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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse, by 
+Thornton W. Burgess
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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
+
+
+Title: The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse
+
+Author: Thornton W. Burgess
+
+Illustrator: Harrison  Cady
+
+Release Date: May 19, 2008 [EBook #25529]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF DANNY MEADOW MOUSE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by K Nordquist, E & R Nordquist, Irma Spehar and
+the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
+https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+                     _The Adventures of
+                     DANNY MEADOW MOUSE_
+
+                  _by Thornton W. Burgess_
+
+                       [Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                      The Adventures of
+                     Danny Meadow Mouse
+
+                   By THORNTON W. BURGESS
+
+               _Illustrated by_ HARRISON CADY
+
+                       [Illustration]
+
+                         PUBLISHERS
+                      Grosset & Dunlap
+                          NEW YORK
+
+                   COPYRIGHT, 1915, 1944,
+                   BY THORNTON W. BURGESS
+
+           PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
+        BY ARRANGEMENT WITH LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY
+
+                     ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
+
+           _The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse_
+
+
+
+
+                       [Illustration]
+
+                          Contents
+
+
+CHAPTER                                          PAGE
+
+    I Danny Meadow Mouse Is Worried               11
+
+   II Danny Meadow Mouse and His Short Tail       17
+
+  III Danny Meadow Mouse Plays Hide-and-Seek      23
+
+   IV Old Granny Fox Tries for Danny
+      Meadow Mouse                                31
+
+    V What Happened on the Green Meadows          37
+
+   VI Danny Meadow Mouse Remembers,
+      Reddy Fox Forgets                           44
+
+  VII Old Granny Fox Tries a New Plan             52
+
+ VIII Brother North Wind Proves a Friend          59
+
+   IX Danny Meadow Mouse Is Caught at Last        68
+
+    X A Strange Ride and How It Ended             75
+
+   XI Peter Rabbit Gets a Fright                  84
+
+  XII The Old Briar-Patch Has a New Tenant        91
+
+ XIII Peter Rabbit Visits the Peach Orchard       99
+
+  XIV Farmer Brown Sets a Trap                   105
+
+  XV  Peter Rabbit Is Caught in a Snare          113
+
+  XVI Peter Rabbit's Hard Journey                119
+
+ XVII Danny Meadow Mouse Becomes Worried         126
+
+XVIII Danny Meadow Mouse Returns a Kindness      133
+
+  XIX Peter Rabbit and Danny Meadow Mouse
+      Live High                                  141
+
+   XX Timid Danny Meadow Mouse                   148
+
+  XXI An Exciting Day for Danny Meadow Mouse     158
+
+ XXII What Happened Next to Danny Meadow Mouse   165
+
+XXIII Reddy Fox Grows Curious                    172
+
+ XXIV Reddy Fox Loses His Temper                 179
+
+
+
+
+                       [Illustration]
+
+                        Illustrations
+
+
+All Danny Meadow Mouse could think
+about was his short tail                          10
+
+"Got plenty to eat and drink, haven't
+you?" continued Mr. Toad                          19
+
+Danny popped his head out of another
+little doorway and laughed at Reddy               29
+
+Granny didn't finish, but licked her chops
+and smacked her lips                              46
+
+It was a beautiful white world, a very
+beautiful white world                             64
+
+Over in the Green Forest Hooty the Owl
+had had poor hunting                              72
+
+Danny was being carried through the air
+in the cruel claws of Hooty the Owl!              77
+
+"I tell you what, you stay right here!" said
+Peter                                             97
+
+All around the trunk of the tree was
+wrapped wire netting                             109
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse had set out to
+gnaw that piece of stake all to splinters        137
+
+"Where?" exclaimed old Mr. Toad, turning
+as pale as a toad can turn                       153
+
+"Why, Mr. Toad, where are you going in
+such a hurry?" asked Danny                       156
+
+With a frightened squeak, Danny dived
+into the opening just in time                    169
+
+Like a flash, Danny dodged into a tangle
+of barbed wire                                   185
+
+
+
+
+                      The Adventures of
+                     Danny Meadow Mouse
+
+[Illustration: _All Danny Meadow Mouse could think about was
+his short tail_]
+
+
+
+
+                              I
+
+                Danny Meadow Mouse Is Worried
+
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse sat on his doorstep 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. 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.
+
+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 everyone 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 his tail was short. Yes, Sir, that is all that
+ailed Danny Meadow Mouse that bright morning.
+
+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 was short.
+
+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, 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.
+
+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 doorstep, 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.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                             II
+
+            Danny Meadow Mouse and His Short Tail
+
+
+All Danny Meadow Mouse could think about was his short tail. He
+was so ashamed of it that whenever anyone passed, he crawled out
+of sight so that they should not see how short his tail was.
+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.
+
+"What's the matter?" asked old Mr. Toad.
+
+"Nothing," replied Danny Meadow Mouse.
+
+"I don't suppose there really is anything the matter, but what do
+you think is the matter?" said old Mr. Toad.
+
+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.
+
+"Yes," said Danny.
+
+"Got plenty to eat and drink, haven't you?" continued Mr. Toad.
+
+[Illustration: _"Got plenty to eat and drink, haven't you?"
+continued Mr. Toad_]
+
+"Yes," said Danny.
+
+"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."
+
+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 Whitefoot of the Green Forest?" he asked.
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+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 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."
+
+"Perhaps you are right," said Danny Meadow Mouse after a little.
+"I'll try."
+
+
+
+
+                             III
+
+           Danny Meadow Mouse Plays Hide-and-Seek
+
+
+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 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.
+
+Now Danny Meadow Mouse is a stouthearted 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!
+
+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.
+
+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, 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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: _Danny popped his head out of another little
+doorway and laughed at Reddy_]
+
+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 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.
+
+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!
+
+
+
+
+                             IV
+
+         Old Granny Fox Tries for Danny Meadow Mouse
+
+
+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.
+
+But Danny never let himself think about this. He had enjoyed the
+game all 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:
+
+    "_Though Reddy Fox is smart and sly,
+        Hi-hum-diddle-de-o!
+    I'm just as smart and twice as spry.
+        Hi-hum-diddle-de-o!_"
+
+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. 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.
+
+"I'll go with you down on the meadows tomorrow morning, and then
+we'll see if Danny Meadow Mouse is as smart as he thinks he is,"
+said Granny Fox.
+
+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 Fox is very smart and
+very wise, and has learned most of the tricks of all the other
+little meadow and forest people.
+
+"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.
+
+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 toward 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 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.
+
+
+
+
+                              V
+
+             What Happened on the Green Meadows
+
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+Plunge! Old Granny Fox dived right into the snow and right
+through into the tunnel of Danny Meadow Mouse. Her two black
+paws actually touched Danny's tail. He was glad then that it was
+no longer.
+
+"Ha!" cried Granny Fox, "I almost got him that time!"
+
+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.
+
+Granny Fox blew the snow out of her nose. "Next time I'll get
+him!" said she.
+
+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 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.
+
+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
+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.
+
+"Pooh!" said Granny Fox after a while, "that Meadow Mouse thinks
+he can fool me by sitting still. I'll give him a scare."
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+                             VI
+
+       Danny Meadow Mouse Remembers, Reddy Fox Forgets
+
+
+"There he goes!" cried old Granny Fox. "Don't let him sit still
+again!"
+
+"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.
+
+"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 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.
+
+[Illustration: _Granny didn't finish, but licked her chops and
+smacked her lips_]
+
+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.
+
+"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 get at me!" he sobbed. And right that very instant he
+remembered the old fence post!
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+"Stop!" cried old Granny Fox sharply.
+
+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.
+
+"Oh! Oh! Wow! Wow! Oh dear! Oh dear!"
+
+That wasn't the voice of Danny Meadow Mouse. Oh, my, no! It was
+the voice of Reddy Fox. Yes, Sir, it 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.
+
+"I never did know a young Fox who could get into as 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!"
+
+"Yes'm," said Reddy meekly.
+
+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.
+
+
+
+
+                             VII
+
+               Old Granny Fox Tries a New Plan
+
+
+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.
+
+Old Granny Fox is very smart. "Danny Meadow Mouse won't put his
+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.
+
+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,
+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.
+
+It all came out just as Granny Fox had thought it would. Danny
+Meadow Mouse did get tired of staying in the old fence post. He
+did peep out first, and then he did 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.
+
+Hidden on the edge of the Green Forest, Granny Fox watched him.
+She looked up at the sky, and she knew that it was going to snow
+again. "That's good," said she. "Tomorrow morning I'll have fat
+Meadow Mouse for breakfast," and she smiled a hungry smile.
+
+The next morning, before jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was out of
+bed, old Granny Fox trotted down onto the meadows and straight
+over to where, down under the snow, lay the old fence post. It
+had snowed again, and all the little doorways of Danny Meadow
+Mouse were covered up with soft, fleecy snow. Behind Granny Fox
+limped Reddy Fox, grumbling to himself.
+
+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 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.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                            VIII
+
+             Brother North Wind Proves a Friend
+
+
+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
+anyone should happen, just happen, to see me this morning, they
+might be waiting just outside my doorway to catch me tomorrow
+morning." You see, there is a great deal of wisdom in the little
+head that Danny Meadow Mouse carries on his shoulders.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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, red 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.
+
+"I don't see anything or anybody to be afraid of," said Danny and
+poked his head out a little farther.
+
+[Illustration: _It was a beautiful white world, a very beautiful
+white world_]
+
+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 anyone 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.
+
+"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."
+
+But all the time Danny Meadow 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.
+
+    "_Granny Fox, you can't fool me!
+    I see you plain as plain can be!_"
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                             IX
+
+            Danny Meadow Mouse Is Caught at Last
+
+
+    "_Tippy-toppy-tippy-toe,
+    Play and frolic in the snow!
+    Now you see me! Now you don't!
+    Think you'll catch me, but you won't!
+    Tippy-toppy-tippy-toe,
+    Oh, such fun to play in snow!_"
+
+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 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.
+
+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 anyone 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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration: _Over in the Green Forest Hooty the Owl had had
+poor hunting_]
+
+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.
+
+"I suppose he is asleep somewhere safe and snug under the snow,"
+grumbled Hooty, "but he might, he just might, be out for a frolic
+in the moonlight. I believe I'll go down on the meadows and see."
+
+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.
+
+Too late Danny looked up. His little 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!
+
+
+
+
+                              X
+
+               A Strange Ride and How It Ended
+
+
+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!
+
+But Danny could see nothing wonderful 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.
+
+[Illustration: _Danny was being carried through the air in the
+cruel claws of Hooty the Owl!_]
+
+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.
+
+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 had 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,
+hidden away there in some dark place, was the home of Hooty the
+Owl.
+
+Just ahead of him was the Old Briar-patch where Peter Rabbit
+lives so safely. 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.
+
+Suddenly Danny began to wriggle and struggle. "Keep still!"
+snapped Hooty the Owl.
+
+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 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!
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                             XI
+
+                 Peter Rabbit Gets a Fright
+
+
+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 of old Granny Fox
+again in the Green Forest.
+
+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:
+
+    "_Dee-dee-chickadee!
+    I see you! Can you see me?_"
+
+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:
+
+    "_Dee-dee-chickadee!
+    I'm as happy as can be!
+    Find it much the better way
+    To be happy all the day.
+    Dee-dee-chickadee!
+    Everybody's good to me!_"
+
+"Hello, Tommy!" said Peter Rabbit. "Where'd you come from?"
+
+"From Farmer Brown's new orchard up on the hill. It's a fine
+orchard, Peter Rabbit, a fine orchard. I go there every morning
+for my breakfast. If the winter lasts long enough, I'll have all
+the trees cleaned up for Farmer Brown."
+
+Peter looked puzzled. "What do you mean?" he asked.
+
+"Just what I say," replied 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 Tit had said good-by and flitted away.
+
+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.
+
+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.
+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!
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                             XII
+
+            The Old Briar-Patch Has a New Tenant
+
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse slowly opened his eyes and then closed them
+again quickly, as if afraid to look around. He could hear someone
+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.
+
+"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 opened his eyes again. It was Peter
+Rabbit.
+
+"Where--where am I?" asked Danny Meadow Mouse in a very weak and
+small voice.
+
+"In the middle of the dear Old Briar-patch with me," replied
+Peter Rabbit. "But how did you get here? You seemed to drop right
+out of the sky."
+
+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 was Hooty's fierce scream
+of rage and disappointment. Danny shuddered again.
+
+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.
+
+"Ouch! Oh!" groaned Danny and lay still again.
+
+"There, there. Keep still, Danny Meadow Mouse. There's nothing to
+be afraid of here," said Peter Rabbit gently. His big eyes filled
+with tears as he looked at Danny Meadow Mouse, for Danny was all
+torn and hurt by the cruel claws of Hooty the Owl, and you know
+Peter has a very tender heart.
+
+So Danny lay still, and while Peter Rabbit tried to make him
+comfortable and dress his hurts, he told Peter all about how he
+had forgotten to watch up in the sky and so had been caught by
+Hooty the Owl, and all about his terrible ride in Hooty's cruel
+claws.
+
+"Oh dear, whatever shall I do now?" he ended. "However shall I
+get back 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?"
+
+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 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."
+
+[Illustration: _"I tell you what, you stay right here!" said
+Peter_]
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse looked at Peter gratefully. "I will, and thank
+you ever so much, Peter Rabbit," he said.
+
+And this is how the dear Old Briar-patch happened to have another
+tenant.
+
+
+
+
+                            XIII
+
+            Peter Rabbit Visits the Peach Orchard
+
+
+"Don't go, Peter Rabbit! Don't go!" begged Danny Meadow Mouse.
+
+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.
+
+"I think I will, Danny, just this once," said Peter. "It's a long
+way, and I've never been there before; but I guess it's just as
+safe as the Meadows or the Green Forest."
+
+    "_Oh I'm as bold as bold can be!
+      Sing hoppy-hippy-hippy-hop-o!
+    I'll hie me forth the world to see!
+      Sing hoppy-hippy-hippy-hop-o!
+        My ears are long,
+        My legs are strong,
+        So now good day;
+        I'll hie away!
+      Sing hoppy-hippy-hippy-hop-o!_"
+
+And with that, Peter Rabbit left the dear, safe Old Briar-patch,
+and away he went lipperty-lipperty-lip, across the Green Meadows
+toward the hill and the young orchard back of Farmer Brown's
+house.
+
+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?"
+
+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.
+
+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 he could
+get no more tender young bark, he went on to the next tree.
+
+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 worst kind of mischief that
+Peter Rabbit was in.
+
+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 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.
+
+
+
+
+                             XIV
+
+                  Farmer Brown Sets a Trap
+
+
+Peter Rabbit was in trouble. He had got into mischief and now,
+like everyone 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 Peter knew it would not
+be safe to put his nose outside.
+
+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.
+
+Just as jolly, round, red Mr. Sun started to go to bed behind the
+Purple Hills, Farmer Brown and his boy started back to the
+house. Farmer Brown was smiling now.
+
+"I guess that will fix him!" he said.
+
+"Now what does he mean by that?" thought Peter. "Whom will it
+fix? Can it be me? I don't need any fixing."
+
+[Illustration: _All around the trunk of the tree was wrapped wire
+netting_]
+
+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 his boy had been doing to the young peach trees.
+
+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.
+
+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 about going home. He wanted some of that
+delicious bark, and he ran from one tree to another as fast as he
+could go.
+
+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 shiny little 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.
+
+
+
+
+                             XV
+
+              Peter Rabbit Is Caught in a Snare
+
+
+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 hurt his
+leg, but it didn't pull when he lay still.
+
+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.
+
+Oh, how Peter Rabbit did wish that he had not been so curious to
+know what Farmer Brown had been doing that day, 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 could 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.
+
+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 he had already found Peter's tracks, and it would be but a
+few minutes before he found Peter himself.
+
+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.
+
+How Peter did run! It was hard work, for you know he had to drag
+that piece 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.
+
+
+
+
+                             XVI
+
+                 Peter Rabbit's Hard Journey
+
+
+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 bed-clothes 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 that by this time Hooty the Owl would probably have
+caught his dinner. So would old Granny Fox and Reddy Fox. Bowser
+the Hound 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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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.
+
+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 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.
+
+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:
+
+"Oh dear, whatever did I go up to the young peach orchard for
+when I knew I had no business there? Why 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!"
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                            XVII
+
+             Danny Meadow Mouse Becomes Worried
+
+
+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 seeds in these were very nice indeed,
+and Danny always felt especially good after a meal of them.
+
+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!
+
+But now, as Danny limped around, he 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
+someone 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?
+
+As he limped around, Danny talked to himself:
+
+    "_Why cannot people be content
+    With all the good things that are sent,
+    And mind their own affairs at home
+    Instead of going forth to roam?_"
+
+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 toward the Old Briar-patch. He
+rubbed his eyes and looked again. It was--no, it couldn't
+be--yes, it was 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 crawling! Danny Meadow Mouse
+didn't know what to make of it.
+
+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.
+
+"Poor Peter Rabbit! Oh, I'm so sorry, Peter!" he whispered.
+
+
+
+
+                            XVIII
+
+            Danny Meadow Mouse Returns a Kindness
+
+
+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 doorstep.
+So Peter just lay there and cried. Just supposing old Granny Fox
+should come poking around and find Peter 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?
+
+By and by he became aware that someone 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:
+
+    "_Isn't any use to cry!
+      Not a bit! Not a bit!
+    Wipe your eyes and wipe 'em dry!
+      Use your wit! Use your wit!
+    Just remember that tomorrow
+    Never brings a single sorrow.
+    Yesterday has gone forever
+    And tomorrow gets here never.
+    Chase your worries all away;
+    Nothing's worse than just today._"
+
+Peter smiled in spite of himself.
+
+"That's right! That's right! Smile away, Peter Rabbit. Smile
+away! Your troubles, Sir, are all today. And between you and me,
+I don't believe they are so bad as you think they are. Now you
+lie still just where you are, while I go see what can be done."
+
+With that, off whisked Danny Meadow Mouse as spry as you please,
+in spite of his 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.
+
+[Illustration: _Danny Meadow Mouse had set out to gnaw that piece
+of stake all to splinters_]
+
+By and by, happening to look across the snow-covered Green
+Meadows, he saw something that made his heart jump. It was Farmer
+Brown's boy coming straight over toward the dear Old Briar-patch.
+
+Danny didn't say a word to Peter Rabbit, but gnawed faster than
+ever.
+
+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.
+
+"So this is where that rabbit that killed our peach tree lives!"
+said he. "We'll try a few snares and put you out of mischief."
+
+And for the rest of the afternoon Farmer Brown's boy was very
+busy around the edge of the Old Briar-patch.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                             XIX
+
+        Peter Rabbit and Danny Meadow Mouse Live High
+
+
+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.
+
+"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 boy and find
+out what he is doing," said Peter Rabbit.
+
+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.
+
+"I don't know what he's doing, Peter, but he's putting something
+in every one of your private little paths leading into the
+Briar-patch from the Green Meadows."
+
+"Ha!" said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"There are little loops of that queer stuff you've got hanging to
+your leg, Peter," continued Danny Meadow Mouse.
+
+"Just so!" said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"And he's put cabbage leaves and pieces of apple all around,"
+said Danny.
+
+"We must be careful!" said Peter Rabbit.
+
+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
+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
+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 the cruel wire snare off, Peter didn't know
+it until Danny held it up in front of him.
+
+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.
+
+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 Farmer Brown's boy had put there
+for bait.
+
+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 why he couldn't catch
+Peter Rabbit.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                             XX
+
+                  Timid Danny Meadow Mouse
+
+
+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 is
+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 mean things. It isn't fair to Danny Meadow Mouse to
+believe what Sammy Jay says.
+
+But the fact is Danny certainly is timid. More than this, he
+isn't ashamed of it--not the least little bit.
+
+"You see, it's this way," said Danny, as he sat on his doorstep
+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."
+
+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 was an answering twinkle in Danny's own eyes as he
+continued.
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+"Well," said he, thoughtfully scratching his nose, "I suppose
+you may be right, but for my part fear seems a 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."
+
+"It is," replied Danny, "but, as I said before, it is a very good
+thing to keep one on guard when there are as many watching for
+one as there are for me. Now there's Mr. Blacksnake and--"
+
+"Where?" exclaimed old Mr. Toad, turning as pale as a toad can
+turn, and looking uneasily and anxiously in every direction.
+
+[Illustration: _"Where?" exclaimed old Mr. Toad, turning as pale
+as a toad can turn_]
+
+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 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?"
+
+"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."
+
+"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?"
+
+[Illustration: _"Why, Mr. Toad, where are you going in such a
+hurry?" asked Danny_]
+
+"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 hurried so that he fell over his own
+feet.
+
+Danny chuckled as he sat alone on his doorstep. "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 am
+afraid, and I'm willing to say so."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                             XXI
+
+           An Exciting Day for Danny Meadow Mouse
+
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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 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.
+
+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."
+
+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 halfway there was an old knothole just big
+enough for Danny to squeeze through. Mr. Blacksnake didn't know
+anything about that hole, and because it was dark 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.
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+    "_Brains are better far than speed
+    As wise men long ago agreed,_"
+
+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."
+
+
+
+
+                            XXII
+
+          What Happened Next to Danny Meadow Mouse
+
+
+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.
+
+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 to cross this, and all the way he would be
+in plain sight of anyone 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.
+
+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.
+
+Just about halfway to the safety of the long grass on the other
+side, Danny gave a hurried look behind him, and his 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.
+
+[Illustration: _With a frightened squeak, Danny dived into the
+opening just in time_]
+
+One jump! Would he be able to reach it? Two jumps! There was 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.
+
+Redtail screamed with rage and disappointment 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.
+
+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.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                            XXIII
+
+                   Reddy Fox Grows Curious
+
+
+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.
+
+"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."
+
+With that Danny curled up in the 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 was Reddy Fox.
+
+"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."
+
+If the truth were to be known, it was curiosity that had brought
+Reddy up there. Reddy had been hunting for his 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.
+
+"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."
+
+Off he started at a smart trot toward the patch of short grass
+where he had 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.
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+"Ha!" exclaimed Reddy. He had found the scent left by Danny
+Meadow Mouse when he ran across toward 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.
+
+"I've got you this time!" he snarled, as he sniffed at the
+opening in the end of the can.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                            XXIV
+
+                 Reddy Fox Loses His Temper
+
+
+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 awhile
+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 all his long teeth. Reddy always is a bully, especially
+when his victim is a great deal smaller and weaker than himself.
+
+"I've got you this time, Mr. Smarty, haven't I?" taunted Reddy.
+
+Danny didn't say anything.
+
+"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?"
+
+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 to frighten Reddy away. Anyway,
+Reddy had to get him out of that old can before he would admit
+that he was really caught.
+
+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 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.
+
+"I'll pull you out," said Reddy and thrust in one black paw.
+
+Danny promptly bit it so hard that Reddy yelped with pain and
+pulled it out in a hurry. Presently he tried again 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.
+
+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 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.
+
+[Illustration: _Like a flash, Danny dodged into a tangle of
+barbed wire_]
+
+"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."
+
+And he did, while to this day Reddy Fox wonders how Danny got out
+of the old tomato can without his knowing it.
+
+    _And so you see what temper does
+      For those who give it rein;
+    It cheats them of the very thing
+      They seek so hard to gain._
+
+Danny has had many more adventures, but there isn't room to tell
+about them here. Besides, Grandfather Frog is anxious that you
+should hear about the queer things that have happened to him.
+They are told in the next book.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+                    _Bedtime Story-Books_
+
+                   By THORNTON W. BURGESS
+
+                 The Adventures of Reddy Fox
+               The Adventures of Johnny Chuck
+             The Adventures of Peter Cottontail
+             The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum
+                The Adventures of Mr. Mocker
+               The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat
+            The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse
+             The Adventures of Grandfather Frog
+        The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel
+                 The Adventures of Sammy Jay
+                The Adventures of Buster Bear
+               The Adventures of Old Mr. Toad
+               The Adventures of Prickly Porky
+              The Adventures of Old Man Coyote
+             The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver
+              The Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack
+                The Adventures of Bobby Coon
+                The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk
+                 The Adventures of Bob White
+            The Adventures of Ol' Mistah Buzzard
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse, by 
+Thornton W. Burgess
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