the ordinary, and in his excite to do is to er in the Green Forest Peter says that it came down the hill where prickly Porky the Porcupine lives Soo ask him what he knows about it If there is such a terrible creature up there, he ought to have seen it Why don't you go up there and ask hi”

”I will,” replied Jimmy promptly, and off he started You see, he felt very much flattered by Old Mr Toad's remark, and he couldn't very well refuse, for that would look as if he were afraid, after all

VII

JIMMY SKUNK CALLS ON prickLY PORKY

”A plague upon Old Mr Toad!” gruh the Green Forest on his way to the hill where prickly Porky lives ”Of course I' with things I don't know anything about I'reatest respect for s or head or tail Whoever heard of such a thing? It gives ht on, and as he reached the foot of the hill where prickly Porky lives, he looked sharply in every direction and listened with all hisunusual to be seen The Green Forest looked just as it always did It was very still and quiet there save for the cheerful voice of Redeye the Vireo telling over and over how happy he was

”That doesn't sound as if there were any terrible stranger around here,”sound, a very queer sound, that seerinned as he listened ”That's prickly Porky telling hihed Jimmy ”Funny how some people do like to hear their own voices”

The contented sound of prickly Porky's voicevery terrible about just then, anyway, and so he slowly ambled up the hill, for you know he never hurries It was an easy matter to find the tree in which prickly Porky was at work stripping off bark and eating it, because he made so much noise

”hello!” said Jimmy Skunk

prickly Porky took no notice He was so busy eating, andso much noise about it, that he didn't hear Jimmy at all

”hello!” shouted Jimmy a little louder ”hello, there! Are you deaf?”

Of course this wasn't polite at all, but Ji a little out of sorts because he had had to make this call This time prickly Porky looked down

”hello yourself, and see how you like it, Jimmy Skunk!” he cried

”Come on up and have sohed at his own joke, for he knew perfectly well that Jimmy couldn't climb, and that he wouldn't eat bark if he could

Jimmy made a face at him ”Thank you, I've just dined Co et another bite,” replied prickly Porky, stripping off a long piece of bark Then with this to chew on, he came half way down the tree andliot on your mind?” he demanded

At once Jimmy told him the queer story Peter Rabbit had told ”I've been sent up here to find out if you have seen this legless, headless, tailess creature Have you?” he concluded

prickly Porky slowly shook his head ”No,” said he ”I've been right here all the time, and I haven't seen any such creature”

”That's all I want to know,” replied Ji the ht back to the Old Briar-patch to tell hied” With that Ji to himself

VIII