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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:16:22 -0700 |
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diff --git a/25301-h/25301-h.htm b/25301-h/25301-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..068091f --- /dev/null +++ b/25301-h/25301-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3805 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse, by Thornton W. Burgess. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + .faux { + font-size: 0.5em; /*this font size could be anything */ + visibility: hidden;} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + + .maintitle {font-size: 200%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} + .copyright {text-align: center; font-size: 70%; text-indent: 0;} + .adtitle2 {font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} + .adtitle3 {font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; } + .author {font-size: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} + .authorof {font-size: 70%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;} + div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + + .center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps; font-style: normal;} + + .tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; text-indent: 0; text-align: center;} + + .unindent {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + text-indent: 0;} +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} +hr.chap {width: 65%} +hr.full {width: 95%; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;} + +ul.booklist { list-style-type: none; margin-left: 15%; } + + +/* Poetry */ +.poetry-container +{ + text-align: center; +} + +.poetry +{ + display: inline-block; + text-align: left; +} + +.poetry .stanza +{ + margin: 1em auto; +} + +.poetry .verse +{ + text-indent: -3em; + padding-left: 3em; +} + + + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + text-indent: 0;} /* page numbers */ + + +/* Images */ + img {border: 0;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 90%; text-indent: 0;} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +/*Drop caps*/ +.drop-cap { + text-indent: 0em; + text-align: justify; +} +.drop-cap:first-letter +{ + float: left; + margin: 0.15em 0.1em 0em 0em; + font-size: 250%; + line-height:0.5em; +} + +@media handheld +{ + .chapter + { + page-break-before: always; + } + + h2.no-break + { + page-break-before: avoid; + padding-top: 0; + } + + .poetry + { + display: block; + margin-left: 1.5em; + } + .drop-cap:first-letter + { + float: none; + margin: 0; + font-size: 100%; + } +} + + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse, by +Thornton W. Burgess + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse + +Author: Thornton W. Burgess + +Illustrator: Harrison Cady + +Release Date: November 10, 2016 [EBook #25301] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF DANNY MEADOW MOUSE *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, MWS, Google Books and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from images made available by the +HathiTrust Digital Library.) (An earlier version was +prepared by K. Nordquist and Barbara Tozier.) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<h1 class="faux">THE ADVENTURES OF +DANNY MEADOW MOUSE</h1> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 514px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="514" height="800" alt="Cover: This cover has been created by the transcriber and is places in the public domain" /> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></p> +<div class="maintitle">THE ADVENTURES OF<br /> +DANNY MEADOW MOUSE</div> + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="bbox"> +<div class="adtitle2">BOOKS BY<br /> +THORNTON W. BURGESS</div> + + +<div class="adtitle3">BEDTIME STORY-BOOKS</div> + + +<ul class="booklist"><li>1. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Reddy Fox</span></li> +<li>2. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Johnny Chuck</span></li> +<li>3. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Peter Cottontail</span></li> +<li>4. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Unc’ Billy Possum</span></li> +<li>5. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Mr. Mocker</span></li> +<li>6. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat</span></li> +<li>7. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse</span></li> +<li>8. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Grandfather Frog</span></li> +<li>9. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Chatterer, the Red Squirrel</span></li> +<li>10. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Sammy Jay</span></li> +<li>11. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Buster Bear</span></li> +<li>12. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Old Mr. Toad</span></li> +<li>13. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Prickly Porky</span></li> +<li>14. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Old Man Coyote</span></li> +<li>15. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver</span></li> +<li>16. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack</span></li> +<li>17. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Bobby Coon</span></li> +<li>18. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk</span></li> +<li>19. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Bob White</span></li> +<li>20. <span class="smcap">The Adventures of Ol’ Mistah Buzzard</span></li> +</ul> + + + +<div class="adtitle3">OLD MOTHER WEST WIND SERIES</div> + + +<ul class="booklist"> +<li>1. <span class="smcap">Old Mother West Wind</span></li> +<li>2. <span class="smcap">Mother West Wind’s Children</span></li> +<li>3. <span class="smcap">Mother West Wind’s Animal Friends</span></li> +<li>4. <span class="smcap">Mother West Wind’s Neighbors</span></li> +<li>5. <span class="smcap">Mother West Wind’s “Why” Stories</span></li> +<li>6. <span class="smcap">Mother West Wind’s “How” Stories</span></li> +<li>7. <span class="smcap">Mother West Wind’s “When” Stories</span></li> +<li>8. <span class="smcap">Mother West Wind’s “Where” Stories</span></li> +</ul> + + + + +<div class="adtitle3">GREEN MEADOW SERIES</div> + +<ul class="booklist"> +<li>1. <span class="smcap">Happy Jack</span></li> +<li>2. <span class="smcap">Mrs. Peter Rabbit</span></li> +</ul> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 491px;"><a id="frontispiece"></a> +<img src="images/frontis.jpg" width="491" height="641" alt="bunny and mouse" /> +<div class="caption">“I tell you what, you stay right here!” <span class="smcap">Frontispiece.</span><br /> +<i>See <a href="#Page_57">page 57</a>.</i></div> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> + + + + +<div class="center"><b>BURGESS <small><span class="u">TRADE</span></small> QUADDIES <small><span class="u">MARK</span></small></b><br /> +<br /> +<b>The Bedtime Story-Books</b><br /> +</div> +<hr class="full" /> +<div class="maintitle"> +THE ADVENTURES OF<br /> +DANNY MEADOW MOUSE</div> + +<div class="center"><br /> +<br /> +<small>BY</small><br /> +<span class="author">THORNTON W. BURGESS</span><br /> +<span class="authorof">Author of “The Adventures of Reddy Fox,”<br /> +“Old Mother West Wind,” etc.</span><br /> +<br /><br /> +<i>With Illustrations by<br /> +HARRISON CADY</i><br /><br /><br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 111px;"> +<img src="images/emblem.jpg" width="111" height="162" alt="Emblem" /> +</div> + +<div class="center"><br /><br /><br /> +BOSTON<br /> +LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY<br /> +1919<br /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span></p> + + + + +<div class="copyright"> +<i>Copyright, 1915</i>,<br /> +<span class="smcap">By Little, Brown, and Company</span>.<br /> +<br /> +<i>All rights reserved</i><br /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 76px;"> +<img src="images/doodad.jpg" width="76" height="15" alt="doodad" /> +</div> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> +<tr> +<td align="left" colspan="2"><small>CHAPTER</small></td> +<td align="right"><small>PAGE</small></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">I.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Danny Meadow Mouse is Worried</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">II.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Danny Meadow Mouse and His Short Tail</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">III.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Danny Meadow Mouse Plays Hide and Seek</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">IV.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Old Granny Fox Tries for Danny Meadow Mouse</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">V.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">What Happened on the Green Meadows</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">VI.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Danny Meadow Mouse Remembers and Reddy Fox Forgets</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">VII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Old Granny Fox Tries a New Plan</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">VIII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Brother North Wind Proves a Friend</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">IX.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Danny Meadow Mouse is Caught at Last</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">X.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Strange Ride and How It Ended</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XI.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Peter Rabbit Gets a Fright</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_49">49</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Old Briar-Patch Has a New Tenant</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XIII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Peter Rabbit Visits the Peach Orchard</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XIV.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Farmer Brown Sets a Trap</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_64">64</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XV.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Peter Rabbit is Caught in a Snare</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XVI.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Peter Rabbit’s Hard Journey</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XVII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Danny Meadow Mouse Becomes Worried</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XVIII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Danny Meadow Mouse Returns a Kindness</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XIX.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Peter Rabbit and Danny Meadow Mouse Live High</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XX.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Timid Danny Meadow Mouse</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XXI.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">An Exciting Day for Danny Meadow Mouse</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XXII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">What Happened Next to Danny Meadow Mouse</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_105">105</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XXIII.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Reddy Fox Grows Curious</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="right">XXIV.</td> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Reddy Fox Loses His Temper</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_114">114</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="List of Illustrations"> +<tr> +<td align="left">“<span class="smcap">I tell you what, you stay right here!</span>”</td> +<td align="right" colspan="2"><i><a href="#frontispiece">Frontispiece</a></i></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">“Got plenty to eat and drink, haven’t you?” continued Mr. Toad</span></td> +<td align="right"><small>PAGE</small> </td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_6">6</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Danny popped his head out of another little doorway and laughed at Reddy</span></td> +<td align="center">“</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">He was being carried</span></td> +<td align="center">“</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Peter knew that Danny was doing something at the other end</span></td> +<td align="center">“</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">With another frightened squeak, Danny dived into the opening just in time</span></td> +<td align="center">“</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + + + + +<div class="maintitle">THE ADVENTURES OF<br /> +DANNY MEADOW MOUSE</div> + + + + +<h2>I<br /> + +<small>DANNY MEADOW MOUSE IS WORRIED</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE sat +on his door-step with his chin in +his hands, and it was very plain +to see that Danny had something on his +mind. He had only a nod for Jimmy +Skunk, and even Peter Rabbit could get +no more than a grumpy “good morning.” +It wasn’t that he had been caught +napping the day before by Reddy Fox +and nearly made an end of. No, it wasn’t +that. Danny had learned his lesson, and +Reddy would never catch him again.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +It wasn’t that he was all alone with no +one to play with. Danny was rather +glad that he was alone. The fact is, +Danny Meadow Mouse was worried.</p> + +<p>Now worry is one of the worst things +in the world, and it didn’t seem as if +there was anything that Danny Meadow +Mouse need worry about. But you know +it is the easiest thing in the world to +find something to worry over and make +yourself uncomfortable about. And when +you make yourself uncomfortable, you +are almost sure to make every one around +you equally uncomfortable. It was so +with Danny Meadow Mouse. Striped +Chipmunk had twice called him “Cross +Patch” that morning, and Johnny +Chuck, who had fought Reddy Fox for +him the day before, had called him +“Grumpy.” And what do you think +was the matter with Danny Meadow +Mouse? Why, he was worrying because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +his tail is short. Yes, Sir, that is all that +ailed Danny Meadow Mouse that bright +morning.</p> + +<p>You know some people let their looks +make them miserable. They worry because +they are homely or freckled, or +short or tall, or thin or stout, all of which +is very foolish. And Danny Meadow +Mouse was just as foolish in worrying +because his tail is short.</p> + +<p>It is short! It certainly is all of that! +Danny never had realized how short +until he chanced to meet his cousin +Whitefoot, who lives in the Green Forest. +He was very elegantly dressed, but the +most imposing thing about him was his +long, slim, beautiful tail. Danny had +at once become conscious of his own +stubby little tail, and he had hardly had +pride enough to hold his head up as became +an honest Meadow Mouse. Ever +since he had been thinking and thinking,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +and wondering how his family came to +have such short tails. Then he grew +envious and began to wish and wish and +wish that he could have a long tail like +his cousin Whitefoot.</p> + +<p>He was so busy wishing that he had a +long tail that he quite forgot to take care +of the tail he did have, and he pretty +nearly lost it and his life with it. Old +Whitetail the Marsh Hawk, spied Danny +sitting there moping on his door-step, +and came sailing over the tops of the +meadow grasses so softly that he all but +caught Danny. If it hadn’t been for one +of the Merry Little Breezes, Danny would +have been caught. And all because he +was envious. It’s a bad, bad habit.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>II<br /> + +<small>DANNY MEADOW MOUSE AND HIS SHORT +TAIL</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">ALL Danny Meadow Mouse could +think about was his short tail. +He was so ashamed of it that +whenever any one passed, he crawled out +of sight so that they should not see how +short his tail is. Instead of playing in +the sunshine as he used to do, he sat and +sulked. Pretty soon his friends began +to pass without stopping. Finally one +day old Mr. Toad sat down in front of +Danny and began to ask questions.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter?” asked old Mr. +Toad.</p> + +<p>“Nothing,” replied Danny Meadow +Mouse.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 449px;"> +<img src="images/i-017.jpg" width="449" height="600" alt="Danny and Mr Toad talking" /> +<div class="caption">“Got plenty to eat and drink, haven’t you?” continued +Mr. Toad. <i>Page 6.</i></div> +</div> + +<p>“I don’t suppose that there really is +anything the matter, but what do you +think is the matter?” said old Mr. Toad.</p> + +<p>Danny fidgeted, and old Mr. Toad +looked up at jolly, round, red Mr. Sun +and winked. “Sun is just as bright as +ever, isn’t it?” he inquired.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Danny.</p> + +<p>“Got plenty to eat and drink, haven’t +you?” continued Mr. Toad.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Danny.</p> + +<p>“Seems to me that that is a pretty +good looking suit of clothes you’re wearing,” +said Mr. Toad, eyeing Danny critically. +“Sunny weather, plenty to eat +and drink, and good clothes—must be +you don’t know when you’re well off, +Danny Meadow Mouse.”</p> + +<p>Danny hung his head. Finally he +looked up and caught a kindly twinkle +in old Mr. Toad’s eyes. “Mr. Toad, +how can I get a long tail like my cousin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +Whitefoot of the Green Forest?” he +asked.</p> + +<p>“So that’s what’s the matter! Ha! +ha! ha! Danny Meadow Mouse, I’m +ashamed of you! I certainly am ashamed +of you!” said Mr. Toad. “What good +would a long tail do you? Tell me that.”</p> + +<p>For a minute Danny didn’t know just +what to say. “I—I—I’d look so +much better if I had a long tail,” he ventured.</p> + +<p>Old Mr. Toad just laughed. “You +never saw a Meadow Mouse with a long +tail, did you? Of course not. What a +sight it would be! Why, everybody on +the Green Meadows would laugh themselves +sick at the sight! You see you +need to be slim and trim and handsome +to carry a long tail well. And then what +a nuisance it would be! You would always +have to be thinking of your tail +and taking care to keep it out of harm’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +way. Look at me. I’m homely. Some +folks call me ugly to look at. But no one +tries to catch me as Farmer Brown’s +boy does Billy Mink because of his fine +coat; and no one wants to put me in a +cage because of a fine voice. I am satisfied +to be just as I am, and if you’ll take +my advice, Danny Meadow Mouse, you’ll +be satisfied to be just as you are.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you are right,” said Danny +Meadow Mouse after a little. “I’ll try.”</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>III<br /> + +<small>DANNY MEADOW MOUSE PLAYS HIDE AND +SEEK</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">LIFE is always a game of hide and +seek to Danny Meadow Mouse. +You see, he is such a fat little +fellow that there are a great many other +furry-coated people, and almost as many +who wear feathers, who would gobble +Danny up for breakfast or for dinner +if they could. Some of them pretend +to be his friends, but Danny always +keeps his eyes open when they are +around and always begins to play hide +and seek. Peter Rabbit and Jimmy +Skunk and Striped Chipmunk and +Happy Jack Squirrel are all friends +whom he can trust, but he always has a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +bright twinkling eye open for Reddy +Fox and Billy Mink and Shadow the +Weasel and old Whitetail the Marsh +Hawk, and several more, especially Hooty +the Owl at night.</p> + +<p>Now Danny Meadow Mouse is a +stout-hearted little fellow, and when +rough Brother North Wind came shouting +across the Green Meadows, tearing +to pieces the snow clouds and shaking +out the snowflakes until they covered +the Green Meadows deep, deep, deep, +Danny just snuggled down in his warm +coat in his snug little house of grass and +waited. Danny liked the snow. Yes, +Sir, Danny Meadow Mouse liked the +snow. He just loved to dig in it and +make tunnels. Through those tunnels +in every direction he could go where he +pleased and when he pleased without +being seen by anybody. It was great +fun!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> + +<p>Every little way he made a little +round doorway up beside a stiff stalk +of grass. Out of this he could peep at +the white world, and he could get the +fresh cold air. Sometimes, when he was +quite sure that no one was around, he +would scamper across on top of the +snow from one doorway to another, and +when he did this, he made the prettiest +little footprints.</p> + +<p>Now Reddy Fox knew all about those +doorways and who made them. Reddy +was having hard work to get enough to +eat this cold weather, and he was hungry +most of the time. One morning, as he +came tiptoeing softly over the meadows, +what should he see just ahead of him +but the head of Danny Meadow Mouse +pop out of one of those little round +doorways. Reddy’s mouth watered, and +he stole forward more softly than ever. +When he got within jumping distance,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +he drew his stout hind legs under him +and made ready to spring. Presto! +Danny Meadow Mouse had disappeared! +Reddy Fox jumped just the same and +began to dig as fast as he could make +his paws go. He could smell Danny +Meadow Mouse and that made him +almost frantic.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 448px;"> +<img src="images/i-025.jpg" width="448" height="600" alt="Reddy Fox looking at Danny in the distance" /> +<div class="caption">Danny popped his head out of another little doorway and +laughed at Reddy. <i>Page 12.</i></div> +</div> + +<p>All the time Danny Meadow Mouse was +scurrying along one of his little tunnels, +and when finally Reddy Fox stopped digging +because he was quite out of breath, +Danny popped his head out of another +little doorway and laughed at Reddy. +Of course Reddy saw him, and of course +Reddy tried to catch him there, and dug +frantically just as before. And of course +Danny Meadow Mouse wasn’t there.</p> + +<p>After a while Reddy Fox grew tired +of this kind of a game and tried another +plan. The next time he saw Danny +Meadow Mouse stick his head out, Reddy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +pretended not to see him. He stretched +himself out on the ground and made believe +that he was very tired and sleepy. +He closed his eyes. Then he opened them +just the tiniest bit, so that he could see +Danny Meadow Mouse and yet seem to +be asleep. Danny watched him for a +long time. Then he chuckled to himself +and dropped out of sight.</p> + +<p>No sooner was he gone than Reddy +Fox stole over close to the little doorway +and waited. “He’ll surely stick his head +out again to see if I’m asleep, and then +I’ll have him,” said Reddy to himself. +So he waited and waited and waited. +By and by he turned his head. There +was Danny Meadow Mouse at another +little doorway laughing at him!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>IV<br /> + +<small>OLD GRANNY FOX TRIES FOR DANNY +MEADOW MOUSE</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE had +not enjoyed anything so much +for a long time as he did that +game of hide and seek. He tickled and +chuckled all the afternoon as he thought +about it. Of course Reddy had been +“it.” He had been “it” all the time, +for never once had he caught Danny +Meadow Mouse. If he had—well, there +wouldn’t have been any more stories +about Danny Meadow Mouse, because +there wouldn’t have been any Danny +Meadow Mouse any more.</p> + +<p>But Danny never let himself think +about this. He had enjoyed the game all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +the more because it had been such a dangerous +game. It had been such fun to +dive into one of his little round doorways +in the snow, run along one of his own +little tunnels, and then peep out at another +doorway and watch Reddy Fox +digging as fast as ever he could at the +doorway Danny had just left. Finally +Reddy had given up in disgust and gone +off muttering angrily to try to find something +else for dinner. Danny had sat +up on the snow and watched him go. In +his funny little squeaky voice Danny +shouted:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">“Though Reddy Fox is smart and sly,</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Hi-hum-diddle-de-o!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I’m just as smart and twice as spry.</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Hi-hum-diddle-de-o!”</span></div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>That night Reddy Fox told old Granny +Fox all about how he had tried to catch +Danny Meadow Mouse. Granny listened +with her head cocked on one side.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +When Reddy told how fat Danny Meadow +Mouse was, her mouth watered. You +see now that snow covered the Green +Meadows and the Green Forest, Granny +and Reddy Fox had hard work to get +enough to eat, and they were hungry +most of the time.</p> + +<p>“I’ll go with you down on the meadows +to-morrow morning, and then we’ll +see if Danny Meadow Mouse is as +smart as he thinks he is,” said Granny +Fox.</p> + +<p>So, bright and early the next morning, +old Granny Fox and Reddy Fox went +down on the meadows where Danny +Meadow Mouse lives. Danny had felt +in his bones that Reddy would come +back, so he was watching, and he saw +them as soon as they came out of the +Green Forest. When he saw old Granny +Fox, Danny’s heart beat a little faster +than before, for he knew that Granny<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +Fox is very smart and very wise and has +learned most of the tricks of all the other +little meadow and forest people.</p> + +<p>“This is going to be a more exciting +game than the other,” said Danny to +himself, and scurried down out of sight +to see that all his little tunnels were clear +so that he could run fast through them if +he had to. Then he peeped out of one +of his little doorways hidden in a clump +of tall grass.</p> + +<p>Old Granny Fox set Reddy to hunting +for Danny’s little round doorways, and +as fast as he found them, Granny came +up and sniffed at each. She knew that +she could tell by the smell which one he +had been at last. Finally she came +straight towards the tall bunch of grass. +Danny ducked down and scurried along +one of his little tunnels. He heard +Granny Fox sniff at the doorway he had +just left. Suddenly something plunged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +down through the snow right at his very +heels. Danny didn’t have to look to +know that it was Granny Fox herself, +and he squeaked with fright.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>V<br /> + +<small>WHAT HAPPENED ON THE GREEN +MEADOWS</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">THICK and fast things were happening +to Danny Meadow Mouse +down on the snow-covered Green +Meadows. Rather, they were almost +happening. He hadn’t minded when +Reddy Fox all alone tried to catch him. +Indeed, he had made a regular game of +hide and seek of it and had enjoyed it +immensely. But now it was different. +Granny Fox wasn’t so easily fooled as +Reddy Fox. Just Granny alone would +have made the game dangerous for +Danny Meadow Mouse. But Reddy was +with her, and so Danny had two to look +out for, and he got so many frights that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +it seemed to him as if his heart had +moved right up into his mouth and was +going to stay there. Yes, Sir, that is just +how it seemed.</p> + +<p>Down in his little tunnels underneath +the snow Danny Meadow Mouse felt +perfectly safe from Reddy Fox, who +would stop and dig frantically at the +little round doorway where he had last +seen Danny. But old Granny Fox knew +all about those little tunnels, and she +didn’t waste any time digging at the +doorways. Instead she cocked her sharp +little ears and listened with all her might. +Now Granny Fox has very keen ears, oh, +very keen ears, and she heard just what +she hoped she would hear. She heard +Danny Meadow Mouse running along +one of his little tunnels under the snow.</p> + +<p>Plunge! Old Granny Fox dived right +into the snow and right through into the +tunnel of Danny Meadow Mouse. Her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +two black paws actually touched Danny’s +tail. He was glad then that it was no +longer.</p> + +<p>“Ha!” cried Granny Fox, “I almost +got him that time!”</p> + +<p>Then she ran ahead a little way over +the snow, listening as before. Plunge! +Into the snow she went again. It was +lucky for him that Danny had just turned +into another tunnel, for otherwise she +would surely have caught him.</p> + +<p>Granny Fox blew the snow out of her +nose. “Next time I’ll get him!” said she.</p> + +<p>Now Reddy Fox is quick to learn, especially +when it is a way to get something +to eat. He watched Granny Fox, and +when he understood what she was doing, +he made up his mind to have a try himself, +for he was afraid that if she caught +Danny Meadow Mouse, she would think +that he was not big enough to divide. +Perhaps that was because Reddy is very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +selfish himself. So the next time Granny +plunged into the snow and missed Danny +Meadow Mouse just as before, Reddy +rushed in ahead of her, and the minute +he heard Danny running down below, he +plunged in just as he had seen Granny +do. But he didn’t take the pains to make +sure of just where Danny was, and so +of course he didn’t come anywhere near +him. But he frightened Danny still +more and made old Granny Fox lose her +temper.</p> + +<p>Poor Danny Meadow Mouse! He had +never been so frightened in all his life. +He didn’t know which way to turn or +where to run. And so he sat still, which, +although he didn’t know it, was the very +best thing he could do. When he sat +still he made no noise, and so of course +Granny and Reddy Fox could not tell +where he was. Old Granny Fox sat and +listened and listened and listened, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +wondered where Danny Meadow Mouse +was. And down under the snow Danny +Meadow Mouse sat and listened and listened +and listened, and wondered where +Granny and Reddy Fox were.</p> + +<p>“Pooh!” said Granny Fox after a +while, “that Meadow Mouse thinks he +can fool me by sitting still. I’ll give him +a scare.”</p> + +<p>Then she began to plunge into the +snow this way and that way, and sure +enough, pretty soon she landed so close +to Danny Meadow Mouse that one of +her claws scratched him.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>VI<br /> + +<small>DANNY MEADOW MOUSE REMEMBERS AND +REDDY FOX FORGETS</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">“THERE he goes!” cried old +Granny Fox. “Don’t let him +sit still again!”</p> + +<p>“I hear him!” shouted Reddy Fox, +and plunged down into the snow just as +Granny Fox had done a minute before. +But he didn’t catch anything, and when +he had blown the snow out of his nose +and wiped it out of his eyes, he saw +Granny Fox dive into the snow with no +better luck.</p> + +<p>“Never mind,” said Granny Fox, “as +long as we keep him running, we can hear +him, and some one of these times we’ll +catch him. Pretty soon he’ll get too<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +tired to be so spry, and when he is—” +Granny didn’t finish, but licked her +chops and smacked her lips. Reddy Fox +grinned, then licked his chops and +smacked his lips. Then once more they +took turns diving into the snow.</p> + +<p>And down underneath in the little +tunnels he had made, Danny Meadow +Mouse was running for his life. He was +getting tired, just as old Granny Fox had +said he would. He was almost out of +breath. He was sore and one leg smarted, +for in one of her jumps old Granny Fox +had so nearly caught him that her claws +had torn his pants and scratched him.</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear! Oh, dear! If only I had +time to think!” panted Danny Meadow +Mouse, and then he squealed in still +greater fright as Reddy Fox crashed +down into his tunnel right at his very +heels. “I’ve got to get somewhere! I’ve +got to get somewhere where they can’t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +get at me!” he sobbed. And right that +very instant he remembered the old +fence-post!</p> + +<p>The old fence-post lay on the ground +and was hollow. Fastened to it were +long wires with sharp cruel barbs. Danny +had made a tunnel over to that old fence-post +the very first day after the snow +came, for in that hollow in the old post +he had a secret store of seeds. Why +hadn’t he thought of it before? It must +have been because he was too frightened +to think. But he remembered now, and +he dodged into the tunnel that led to +the old fence-post, running faster than +ever, for though his heart was in his +mouth from fear, in his heart was hope, +and hope is a wonderful thing.</p> + +<p>Now old Granny Fox knew all about +that old fence-post and she remembered +all about those barbed wires fastened +to it. Although they were covered with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +snow she knew just about where they +lay, and just before she reached them +she stopped plunging down into the +snow. Reddy Fox knew about those +wires, too, but he was so excited that he +forgot all about them.</p> + +<p>“Stop!” cried old Granny Fox +sharply.</p> + +<p>But Reddy Fox didn’t hear, or if he +heard he didn’t heed. His sharp ears +could hear Danny Meadow Mouse running +almost underneath him. Granny +Fox could stop if she wanted to, but he +was going to have Danny Meadow +Mouse for his breakfast! Down into the +snow he plunged as hard as ever he +could.</p> + +<p>“Oh! Oh! Wow! Wow! Oh, dear! +Oh, dear!”</p> + +<p>That wasn’t the voice of Danny +Meadow Mouse. Oh, my, no! It was +the voice of Reddy Fox. Yes, Sir, it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +was the voice of Reddy Fox. He had +landed with one of his black paws right +on one of those sharp wire barbs, and +it did hurt dreadfully.</p> + +<p>“I never did know a young Fox who +could get into so much trouble as you +can!” snapped old Granny Fox, as +Reddy hobbled along on three legs behind +her, across the snow-covered Green +Meadows. “It serves you right for +forgetting!”</p> + +<p>“Yes’m,” said Reddy meekly.</p> + +<p>And safe in the hollow of the old +fence-post, Danny Meadow Mouse was +dressing the scratch on his leg made by +the claws of old Granny Fox.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>VII<br /> + +<small>OLD GRANNY FOX TRIES A NEW PLAN</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">OLD Granny Fox kept thinking +about Danny Meadow Mouse. +She knew that he was fat, and +it made her mouth water every time she +thought of him. She made up her mind +that she must and would have him. She +knew that Danny had been very, very +much frightened when she and Reddy +Fox had tried so hard to catch him by +plunging down through the snow into +his little tunnels after him, and she felt +pretty sure that he wouldn’t go far away +from the old fence-post, in the hollow of +which he was snug and safe.</p> + +<p>Old Granny Fox is very smart. +“Danny Meadow Mouse won’t put his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +nose out of that old fence-post for a day +or two. Then he’ll get tired of staying +inside all the time, and he’ll peep out of +one of his little round doorways to see +if the way is clear. If he doesn’t see any +danger, he’ll come out and run around +on top of the snow to get some of the +seeds in the tops of the tall grasses that +stick out through the snow. If nothing +frightens him, he’ll keep going a little +farther and a little farther from that old +fence-post. I must see to it that Danny +Meadow Mouse isn’t frightened for a +few days.” So said old Granny Fox to +herself, as she lay under a hemlock-tree, +studying how she could best get the +next meal.</p> + +<p>Then she called Reddy Fox to her and +forbade him to go down on the meadows +until she should tell him he might. +Reddy grumbled and mumbled and didn’t +see why he shouldn’t go where he pleased,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +but he didn’t dare disobey. You see he +had a sore foot. He had hurt it on a +wire barb when he was plunging through +the snow after Danny Meadow Mouse, +and now he had to run on three legs. +That meant that he must depend upon +Granny Fox to help him get enough to +eat. So Reddy didn’t dare to disobey.</p> + +<p>It all came out just as Granny Fox +had thought it would. Danny Meadow +Mouse <i>did</i> get tired of staying in the old +fence-post. He <i>did</i> peep out first, and +then he <i>did</i> run a little way on the +snow, and then a little farther and a +little farther. But all the time he took +great care not to get more than a jump +or two from one of his little round doorways +leading down to his tunnels under +the snow.</p> + +<p>Hidden on the edge of the Green +Forest, Granny Fox watched him. She +looked up at the sky, and she knew that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +it was going to snow again. “That’s +good,” said she. “To-morrow morning +I’ll have fat Meadow Mouse for breakfast,” +and she smiled a hungry smile.</p> + +<p>The next morning, before jolly, round, +red Mr. Sun was out of bed, old Granny +Fox trotted down on to the meadows +and straight over to where, down under +the snow, lay the old fence-post. It had +snowed again, and all of the little doorways +of Danny Meadow Mouse were +covered up with soft, fleecy snow. Behind +Granny Fox limped Reddy Fox, +grumbling to himself.</p> + +<p>When they reached the place where +the old fence-post lay buried under the +snow, old Granny Fox stretched out as +flat as she could. Then she told Reddy +to cover her up with the new soft snow. +Reddy did as he was told, but all the +time he grumbled. “Now you go off +to the Green Forest and keep out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +sight,” said Granny Fox. “By and by +I’ll bring you some Meadow Mouse for +your breakfast,” and Granny Fox +chuckled to think how smart she was +and how she was going to catch Danny +Meadow Mouse.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>VIII<br /> + +<small>BROTHER NORTH WIND PROVES A FRIEND</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE had +seen nothing of old Granny Fox +or Reddy Fox for several days. +Every morning the first thing he did, +even before he had breakfast, was to +climb up to one of his little round doorways +and peep out over the beautiful +white meadows, to see if there was any +danger near. But every time he did this, +Danny used a different doorway. “For,” +said Danny to himself, “if any one +should happen, just happen, to see me +this morning, they might be waiting +just outside my doorway to catch me +to-morrow morning.” You see there is +a great deal of wisdom in the little head<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +that Danny Meadow Mouse carries on +his shoulders.</p> + +<p>But the first day and the second day +and the third day he saw nothing of old +Granny Fox or of Reddy Fox, and he +began to enjoy running through his +tunnels under the snow and scurrying +across from one doorway to another on +top of the snow, just as he had before +the Foxes had tried so hard to catch him. +But he hadn’t forgotten, as Granny Fox +had hoped he would. No, indeed, Danny +Meadow Mouse hadn’t forgotten. He +was too wise for that.</p> + +<p>One morning, when he started to climb +up to one of his little doorways, he found +that it was closed. Yes, Sir, it was +closed. In fact, there wasn’t any doorway. +More snow had fallen from the +clouds in the night and had covered up +every one of the little round doorways of +Danny Meadow Mouse.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Ha!” said Danny, “I shall have a +busy day, a very busy day, opening all +my doorways. I’ll eat my breakfast, +and then I’ll go to work.”</p> + +<p>So Danny Meadow Mouse ate a good +breakfast of seeds which he had stored +in the hollow in the old fence-post buried +under the snow, and then he began work +on the nearest doorway. It really wasn’t +work at all, for you see the snow was +soft and light, and Danny dearly loved +to dig in it. In a few minutes he had +made a wee hole through which he could +peep up at jolly, round Mr. Sun. In a +few minutes more he had made it big +enough to put his head out. He looked +this way and he looked that way. Far, +far off on the top of a tree he could see +old Roughleg the Hawk, but he was so +far away that Danny didn’t fear him at +all.</p> + +<p>“I don’t see anything or anybody to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +be afraid of,” said Danny and poked his +head out a little farther.</p> + +<p>Then he sat and studied everything +around him a long, long time. It was a +beautiful white world, a very beautiful +white world. Everything was so white +and pure and beautiful that it didn’t +seem possible that harm or danger for +any one could even be thought of. But +Danny Meadow Mouse learned long ago +that things are not always what they +seem, and so he sat with just his little +head sticking out of his doorway and +studied and studied. Just a little way +off was a little heap of snow.</p> + +<p>“I don’t remember that,” said Danny. +“And I don’t remember anything that +would make that. There isn’t any little +bush or old log or anything underneath +it. Perhaps rough Brother North Wind +heaped it up, just for fun.”</p> + +<p>But all the time Danny Meadow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +Mouse kept studying and studying that +little heap of snow. Pretty soon he saw +rough Brother North Wind coming his +way and tossing the snow about as he +came. He caught a handful from the +top of the little heap of snow that Danny +was studying, and when he had passed, +Danny’s sharp eyes saw something red +there. It was just the color of the cloak +old Granny Fox wears.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">“Granny Fox, you can’t fool me!</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I see you plain as plain can be!”</span></div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="unindent">shouted Danny Meadow Mouse and +dropped down out of sight, while old +Granny Fox shook the snow from her +red cloak and, with a snarl of disappointment +and anger, slowly started for the +Green Forest, where Reddy Fox was +waiting for her.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>IX<br /> + +<small>DANNY MEADOW MOUSE IS CAUGHT AT +LAST</small></h2> + + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">“Tippy-toppy-tippy-toe,</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Play and frolic in the snow!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Now you see me! Now you don’t!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Think you’ll catch me, but you won’t!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Tippy-toppy-tippy-toe,</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Oh, such fun to play in snow!”</span></div> +</div> +</div> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE sang +this, or at least he tried to sing +it, as he skipped about on the +snow that covered the Green Meadows. +But Danny Meadow Mouse has such a +little voice, such a funny little squeaky +voice, that had you been there you probably +would never have guessed that he +was singing. He thought he was, though, +and was enjoying it just as much as if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +he had the most beautiful voice in the +world. You know singing is nothing in +the world but happiness in the heart +making itself heard.</p> + +<p>Oh, yes, Danny Meadow Mouse was +happy! Why shouldn’t he have been? +Hadn’t he proved himself smarter than +old Granny Fox? That is something to +make any one happy. Some folks may +fool Granny Fox once; some may fool +her twice; but there are very few who +can keep right on fooling her until she +gives up in disgust. That is just what +Danny Meadow Mouse had done, and +he felt very smart and of course he felt +very happy.</p> + +<p>So Danny sang his little song and +skipped about in the moonlight, and +dodged in and out of his little round +doorways, and all the time kept his +sharp little eyes open for any sign of +Granny Fox or Reddy Fox. But with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +all his smartness, Danny forgot. Yes, +Sir, Danny forgot one thing. He forgot +to watch up in the sky. He knew that +of course old Roughleg the Hawk was +asleep, so he had nothing to fear from +him. But he never once thought of +Hooty the Owl.</p> + +<p>Dear me, dear me! Forgetting is a +dreadful habit. If nobody ever forgot, +there wouldn’t be nearly so much trouble +in the world. No, indeed, there wouldn’t +be nearly so much trouble. And Danny +Meadow Mouse forgot. He skipped and +sang and was happy as could be, and never +once thought to watch up in the sky.</p> + +<p>Over in the Green Forest Hooty the +Owl had had poor hunting, and he was +feeling cross. You see, Hooty was hungry, +and hunger is apt to make one feel +cross. The longer he hunted, the hungrier +and crosser he grew. Suddenly he +thought of Danny Meadow Mouse.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> + +<p>“I suppose he is asleep somewhere +safe and snug under the snow,” grumbled +Hooty, “but he might be, he just <i>might</i> +be out for a frolic in the moonlight. I +believe I’ll go down on the meadows and +see.”</p> + +<p>Now Hooty the Owl can fly without +making the teeniest, weeniest sound. It +seems as if he just drifts along through +the air like a great shadow. Now he +spread his great wings and floated out +over the meadows. You know Hooty +can see as well at night as most folks can +by day, and it was not long before he +saw Danny Meadow Mouse skipping +about on the snow and dodging in and +out of his little round doorways. Hooty’s +great eyes grew brighter and fiercer. +Without a sound he floated through the +moonlight until he was just over Danny +Meadow Mouse.</p> + +<p>Too late Danny looked up. His little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +song ended in a tiny squeak of fear, and +he started for his nearest little round +doorway. Hooty the Owl reached down +with his long cruel claws and—Danny +Meadow Mouse was caught at last!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>X<br /> + +<small>A STRANGE RIDE AND HOW IT ENDED</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE often +had sat watching Skimmer the +Swallow sailing around up in the +blue, blue sky. He had watched Ol’ +Mistah Buzzard go up, up, up, until he +was nothing but a tiny speck, and +Danny had wondered how it would seem +to be way up above the Green Meadows +and the Green Forest and look down. +It had seemed to him that it must be +very wonderful and beautiful. Sometimes +he had wished that he had wings +and could go up in the air and look down. +And now here he was, he, Danny Meadow +Mouse, actually doing that very thing!</p> + +<p>But Danny could see nothing wonderful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +or beautiful now. No, indeed! +Everything was terrible, for you see +Danny Meadow Mouse wasn’t flying +himself. He was being carried. Yes, +Sir, Danny Meadow Mouse was being +carried through the air in the cruel +claws of Hooty the Owl! And all because +Danny had forgotten—forgotten +to watch up in the sky for danger.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 459px;"> +<img src="images/i-059.jpg" width="459" height="600" alt="Danny being carried off in the night by the owl" /> +<div class="caption">He was being carried. <i>Page 45.</i></div> +</div> + +<p>Poor, poor Danny Meadow Mouse! +Hooty’s great cruel claws hurt him +dreadfully! But it wasn’t the pain that +was the worst. No, indeed! It wasn’t +the pain! It was the thought of what +would happen when Hooty reached his +home in the Green Forest, for he knew +that there Hooty would gobble him up, +bones and all. As he flew, Hooty kept +chuckling, and Danny Meadow Mouse +knew just what those chuckles meant. +They meant that Hooty was thinking +of the good meal he was going to have.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> + +<p>Hanging there in Hooty’s great cruel +claws, Danny looked down on the snow-covered +Green Meadows he loved so +well. They seemed a frightfully long +way below him, though really they were +not far at all, for Hooty was flying very +low. But Danny Meadow Mouse had +never in all his life been so high up before, +and so it seemed to him that he +was way, way up in the sky, and he +shut his eyes so as not to see. But he +couldn’t keep them shut. No, Sir, he +couldn’t keep them shut! He just <i>had</i> +to keep opening them. There was the +dear old Green Forest drawing nearer +and nearer. It always had looked very +beautiful to Danny Meadow Mouse, but +now it looked terrible, very terrible indeed, +because over in it, in some dark +place, was the home of Hooty the Owl.</p> + +<p>Just ahead of him was the Old Briar-patch +where Peter Rabbit lives so safely.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +Every old bramble in it was covered +with snow and it was very, very beautiful. +Really everything was just as beautiful +as ever—the moonlight, the Green +Forest, the snow-covered Green Meadows, +the Old Briar-patch. The only +change was in Danny Meadow Mouse +himself, and it was all because he had +forgotten.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Danny began to wriggle and +struggle. “Keep still!” snapped Hooty +the Owl.</p> + +<p>But Danny only struggled harder than +ever. It seemed to him that Hooty +wasn’t holding him as tightly as at first. +He felt one of Hooty’s claws slip. It +tore his coat and hurt dreadfully, but it +slipped! The fact is, Hooty had only +grabbed Danny Meadow Mouse by the +loose part of his coat, and up in the air +he couldn’t get hold of Danny any +better. Danny kicked, squirmed and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +twisted, and twisted, squirmed, and +kicked. He felt his coat tear and of +course the skin with it, but he kept right +on, for now he was hanging almost free. +Hooty had started down now, so as to +get a better hold. Danny gave one +more kick and then—he felt himself +falling!</p> + +<p>Danny Meadow Mouse shut his eyes +and held his breath. Down, down, down +he fell. It seemed to him that he never +would strike the snow-covered meadows! +Really he fell only a very little distance. +But it seemed a terrible distance to +Danny. He hit something that scratched +him, and then plump! he landed in the +soft snow right in the very middle of the +Old Briar-patch, and the last thing he +remembered was hearing the scream of +disappointment and rage of Hooty the +Owl.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XI<br /> + +<small>PETER RABBIT GETS A FRIGHT</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">PETER RABBIT sat in his favorite +place in the middle of the dear +Old Briar-patch, trying to decide +which way he would go on his travels +that night. The night before he had had +a narrow escape from old Granny Fox +over in the Green Forest. There was +nothing to eat around the Smiling Pool +and no one to talk to there any more, and +you know that Peter must either eat or +ask questions in order to be perfectly +happy. No, the Smiling Pool was too +dull a place to interest Peter on such a +beautiful moonlight night, and Peter +had no mind to try his legs against those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +of old Granny Fox again in the Green +Forest.</p> + +<p>Early that morning, just after Peter +had settled down for his morning nap, +Tommy Tit the Chickadee had dropped +into the dear Old Briar-patch just to be +neighborly. Peter was just dozing off +when he heard the cheeriest little voice +in the world. It was saying:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">“Dee-dee-chickadee!</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I see you! Can you see me?”</span></div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Peter began to smile even before he +could get his eyes open and look up. +There, right over his head, was Tommy +Tit hanging head down from a nodding +old bramble. In a twinkling he was +down on the snow right in front of Peter, +then up in the brambles again, right side +up, upside down, here, there, everywhere, +never still a minute, and all the +time chattering away in the cheeriest +little voice in the world.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">“Dee-dee-chickadee!</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I’m as happy as can be!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Find it much the better way</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">To be happy all the day.</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Dee-dee-chickadee!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Everybody’s good to me!”</span></div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“Hello, Tommy!” said Peter Rabbit. +“Where’d you come from?”</p> + +<p>“From Farmer Brown’s new orchard +up on the hill. It’s a fine orchard, Peter +Rabbit, a fine orchard. I go there every +morning for my breakfast. If the winter +lasts long enough, I’ll have all the trees +cleaned up for Farmer Brown.”</p> + +<p>Peter looked puzzled. “What do you +mean?” he asked.</p> + +<p>“Just what I say,” replied Tommy Tit, +almost turning a somersault in the air. +“There’s a million eggs of insects on +those young peach-trees, but I’m clearing +them all off as fast as I can. They’re +mighty fine eating, Peter Rabbit, mighty +fine eating!” And with that Tommy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +Tit had said good-by and flitted +away.</p> + +<p>Peter was thinking of that young +orchard now, as he sat in the moonlight +trying to make up his mind where to go. +The thought of those young peach-trees +made his mouth water. It was a long +way up to the orchard on the hill, a +very long way, and Peter was wondering +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 thump! something +dropped out of the sky at his very +feet.</p> + +<p>It startled Peter so that he nearly +tumbled over backward. And right at +the same instant came the fierce, angry +scream of Hooty the Owl. That almost +made Peter’s heart stop beating, although +he knew that Hooty couldn’t get +him down there in the Old Briar-patch.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +When Peter got his wits together and +his heart didn’t go so jumpy, he looked +to see what had dropped so close to him +out of the sky. His big eyes grew bigger +than ever, and he rubbed them to make +quite sure that he really saw what he +thought he saw. Yes, there was no +doubt about it—there at his feet lay +Danny Meadow Mouse!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XII<br /> + +<small>THE OLD BRIAR-PATCH HAS A NEW +TENANT</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE +slowly opened his eyes and then +closed them again quickly, as if +afraid to look around. He could hear +some one talking. It was a pleasant +voice, not at all like the terrible voice of +Hooty the Owl, which was the very +last thing that Danny Meadow Mouse +could remember. Danny lay still a +minute and listened.</p> + +<p>“Why, Danny Meadow Mouse, where +in the world did you drop from?” asked +the voice. It sounded like—why, very +much like Peter Rabbit speaking. Danny<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +opened his eyes again. It <i>was</i> Peter +Rabbit.</p> + +<p>“Where—where am I?” asked Danny +Meadow Mouse in a very weak and +small voice.</p> + +<p>“In the middle of the dear Old Briar-patch +with me,” replied Peter Rabbit. +“But how did you get here? You +seemed to drop right out of the sky.”</p> + +<p>Danny Meadow Mouse shuddered. +Suddenly he remembered everything: +how Hooty the Owl had caught him in +great cruel claws and had carried him +through the moonlight 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 remember<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +was Hooty’s fierce scream of +rage and disappointment. Danny shuddered +again.</p> + +<p>Then a new thought came to him. He +must get out of sight! Hooty might +catch him again! Danny tried to +scramble to his feet.</p> + +<p>“Ooch! Oh!” groaned Danny and +lay still again.</p> + +<p>“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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +Hooty the Owl, and all about his terrible +ride in Hooty’s cruel claws.</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear, whatever shall I do now?” +he ended. “However shall I get back +home to my warm house of grass, my +safe little tunnels under the snow, and +my little store of seeds in the snug hollow +in the old fence-post?”</p> + +<p>Peter Rabbit looked thoughtful. +“You can’t do it,” said he. “You +simply can’t do it. It is such a long +way for a little fellow like you that it +wouldn’t be safe to try. If you went at +night, Hooty the Owl might catch you +again. If you tried in daylight, old +Roughleg the Hawk would be almost +sure to see you. And night or day old +Granny Fox or Reddy Fox might come +snooping around, 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +world. Why, just think, here you can +come out in broad daylight and laugh at +Granny and Reddy Fox and at old +Roughleg the Hawk, because the good +old brambles will keep them out, if they +try to get you. You can make just as +good 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 them myself. I’m +lonesome sometimes, living here all alone. +You stay here, and we’ll have the Old +Briar-patch to ourselves.”</p> + +<p>Danny Meadow Mouse looked at Peter +gratefully. “I will, and thank you ever +so much, Peter Rabbit,” he said.</p> + +<p>And this is how the dear Old Briar-patch +happened to have another tenant.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XIII<br /> + +<small>PETER RABBIT VISITS THE PEACH +ORCHARD</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">“DON’T go, Peter Rabbit! Don’t +go!” begged Danny Meadow +Mouse.</p> + +<p>Peter hopped to the edge of the Old +Briar-patch and looked over the moonlit, +snow-covered meadows to the hill back +of Farmer Brown’s house. On that hill +was the young peach orchard of which +Tommy Tit the Chickadee had told him, +and ever since Peter’s mouth had watered +and watered every time he thought of +those young peach-trees and the tender +bark on them.</p> + +<p>“I think I will, Danny, just this +once,” said Peter. “It’s a long way, +and I’ve never been there before; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +I guess it’s just as safe as the Meadows +or the Green Forest.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">“Oh I’m as bold as bold can be!</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Sing hoppy-hippy-hippy-hop-o!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I’ll hie me forth the world to see!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Sing hoppy-hippy-hippy-hop-o!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">My ears are long,</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">My legs are strong,</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">So now good day;</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">I’ll hie away!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Sing hoppy-hippy-hippy-hop-o!”</span></div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>And with that, Peter Rabbit left the +dear safe Old Briar-patch, and away he +went lipperty-lipperty-lip, across the +Green Meadows towards the hill and the +young orchard back of Farmer Brown’s +house.</p> + +<p>Danny Meadow Mouse watched him +go and shook his head in disapproval. +“Foolish, foolish, foolish!” he said over +and over to himself. “Why can’t Peter +be content with the good things that he +has?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> + +<p>Peter Rabbit hurried along through +the moonlight, stopping every few minutes +to sit up to look and listen. He +heard the fierce hunting call of Hooty the +Owl way over in the Green Forest, so he +felt sure that at present there was nothing +to fear from him. He knew that +since their return to the Green Meadows +and the Green Forest, Granny and Reddy +Fox had kept away from Farmer +Brown’s, so he did not worry about +them.</p> + +<p>All in good time Peter came to the +young orchard. It was just as Tommy +Tit the Chickadee had told him. Peter +hopped up to the nearest peach-tree and +nibbled the bark. My, how good it +tasted! He went all around the tree, +stripping off the bark. He stood up on +his long hind legs and reached as high as +he could. Then he dug the snow away +and ate down as far as he could. When<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +he could get no more tender young bark, +he went on to the next tree.</p> + +<p>Now though Peter didn’t know it, he +was in the very worst kind of mischief. +You see, when he took off all the bark +all the way around the young peach-tree +he killed the tree, for you know it is on +the inside of the bark that the sap which +gives life to a tree and makes it grow +goes up from the roots to all the +branches. So when Peter ate the bark +all the way around the trunk of the +young tree, he had made it impossible +for the sap to come up in the spring. +Oh, it was the very worst kind of mischief +that Peter Rabbit was in.</p> + +<p>But Peter didn’t know it, and he kept +right on filling that big stomach of his +and enjoying it so much that he forgot +to watch out for danger. Suddenly, +just as he had begun on another tree, a +great roar right behind him made him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +jump almost out of his skin. He knew +that voice, and without waiting to even +look behind him, he started for the +stone wall on the other side of the +orchard. Right at his heels, his great +mouth wide open, was Bowser the +Hound.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XIV<br /> + +<small>FARMER BROWN SETS A TRAP</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">PETER RABBIT was in trouble. +He had gotten into mischief and +now, like every one who gets into +mischief, he wished that he hadn’t. The +worst of it was that he was a long way +from his home in the dear Old Briar-patch, +and he didn’t know how he ever +could get back there again. Where was +he? Why, in the stone wall on one side +of Farmer Brown’s young peach orchard. +How Peter blessed the old stone wall in +which he had found a safe hiding-place! +Bowser had hung around nearly all +night, so that Peter had not dared to try +to go home. Now it was daylight, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +Peter knew it would not be safe to put +his nose outside.</p> + +<p>Peter was worried, so worried that he +couldn’t go to sleep as he usually does +in the daytime. So he sat hidden in the +old wall and waited and watched. By +and by he saw Farmer Brown and Farmer +Brown’s boy come out into the orchard. +Right away they saw the mischief which +Peter had done, and he could tell by the +sound of their voices that they were +very, very angry. They went away, +but before long they were back again, +and all day long Peter watched them +work putting something around each of +the young peach-trees. Peter grew so +curious that he forgot all about his +troubles and how far away from home +he was. He could hardly wait for night +to come so that he might see what they +had been doing.</p> + +<p>Just as jolly, round, red Mr. Sun<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +started to go to bed behind the Purple +Hills, Farmer Brown and his boy started +back to the house. Farmer Brown was +smiling now.</p> + +<p>“I guess that that will fix him!” he +said.</p> + +<p>“Now what does he mean by that?” +thought Peter. “Who will it fix? Can +it be me? I don’t need any fixing.”</p> + +<p>He waited just as long as he could. +When all was still, and the moonlight +had begun to make shadows of the trees +on the snow, Peter very cautiously crept +out of his hiding-place. Bowser the +Hound was nowhere in sight, and everything +was as quiet and peaceful as it had +been when he first came into the orchard +the night before. Peter had fully made +up his mind to go straight home as fast +as his long legs would take him, but his +dreadful curiosity insisted that first he +must find out what Farmer Brown and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +his boy had been doing to the young +peach-trees.</p> + +<p>So Peter hurried over to the nearest +tree. All around the trunk of the tree, +from the ground clear up higher than +Peter could reach, was wrapped wire +netting. Peter couldn’t get so much as +a nibble of the delicious bark. He +hadn’t intended to take any, for he had +meant to go right straight home, but +now that he couldn’t get any, he wanted +some more than ever,—just a bite. +Peter looked around. Everything was +quiet. He would try the next tree, and +then he would go home.</p> + +<p>But the next tree was wrapped with +wire. Peter hesitated, looked around, +turned to go home, thought of how good +that bark had tasted the night before, +hesitated again, and then hurried over +to the third tree. It was protected just +like the others. Then Peter forgot all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +about going home. He wanted some +of that delicious bark, and he ran from +one tree to another as fast as he could go.</p> + +<p>At last, way down at the end of the +orchard, Peter found a tree that had no +wire around it. “They must have forgotten +this one!” he thought, and his +eyes sparkled. All around on the snow +were a lot of little, shiny wires, but +Peter didn’t notice them. All he saw +was that delicious bark on the young +peach-tree. He hopped right into the +middle of the wires, and then, just as he +reached up to take the first bite of bark, +he felt something tugging at one of his +hind legs.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XV<br /> + +<small>PETER RABBIT IS CAUGHT IN A SNARE</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">WHEN Peter Rabbit, reaching up +to nibble the bark of one of +Farmer Brown’s young trees, +felt something tugging at one of his hind +legs, he was so startled that he jumped to +get away. Instead of doing this, he +fell flat on his face. The thing on his +hind leg had tightened and held him +fast. A great fear came to Peter Rabbit, +and lying there in the snow, he kicked +and struggled with all his might. But +the more he kicked, the tighter grew +that hateful thing on his leg! Finally he +grew too tired to kick any more and lay +still. The dreadful thing that held him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +hurt his leg, but it didn’t pull when he +lay still.</p> + +<p>When he had grown a little calmer, +Peter sat up to examine the thing which +held him so fast. It was something like +one of the blackberry vines he had sometimes +tripped over, only it was bright +and shiny, and had no branches or tiny +prickers, and one end was fastened to a +stake. Peter tried to bite off the shiny +thing, but even his great, sharp front +teeth couldn’t cut it. Then Peter knew +what it was. It was wire! It was a +snare which Farmer Brown had set to +catch him, and which he had walked +right into because he had been so greedy +for the bark of the young peach-tree +that he had not used his eyes to look out +for danger.</p> + +<p>Oh, how Peter Rabbit did wish that +he had not been so curious to know what +Farmer Brown had been doing that day,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +and that he had gone straight home as +he had meant to do, instead of trying to +get one more meal of young peach-bark! +Big tears rolled down Peter’s cheeks. +What should he do? What <i>could</i> he do? +For a long time Peter sat in the moonlight, +trying to think of something to do. +At last he thought of the stake to which +that hateful wire was fastened. The +stake was of wood, and Peter’s teeth +would cut wood. Peter’s heart gave a +great leap of hope, and he began at once +to dig away the snow from around the +stake, and then settled himself to gnaw +the stake in two.</p> + +<p>Peter had been hard at work on the +stake a long time and had it a little more +than half cut through, when he heard a +loud sniff down at the other end of the +orchard. He looked up to see—whom +do you think? Why, Bowser the +Hound! He hadn’t seen Peter yet, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +he had already found Peter’s tracks, and +it wouldn’t be but a few minutes before +he found Peter himself.</p> + +<p>Poor Peter Rabbit! There wasn’t +time to finish cutting off the stake. +What could he do? He made a frightened +jump just as he had when he first +felt the wire tugging at his leg. Just as +before, he was thrown flat on his face. +He scrambled to his feet and jumped +again, only to be thrown just as before. +Just then Bowser the Hound saw him +and opening his mouth sent forth a great +roar. Peter made one more frantic +jump. Snap! the stake had broken! +Peter pitched forward on his head, turned +a somersault, and scrambled to his feet. +He was free at last! That is, he could +run, but after him dragged a piece of the +stake.</p> + +<p>How Peter did run! It was hard work, +for you know he had to drag that piece<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +of stake after him. But he did it, and +just in time he crawled into the old +stone wall on one side of the orchard, +while Bowser the Hound barked his disappointment +to the moon.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XVI<br /> + +<small>PETER RABBIT’S HARD JOURNEY</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">PETER RABBIT sat in the old +stone wall along one side of +Farmer Brown’s orchard, waiting +for Mrs. Moon to put out her light and +leave the world in darkness until jolly, +round, red Mr. Sun should kick off his +rosy bedclothes and begin his daily climb +up in the blue, blue sky. In the winter, +Mr. Sun is a late sleeper, and Peter +knew that there would be two or three +hours after Mrs. Moon put out her light +when it would be quite dark. And Peter +also knew too that by this time Hooty +the Owl would probably have caught +his dinner. So would old Granny Fox +and Reddy Fox. Bowser the Hound<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +would be too sleepy to be on the watch. +It would be the very safest time for +Peter to try to get to his home in the +dear Old Briar-patch.</p> + +<p>So Peter waited and waited. Twice +Bowser the Hound, who had chased +him into the old wall, came over and +barked at him and tried to get at him. +But the old wall kept Peter safe, and +Bowser gave it up. And all the time +Peter sat waiting he was in great pain. +You see that shiny wire was drawn so +tight that it cut into his flesh and hurt +dreadfully, and to the other end of the +wire was fastened a piece of wood, part +of the stake to which the snare had been +made fast and which Peter had managed +to gnaw and break off.</p> + +<p>It was on account of this that Peter +was waiting for Mrs. Moon to put out +her light. He knew that with that stake +dragging after him he would have to go<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +very slowly, and he could not run any +more risk of danger than he actually +had to. So he waited and waited, and +by and by, sure enough, Mrs. Moon put +out her light. Peter waited a little +longer, listening with all his might. +Everything was still. Then Peter crept +out of the old stone wall.</p> + +<p>Right away trouble began. The stake +dragging at the end of the wire fast to +his leg caught among the stones and +pulled Peter up short. My, how it did +hurt! It made the tears come. But +Peter shut his teeth hard, and turning +back, he worked until he got the stake +free. Then he started on once more, +dragging the stake after him.</p> + +<p>Very slowly across the orchard and +under the fence on the other side crept +Peter Rabbit, his leg so stiff and sore +that he could hardly touch it to the +snow, and all the time dragging that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +piece of stake, which seemed to grow +heavier and harder to drag every minute. +Peter did not dare to go out across +the open fields, for fear some danger +might happen along, and he would have +no place to hide. So he crept along +close to the fences where bushes grow, +and this made it very, very hard, for the +dragging stake was forever catching in +the bushes with a yank at the sore leg +which brought Peter up short with a +squeal of pain.</p> + +<p>This was bad enough, but all the time +Peter was filled with a dreadful fear +that Hooty the Owl or Granny Fox +might just happen along. He had to +stop to rest very, very often, and then +he would listen and listen. Over and +over again he said to himself:</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear, whatever did I go up to +the young peach orchard for when I +knew I had no business there? Why<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +couldn’t I have been content with all +the good things that were mine in the +Green Forest and on the Green Meadows? +Oh, dear! Oh, dear!”</p> + +<p>Just as jolly, round, red Mr. Sun began +to light up the Green Meadows, Peter +Rabbit reached the dear Old Briar-patch. +Danny Meadow Mouse was sitting +on the edge of it anxiously watching +for him. Peter crawled up and started +to creep in along one of his little private +paths. He got in himself, but the dragging +stake caught among the brambles, +and Peter just fell down in the snow +right where he was, too tired and worn +out to move.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XVII<br /> + +<small>DANNY MEADOW MOUSE BECOMES +WORRIED</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE +limped around through the dear +Old Briar-patch, where he had +lived with Peter Rabbit ever since he +had squirmed out of the claws of Hooty +the Owl and dropped there, right at the +feet of Peter Rabbit. Danny limped +because he was still lame and sore from +Hooty’s terrible claws, but he didn’t let +himself think much about that, because +he was so thankful to be alive at all. So +he limped around in the Old Briar-patch, +picking up seed which had fallen +on the snow, and sometimes pulling down +a few of the red berries which cling all +winter to the wild rose bushes. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +seeds in these were very nice indeed, and +Danny always felt especially good after +a meal of them.</p> + +<p>Danny Meadow Mouse had grown +very fond of Peter Rabbit, for Peter had +been very, very good to him. Danny +felt that he never, never could repay +all of Peter’s kindness. It had been +very good of Peter to offer to share the +Old Briar-patch with Danny, because +Danny was so far from his own home +that it would not be safe for him to try +to get back there. But Peter had done +more than that. He had taken care +of Danny, such good care, during the +first few days after Danny’s escape +from Hooty the Owl. He had brought +good things to eat while Danny was too +weak and sore to get things for himself. +Oh, Peter had been very good indeed to +him!</p> + +<p>But now, as Danny limped around, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +was not happy. No, Sir, he was not +happy. The truth is, Danny Meadow +Mouse was worried. It was a different +kind of worry from any he had known +before. You see, for the first time in his +life, Danny was worrying about some +one else. He was worrying about Peter +Rabbit. Peter had been gone from the +Old Briar-patch a whole night and a +whole day. He often was gone all night, +but never all day too. Danny was sure +that something had happened to Peter. +He thought of how he had begged +Peter not to go up to Farmer Brown’s +young peach orchard. He had felt in +his bones that it was not safe, that +something dreadful would happen to +Peter. How Peter had laughed at him +and bravely started off! Why hadn’t he +come home?</p> + +<p>As he limped around, Danny talked +to himself:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">“Why cannot people be content</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">With all the good things that are sent,</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And mind their own affairs at home</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Instead of going forth to roam?”</span></div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>It was now the second night since +Peter Rabbit had gone away. Danny +Meadow Mouse couldn’t sleep at all. +Round and round through the Old Briar-patch +he limped, and finally sat down +at the edge of it to wait and watch. +At last, just as jolly, round, red Mr. +Sun sent his first long rays of light across +the Green Meadows, Danny saw something +crawling towards the Old Briar-patch. +He rubbed his eyes and looked +again. It was—no, it couldn’t be—yes, +it <i>was</i> Peter Rabbit! But what was +the matter with him? Always before +Peter had come home lipperty-lipperty-lipperty-lip, +but now he was crawling, +actually <i>crawling</i>! Danny Meadow +Mouse didn’t know what to make of it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> + +<p>Nearer and nearer came Peter. Something +was following him. No, Peter +was dragging something after him. At +last Peter started to crawl along one of +his little private paths into the Old +Briar-patch. The thing dragging behind +caught in the brambles, and Peter +fell headlong in the snow, too tired and +worn out to move. Then Danny saw +what the trouble was. A wire was fast +to one of Peter’s long hind legs, and to +the other end of the wire was fastened +part of a stake. Peter had been caught +in a snare! Danny hurried over to +Peter and tears stood in his eyes.</p> + +<p>“Poor Peter Rabbit! Oh, I’m so +sorry, Peter!” he whispered.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XVIII<br /> + +<small>DANNY MEADOW MOUSE RETURNS A +KINDNESS</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">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 him so! And then it was so +dreadful to actually get home and be +stopped right on your very own door-step. +So Peter just lay there and cried. +Just supposing old Granny Fox should +come poking around and find Peter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +caught that way! All she would have to +do would be to get hold of that hateful +stake caught in the bramble bushes +and pull Peter out where she could get +him. Do you wonder that Peter cried?</p> + +<p>By and by he became aware that +some one was wiping 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:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">“Isn’t any use to cry!</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Not a bit! Not a bit!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Wipe your eyes and wipe ’em dry!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Use your wit! Use your wit!</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Just remember that to-morrow</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Never brings a single sorrow.</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Yesterday has gone forever</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And to-morrow gets here never.</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Chase your worries all away;</span></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Nothing’s worse than just to-day.”</span></div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Peter smiled in spite of himself.</p> + +<p>“That’s right! That’s right! Smile<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +away, Peter Rabbit. Smile away! +Your troubles, Sir, are all to-day. 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.”</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 453px;"> +<img src="images/i-103.jpg" width="453" height="600" alt="Peter crying, Danny in the background" /> +<div class="caption">Peter knew that Danny was doing something at the other +end. <i>Page 86.</i></div> +</div> + +<p>With that off whisked Danny Meadow +Mouse as spry as you please, in spite of +his lame leg, and in a few minutes Peter +knew by little twitches of the wire on +his leg that Danny was doing something +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 climbed higher and higher in the +sky, and Danny Meadow Mouse grew +hungry, but still he kept right on gnawing +at that bothersome stake.</p> + +<p>By and by, happening to look across +the snow-covered Green Meadows, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +saw something that made his heart +jump. It was Farmer Brown’s boy +coming straight over towards the dear +Old Briar-patch. Danny didn’t say a +word to Peter Rabbit, but gnawed faster +than ever.</p> + +<p>Farmer Brown’s boy was almost there +when Danny stopped gnawing. There +was only a tiny bit of the stake left now, +and Danny hurried to tell Peter Rabbit +that there was nothing to stop him now +from going 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 Farmer Brown’s +boy came up to the edge of the dear +Old Briar-patch.</p> + +<p>“So this is where that rabbit that +killed our peach-tree lives!” said he.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +“We’ll try a few snares and put you +out of mischief.”</p> + +<p>And for the rest of the afternoon +Farmer Brown’s boy was very busy +around the edge of the Old Briar-patch.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XIX<br /> + +<small>PETER RABBIT AND DANNY MEADOW +MOUSE LIVE HIGH</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">PETER RABBIT sat in his secretest +place in the dear Old Briar-patch +with one of his long hind +legs all swelled up and terribly sore +because of the fine wire fast around it +and cutting into it. He could hear +Farmer Brown’s boy going around on +the edge of the dear Old Briar-patch +and stopping every little while to do +something. In spite of his pain, Peter +was curious. Finally he called Danny +Meadow Mouse.</p> + +<p>“Danny, you are small and can keep +out of sight easier than I can. Go as +near as ever you dare to Farmer Brown’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +boy and find out what he is doing,” said +Peter Rabbit.</p> + +<p>So Danny Meadow Mouse crept out +as near to Farmer Brown’s boy as ever +he dared and studied and studied to +make out what Farmer Brown’s boy +was doing. By and by he returned to +Peter Rabbit.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know what he’s doing, Peter, +but he’s putting something in every one +of your private little paths leading in +from the Green Meadows.”</p> + +<p>“Ha!” said Peter Rabbit.</p> + +<p>“There are little loops of that queer +stuff you’ve got hanging to your leg, +Peter,” continued Danny Meadow +Mouse.</p> + +<p>“Just so!” said Peter Rabbit.</p> + +<p>“And he’s put cabbage leaves and +pieces of apple all around,” said Danny.</p> + +<p>“We must be careful!” said Peter +Rabbit.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span></p> + +<p>Peter’s leg was in a very bad way, +indeed, and Peter suffered a great deal +of pain. The worst of it was, he didn’t +know how to get off the wire that was +cutting into it so. He had tried to cut +the wire with his big teeth, but he +couldn’t do it. Danny Meadow Mouse +had tried and tried to gnaw the wire, +but it wasn’t of the least bit of use. But +Danny wasn’t easily discouraged, and he +kept working and working at it. Once +he thought he felt it slip a little. He +said nothing, but kept right on working. +Pretty soon he was sure that it slipped. +He went right on working harder than +ever. By and by he had it so loose that +he slipped it right off of Peter’s leg, and +Peter didn’t know anything about it. +You see, that cruel wire snare had been +so tight that Peter didn’t have any +feeling except of pain left in his leg, and +so when Danny Meadow Mouse pulled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +the cruel wire snare off, Peter didn’t +know it until Danny held it up in front +of him.</p> + +<p>My, how thankful Peter was, and +how he did thank Danny Meadow +Mouse! But Danny said that it was +nothing at all, just nothing at all, and +that he owed more than that to Peter +Rabbit for being so good to him and +letting him live in the dear Old Briar-patch.</p> + +<p>It was a long time before Peter could +hop as he used to, but after the first +day he managed to get around. He +found that Farmer Brown’s boy had +spread those miserable wire snares in +every one of his private little paths. +But Peter knew what they were now. +He showed Danny Meadow Mouse how +he, because he was so small, could safely +run about among the snares and steal +all the cabbage leaves and apples which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +Farmer Brown’s boy had put there for +bait.</p> + +<p>Danny Meadow Mouse thought this +great fun and a great joke on Farmer +Brown’s boy. So every day he stole the +bait, and he and Peter Rabbit lived high +while Peter’s leg was getting well. And +all the time Farmer Brown’s boy wondered +and wondered why he couldn’t +catch Peter Rabbit.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XX<br /> + +<small>TIMID DANNY MEADOW MOUSE</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE is +timid. Everybody says so, and +what everybody says ought to +be so. But just as anybody can make a +mistake sometimes, so can everybody. +Still, in this case, it is quite likely that +everybody is right. Danny Meadow +Mouse <i>is</i> timid. Ask Peter Rabbit. +Ask Sammy Jay. Ask Striped Chipmunk. +They will all tell you the same +thing. Sammy Jay might even tell you +that Danny is afraid of his own +shadow, or that he tries to run away +from his own tail. Of course this +isn’t true. Sammy Jay likes to say<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +mean things. It isn’t fair to Danny +Meadow Mouse to believe what Sammy +Jay says.</p> + +<p>But the fact is Danny certainly is +timid. More than this, he isn’t ashamed +of it—not the least little bit.</p> + +<p>“You see, it’s this way,” said Danny, +as he sat on his door-step one sunny +morning talking to his friend, old Mr. +Toad. “If I weren’t afraid, I wouldn’t +be all the time watching out, and if I +weren’t all the time watching out, I +wouldn’t have any more chance than +that foolish red ant running across in +front of you.”</p> + +<p>Old Mr. Toad looked where Danny +was pointing, and his tongue darted out +and back again so quickly that Danny +wasn’t sure that he saw it at all, but +when he looked for the ant it was nowhere +to be seen, and there was a satisfied +twinkle in Mr. Toad’s eyes. There<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +was an answering twinkle in Danny’s +own eyes as he continued.</p> + +<p>“No, Sir,” said he, “I wouldn’t stand +a particle more chance than that foolish +ant did. Now if I were big and strong, +like Old Man Coyote, or had swift +wings, like Skimmer the Swallow, or +were so homely and ugly looking that +no one wanted me, like—like—” +Danny hesitated and then finished rather +lamely, “like some folks I know, I suppose +I wouldn’t be afraid.”</p> + +<p>Old Mr. Toad looked up sharply when +Danny mentioned homely and ugly looking +people, but Danny was gazing far +out across the Green Meadows and +looked so innocent that Mr. Toad concluded +that he couldn’t have had him +in mind.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said he, thoughtfully scratching +his nose, “I suppose you may be +right, but for my part fear seems a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +very foolish thing. Now, I don’t know +what it is. I mind my own business, +and no one ever bothers me. I should +think it would be a very uncomfortable +feeling.”</p> + +<p>“It is,” replied Danny, “but, as I said +before, it is a very good thing to keep one +on guard when there are so many watching +for one as there are for me. Now +there’s Mr. Blacksnake and—”</p> + +<p>“Where?” exclaimed old Mr. Toad, +turning as pale as a Toad can turn, and +looking uneasily and anxiously in every +direction.</p> + +<p>Danny turned his head to hide a smile. +If old Mr. Toad wasn’t showing fear, no +one ever did. “Oh,” said he, “I didn’t +mean that he is anywhere around here +now. What I was going to say was that +there is Mr. Blacksnake and Granny +Fox and Reddy Fox and Redtail the +Hawk and Hooty the Owl and others I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +might name, always watching for a +chance to make a dinner from poor little +me. Do you wonder that I am afraid +most of the time?”</p> + +<p>“No,” replied old Mr. Toad. “No, +I don’t wonder that you are afraid. It +must be dreadful to feel hungry eyes are +watching for you every minute of the +day and night, too.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, it’s not so bad,” replied Danny. +“It’s rather exciting. Besides, it keeps +my wits sharp all the time. I am afraid +I should find life very dull indeed if, like +you, I feared nothing and nobody. By +the way, see how queerly that grass is +moving over there. It looks as if Mr. +Blacksnake—Why, Mr. Toad, where +are you going in such a hurry?”</p> + +<p>“I’ve just remembered an important +engagement with my cousin, Grandfather +Frog, at the Smiling Pool,” shouted +old Mr. Toad over his shoulder, as he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +hurried so that he fell over his own +feet.</p> + +<p>Danny chuckled as he sat alone on his +door-step. “Oh, no, old Mr. Toad doesn’t +know what fear is!” said he. “Funny +how some people won’t admit what +everybody can see for themselves. Now, +I <i>am</i> afraid, and I’m willing to say so.”</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XXI<br /> + +<small>AN EXCITING DAY FOR DANNY MEADOW +MOUSE</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE +started along one of his private +little paths very early one morning. +He was on his way to get a supply +of a certain kind of grass-seed of which +he is very fond. He had been thinking +about that seed for some time and waiting +for it to get ripe. Now it was just +right, as he had found out the day before +by a visit to the place where this particular +grass grew. The only trouble +was it grew a long way from Danny’s +home, and to reach it he had to cross an +open place where the grass was so short +that he couldn’t make a path under it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span></p> + +<p>“I feel it in my bones that this is +going to be an exciting day,” said Danny +to himself as he trotted along. “I suppose +that if I were really wise, I would +stay nearer home and do without that +nice seed. But nothing is really worth +having unless it is worth working for, +and that seed will taste all the better if +I have hard work getting it.”</p> + +<p>So he trotted along his private little +path, his ears wide open, and his eyes +wide open, and his little nose carefully +testing every Merry Little Breeze who +happened along for any scent of danger +which it might carry. Most of all he +depended upon his ears, for the grass +was so tall that he couldn’t see over it, +even when he sat up. He had gone +only a little way when he thought he +heard a queer rustling behind him. He +stopped to listen. There it was again, +and it certainly was right in the path behind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +him! He didn’t need to be told +who was making it. There was only +one who could make such a sound as +that—Mr. Blacksnake.</p> + +<p>Now Danny can run very fast along +his private little paths, but he knew +that Mr. Blacksnake could run faster. +“If my legs can’t save me, my wits +must,” thought Danny as he started to +run as fast as ever he could. “I must +reach that fallen old hollow fence-post.”</p> + +<p>He was almost out of breath when he +reached the post and scurried into the +open end. He knew by the sound of the +rustling that Mr. Blacksnake was right +at his heels. Now the old post was +hollow its whole length, but half-way +there was an old knot-hole just big +enough for Danny to squeeze through. +Mr. Blacksnake didn’t know anything +about that hole, and because it was dark<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +inside the old post, he didn’t see Danny +pop through it. Danny ran back along +the top of the log and was just in time +to see the tip of Mr. Blacksnake’s tail +disappear inside. Then what do you +think Danny did? Why, he followed +Mr. Blacksnake right into the old post, +but in doing it he didn’t make the least +little bit of noise.</p> + +<p>Mr. Blacksnake kept right on through +the old post and out the other end, for +he was sure that that was the way +Danny had gone. He kept right on +along the little path. Now Danny knew +that he wouldn’t go very far before he +found out that he had been fooled, and +of course he would come back. So +Danny waited only long enough to get +his breath and then ran back along the +path to where another little path +branched off. For just a minute he +paused.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> + +<p>“If Mr. Blacksnake follows me, he +will be sure to think that of course I +have taken this other little path,” +thought Danny, “so I won’t do it.”</p> + +<p>Then he ran harder than ever, until +he came to a place where two little paths +branched off, one to the right and one +to the left. He took the latter and +scampered on, sure that by this time +Mr. Blacksnake would be so badly fooled +that he would give up the chase. And +Danny was right.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">“Brains are better far than speed</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">As wise men long ago agreed,”</span></div> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="unindent">said Danny, as he trotted on his way for +the grass-seed he liked so well. “I felt +it in my bones that this would be an +exciting day. I wonder what next.”</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XXII<br /> + +<small>WHAT HAPPENED NEXT TO DANNY +MEADOW MOUSE</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY is so used to narrow escapes +that he doesn’t waste any +time thinking about them. He +didn’t this time. “He who tries to look +two ways at once is pretty sure to see +nothing,” says Danny, and he knew that +if he thought too much about the things +that had already happened, he couldn’t +keep a sharp watch for the things that +might happen.</p> + +<p>Nothing more happened as he hurried +along his private little path to the edge +of a great patch of grass so short that +he couldn’t hide under it. He had got +to cross this, and all the way he would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +be in plain sight of any one who happened +to be near. Very cautiously he +peeped out and looked this way and +looked that way, not forgetting to look +up in the sky. He could see no one +anywhere. Drawing a long breath, +Danny started across the open place as +fast as his short legs could take him.</p> + +<p>Now all the time, Redtail the Hawk +had been sitting in a tree some distance +away, sitting so still that he looked +like a part of the tree itself. That +is why Danny hadn’t seen him. But +Redtail saw Danny the instant he +started across the open place, for Redtail’s +eyes are very keen, and he can +see a great distance. With a satisfied +chuckle, he spread his broad wings and +started after Danny.</p> + +<p>Just about half-way to the safety of +the long grass on the other side, Danny +gave a hurried look behind him, and his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +heart seemed to jump right into his +mouth, for there was Redtail with +his cruel claws already set to seize him! +Danny gave a frightened squeak, for he +thought that surely this time he would +be caught. But he didn’t mean to give +up without trying to escape. Three +jumps ahead of him was a queer looking +thing. He didn’t know what it was, but +if there was a hole in it he might yet +fool Redtail.</p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 453px;"> +<img src="images/i-125.jpg" width="453" height="600" alt="Hawk and Reddy just missing Danny as he hops into the hole" /> +<div class="caption">With another frightened squeak, Danny dived into the +opening just in time. <i>Page 107.</i></div> +</div> +<p>One jump! Would he be able to reach +it? Two jumps! There <i>was</i> a hole in it! +Three jumps! With another frightened +squeak, Danny dived into the opening +just in time. And what do you think +he was in? Why, an old tomato can +Farmer Brown’s boy had once used to +carry bait in when he went fishing at the +Smiling Pool. He had dropped it there +on his way home.</p> + +<p>Redtail screamed with rage and disappointment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +as he struck the old can +with his great claws. He had been sure, +very sure of Danny Meadow Mouse this +time! He tried to pick the can up, but +he couldn’t get hold of it. It just rolled +away from him every time, try as he +would. Finally, in disgust, he gave up +and flew back to the tree from which he +had first seen Danny.</p> + +<p>Of course Danny had been terribly +frightened when the can rolled, and by +the noise the claws of Redtail made +when they struck his queer hiding-place. +But he wisely decided that the best +thing he could do was to stay there for a +while. And it was very fortunate that he +did so, as he was very soon to find out.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XXIII<br /> + +<small>REDDY FOX GROWS CURIOUS</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">DANNY MEADOW MOUSE had +sat perfectly still for a long time +inside the old tomato can in +which he had found a refuge from Redtail +the Hawk. He didn’t dare so much +as put his head out for a look around, +lest Redtail should be circling overhead +ready to pounce on him.</p> + +<p>“If I stay here long enough, he’ll get +tired and go away, if he hasn’t already,” +thought Danny. “This has been a +pretty exciting morning so far, and I +find that I am a little tired. I may as +well take a nap while I am waiting to +make sure that the way is clear.”</p> + +<p>With that Danny curled up in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +old tomato can. But it wasn’t meant +that Danny should have that nap. He +had closed his eyes, but his ears were +still open, and presently he heard soft +footsteps drawing near. His eyes flew +open, and he forgot all about sleep, you +may be sure, for those footsteps sounded +familiar. They sounded to Danny very, +very much like the footsteps of—whom +do you think? Why, Reddy Fox! +Danny’s heart began to beat faster as +he listened. Could it be? He didn’t +dare peep out. Presently a little whiff +of scent blew into the old tomato can. +Then Danny knew—it <i>was</i> Reddy Fox.</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear! I hope he doesn’t find +that I am in here!” thought Danny. +“I wonder what under the sun has +brought him up here just now.”</p> + +<p>If the truth were to be known, it was +curiosity that had brought Reddy up +there. Reddy had been hunting for his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +breakfast some distance away on the +Green Meadows when Redtail the Hawk +had tried so hard to catch Danny +Meadow Mouse. Reddy’s sharp eyes +had seen Redtail the minute he left the +tree in pursuit of Danny, and he had +known by the way Redtail flew that he +saw something he wanted to catch. +He had watched Redtail swoop down +and had heard his scream of rage when +he missed Danny because Danny had +dodged into the old tomato can. He +had seen Redtail strike and strike again +at something on the ground, and finally +fly off in disgust with empty claws.</p> + +<p>“Now, I wonder what it was Redtail +was after and why he didn’t get it,” +thought Reddy. “He acts terribly put +out and disappointed. I believe I’ll go +over there and find out.”</p> + +<p>Off he started at a smart trot towards +the patch of short grass where he had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +seen Redtail the Hawk striking at something +on the ground. As he drew near, +he crept very softly until he reached the +very edge of the open patch. There he +stopped and looked sharply all over it. +There was nothing to be seen but an +old tomato can. Reddy had seen it +many times before.</p> + +<p>“Now what under the sun could Redtail +have been after here?” thought +Reddy. “The grass isn’t long enough +for a grasshopper to hide in, and yet +Redtail didn’t get what he was after. +It’s very queer. It certainly is very +queer.”</p> + +<p>He trotted out and began to run +back and forth with his nose to the +ground, hoping that his nose would tell +him what his eyes couldn’t. Back and +forth, back and forth he ran, and then +suddenly he stopped.</p> + +<p>“Ha!” exclaimed Reddy. He had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +found the scent left by Danny Meadow +Mouse when he ran across towards the +old tomato can. Right up to the old +can Reddy’s nose led him. He hopped +over the old can, but on the other side +he could find no scent of Danny Meadow +Mouse. In a flash he understood, and a +gleam of satisfaction shone in his yellow +eyes as he turned back to the old can. +He knew that Danny must be hiding in +there.</p> + +<p>“I’ve got you this time!” he snarled, +as he sniffed at the opening in the end +of the can.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>XXIV<br /> + +<small>REDDY FOX LOSES HIS TEMPER</small></h2> + + +<p class="drop-cap">REDDY FOX had caught Danny +Meadow Mouse, and yet he +hadn’t caught him. He had +found Danny hiding in the old tomato +can, and it didn’t enter Reddy’s head +that he couldn’t get Danny out when he +wanted to. He was in no hurry. He +had had a pretty good breakfast of +grasshoppers, and so he thought he +would torment Danny a while before +gobbling him up. He lay down so that +he could peep in at the open end of the +old can and see Danny trying to make +himself as small as possible at the other +end. Reddy grinned until he showed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +all his long teeth. Reddy always is a +bully, especially when his victim is a +great deal smaller and weaker than +himself.</p> + +<p>“I’ve got you this time, Mr. Smarty, +haven’t I?” taunted Reddy.</p> + +<p>Danny didn’t say anything.</p> + +<p>“You think you’ve been very clever +because you have fooled me two or three +times, don’t you? Well, this time I’ve +got you where your tricks won’t work,” +continued Reddy, “so what are you +going to do about it?”</p> + +<p>Danny didn’t answer. The fact is, he +was too frightened to answer. Besides, +he didn’t know what he could do. So +he just kept still, but his bright eyes +never once left Reddy’s cruel face. For +all his fright, Danny was doing some +hard thinking. He had been in tight +places before and had learned never to +give up hope. Something might happen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +to frighten Reddy away. Anyway, +Reddy had got to get him out of that +old can before he would admit that he +was really caught.</p> + +<p>For a long time Reddy lay there +licking his chops and saying all the +things he could think of to frighten poor +Danny Meadow Mouse. At last he +grew tired of this and made up his mind +that it was time to end it and Danny +Meadow Mouse at the same time. He +thrust his sharp nose in at the opening +in the end of the old can, but the opening +was too small for him to get more +than his nose in, and he only scratched +it on the sharp edges without so much +as touching Danny.</p> + +<p>“I’ll pull you out,” said Reddy and +thrust in one black paw.</p> + +<p>Danny promptly bit it so hard that +Reddy yelped with pain and pulled it +out in a hurry. Presently he tried again<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +with the other paw. Danny bit this +one harder still, and Reddy danced with +pain and anger. Then he lost his temper +completely, a very foolish thing to +do, as it always is. He hit the old can, +and away it rolled with Danny Meadow +Mouse inside. This seemed to make +Reddy angrier than ever. He sprang +after it and hit it again. Then he batted +it first this way and then that way, +growing angrier and angrier. And all +the time Danny Meadow Mouse managed +to keep inside, although he got a +terrible shaking up.</p> + +<p>Back and forth across the patch of +short grass Reddy knocked the old can, +and he was in such a rage that he didn’t +notice where he was knocking it to. +Finally he sent it spinning into the +long grass on the far side of the open +patch, close to one of Danny’s private +little paths. Like a flash Danny was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +out and scurrying along the little path. +He dodged into another and presently +into a third, which brought him to a +tangle of barbed wire left there by +Farmer Brown when he had built a +new fence. Under this he was safe.</p> + +<p>“Phew!” exclaimed Danny, breathing +very hard. “That was the narrowest +escape yet! But I guess I’ll get that +special grass-seed I started out for, after +all.”</p> + +<p>And he did, while to this day Reddy +Fox wonders how Danny got out of the +old tomato can without him knowing +it.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> +<div class="verse">And so you see what temper does</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">For those who give it rein;</span></div> +<div class="verse">It cheats them of the very thing</div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">They seek so hard to gain.</span></div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Danny has had many more adventures, +but there isn’t room to tell about +them here. Besides Grandfather Frog<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +is anxious that you should hear about +the queer things that have happened +to him. They are told in the next +book.</p> + + +<div class="center"><br /> +THE END<br /> +</div> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<div class="tnote"><b>Transcriber’s Note:</b> Obvious punctuation errors repaired.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse, by +Thornton W. Burgess + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF DANNY MEADOW MOUSE *** + +***** This file should be named 25301-h.htm or 25301-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/3/0/25301/ + +Produced by Emmy, MWS, Google Books and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from images made available by the +HathiTrust Digital Library.) (An earlier version was +prepared by K. 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