Part 29 (1/2)

”What's funny?” snapped Spooky rather crossly.

”Why that all four were not dressed alike,” said Peter.

”There's nothing funny about it,” retorted Spooky, and snapped his bill sharply with a little cracking sound. ”We Screech Owls believe in variety. Some of us are gray and some of us are reddish-brown. It is a case of where you cannot tell a person just by the color of his clothes.”

Peter nodded as if he quite understood, although he couldn't understand at all. ”I'm ever so pleased to find you living here,” said he politely.

”You see, in winter the Old Orchard is rather a lonely place. I don't see how you get enough to eat when there are so few birds about.”

”Birds!” snapped Spooky. ”What have birds to do with it?”

”Why, don't you live on birds?” asked Peter innocently.

”I should say not. I guess I would starve if I depended on birds for my daily food,” retorted Spooky. ”I catch a Sparrow now and then, to be sure, but usually it is an English Sparrow, and I consider that I am doing the Old Orchard a good turn every time I am lucky enough to catch one of the family of Bully the English Sparrow. But I live mostly on Mice and Shrews in winter and in summer I eat a lot of gra.s.shoppers and other insects. If it wasn't for me and my relatives I guess Mice would soon overrun the Great World. Farmer Brown ought to be glad I've come to live in the Old Orchard and I guess he is, for Farmer Brown's boy knows all about this house of mine and never disturbs me. Now if you'll excuse me I think I'll fly over to Farmer Brown's young orchard. I ought to find a fat Mouse or two trying to get some of the bark from those young trees.”

”Huh!” exclaimed Peter. ”They can try all they want to, but they won't get any; I can tell you that.”

Spooky's round yellow eyes twinkled. ”It must be you have been trying to get some of that bark yourself,” said he.

Peter didn't say anything but he looked guilty, and Spooky once more chuckled as he spread his wings and flew away so soundlessly that he seemed more like a drifting shadow than a bird. Then Peter started for a certain swamp he knew of where he would be sure to find enough bark to stay his appet.i.te.

CHAPTER XLIII. Queer Feet and a Queerer Bill.

Peter Rabbit had gone over to the Green Forest to call on his cousin, Jumper the Hare, who lives there altogether. He had no difficulty in finding Jumper's tracks in the snow, and by following these he at length came up with Jumper. The fact is, Peter almost b.u.mped into Jumper before he saw him, for Jumper was wearing a coat as white as the snow itself.

Squatting under a little snow-covered hemlock-tree he looked like nothing more than a little mound of snow.

”Oh!” cried Peter. ”How you startled me! I wish I had a winter coat like yours. It must be a great help in avoiding your enemies.”

”It certainly is, Cousin Peter,” cried Jumper. ”Nine times out of ten all I have to do is to sit perfectly still when there was no wind to carry my scent. I have had Reddy Fox pa.s.s within a few feet of me and never suspect that I was near. I hope this snow will last all winter. It is only when there isn't any snow that I am particularly worried. Then I am not easy for a minute, because my white coat can be seen a long distance against the brown of the dead leaves.”

Peter chuckled, ”that is just when I feel safest,” he replied. ”I like the snow, but this brown-gray coat of mine certainly does show up against it. Don't you find it pretty lonesome over here in the Green Forest with all the birds gone, Cousin Jumper?”

Jumper shook his head. ”Not all have gone, Peter, you know,” said he.

”Strutter the Grouse and Mrs. Grouse are here, and I see them every day.

They've got snowshoes now.”

Peter blinked his eyes and looked rather perplexed. ”Snowshoes!” he exclaimed. ”I don't understand what you mean.”

”Come with me,” replied Jumper, ”and I'll show you.”

So Jumper led the way and Peter followed close at his heels. Presently they came to some tracks in the snow. At first glance they reminded Peter of the queer tracks Farmer Brown's ducks made in the mud on the edge of the Smiling Pool in summer. ”What funny tracks those are!” he exclaimed. ”Who made them?”

”Just keep on following me and you'll see,” retorted Jumper.

So they continued to follow the tracks until presently, just ahead of them, they saw Strutter the Grouse. Peter opened his eyes with surprise when he discovered that those queer tracks were made by Strutter.

”Cousin Peter wants to see your snowshoes, Strutter,” said Jumper as they came up with him.