Part 5 (2/2)

There Peter Rabbit lay He had dragged that piece of stake a long way, a very long way, indeed But now he could drag it no farther, for it had caught in the bramble bushes So Peter just dropped on the snow and cried Yes, Sir, he cried! You see, he was so tired and worn out and frightened, and his leg was so stiff and sore and hurt hiet hoht on your very own doorstep

So Peter just lay there and cried Just supposing old Granny Fox should coht that way! All she would have to do would be to get hold of that hateful stake caught in the braet him Do you wonder that Peter cried?

By and by he beca away his tears

It was Danny Meadow Mouse And Danny was singing in a funny little voice Pretty soon Peter stopped crying and listened, and this is what he heard:

”_Isn't any use to cry!

Not a bit! Not a bit!

Wipe your eyes and wipe 'em dry!

Use your wit! Use your wit!

Just rele sorrow

Yesterday has gone forever And toets here never

Chase your worries all away; Nothing's worse than just today_”

Peter sht! Smile away, Peter Rabbit Smile away! Your troubles, Sir, are all today And between you and me, I don't believe they are so bad as you think they are Now you lie still just where you are, while I go see what can be done”

With that, off whisked Danny Meadow Mouse as spry as you please, in spite of his la, and in a fewthat Danny was doing so at the other end He was Danny Meadow Mouse had set out to gnaw that piece of stake all to splinters So there he sat and gnawed and gnawed and gnawed Jolly, round, red Mr Sun clirew hungry, but still he kept right on gnawing at that bothersome stake

[Illustration: _Danny Meadow Mouse had set out to gnaw that piece of stake all to splinters_]

By and by, happening to look across the snow-covered Green Meadows, he saw so that ht over toward the dear Old Briar-patch

Danny didn't say a word to Peter Rabbit, but gnawed faster than ever

Far

There was only a tiny bit of the stake left now, and Danny hurried to tell Peter Rabbit that there was nothing to stop hi to his most secret retreat in the very heart of the Old Briar-patch While Peter slowly dragged his way along, Danny trotted behind to see that the wire did not catch on the bushes

They had safely reached Peter Rabbit's secretest retreat when Fare of the dear Old Briar-patch

”So this is where that rabbit that killed our peach tree lives!”

said he ”We'll try a few snares and put you out of mischief”

And for the rest of the afternoon Fare of the Old Briar-patch

[Illustration]