Part 3 (2/2)

Everybody's good to me!_”

”hello, Tommy!” said Peter Rabbit ”Where'd you come from?”

”From Farmer Brown's new orchard up on the hill It's a fine orchard, Peter Rabbit, a fine orchard I go there every h, I'll have all the trees cleaned up for Farmer Brown”

Peter looked puzzled ”What do you mean?” he asked

”Just what I say,” replied To a sos of insects on those young peach trees, but I'hty fine eating, Peter Rabbit, !”

And with that Toood-by and flitted away

Peter was thinking of that young orchard now, as he sat in the ht of those young peach treesway up to the orchard on the hill, a very long way, and Peter ondering if it really was safe to go He had just about made up his mind to try it, for Peter is very, very fond of the bark of young peach trees, when thu dropped out of the sky at his very feet

It startled Peter so that he nearly tuht at the sary scream of Hooty the Owl That alh he knew that Hooty couldn't get hiot his wits together and his heart didn't go so jumpy, he looked to see what had dropped so close to hier than ever, and he rubbed theht he saw

Yes, there was no doubt about it--there at his feet lay Danny Meadow Mouse!

[Illustration]

XII

The Old Briar-Patch Has a New Tenant

Danny Meadow Mouse slowly opened his eyes and then closed theain quickly, as if afraid to look around He could hear so It was a pleasant voice, not at all like the terrible voice of Hooty the Ohich was the very last thing that Danny Meadow Mouse could remember Danny lay still a minute and listened

”Why, Danny Meadow Mouse, where in the world did you drop from?”

asked the voice It sounded like--why, very ain It was Peter Rabbit

”Where--where am I?” asked Danny Meadow Mouse in a very weak and small voice

”In the middle of the dear Old Briar-patch with et here? You seeht out of the sky”

Danny Meadow Mouse shuddered Suddenly he rereat cruel claws and had carried hiht across the snow-covered Green Meadows; how he had felt Hooty's claws slip and then had struggled and kicked and twisted and turned until his coat had torn and he had dropped down, down, down, until he had landed in the soft snow and knocked all the breath out of his little body

The very last thing he could ree and disappointht caain! Danny tried to scraroaned Danny and lay still again

”There, there Keep still, Danny Meadow Mouse There's nothing to be afraid of here,” said Peter Rabbit gently His big eyes filled with tears as he looked at Danny Meadow Mouse, for Danny was all torn and hurt by the cruel claws of Hooty the Owl, and you know Peter has a very tender heart

So Danny lay still, and while Peter Rabbit tried to make him comfortable and dress his hurts, he told Peter all about how he had forgotten to watch up in the sky and so had been caught by Hooty the Owl, and all about his terrible ride in Hooty's cruel claws

”Oh dear, whatever shall I do now?” he ended ”However shall I get back horass, my safe little tunnels under the snow, andhollow in the old fence post?”

Peter Rabbit looked thoughtful ”You can't do it,” said he ”You si way for a little fellow like you that it wouldn't be safe to try If you went at night, Hooty the Owlthe Haould be alht or day, old Granny Fox or Reddy Foxaround, and if they did, they would be sure to catch you I tell you what, you stay right here! The dear Old Briar-patch is the safest place in the world Why, just think, here you can coh at Granny and Reddy Fox and at old Roughleg the Hawk, because the good old braet you You can ood tunnels under the snow here as you had there, and there are lots and lots of seeds on the ground to eat You know I don't care for the here all alone You stay here, and we'll have the Old Briar-patch to ourselves”