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Show Wpy "BEDTIME 1 yT p BUR6ES5 SAMMY JAY BRINGS NEWS DETER RABBIT had a very funny feeling. He had started out that morning with the best intentions in the world. He had meant to go straight to Chatterer and tell him how mean he had been to spy and so find the new house that Chatterer was trying to keep a secret, and then he had overheard Chatterer telling Tommy Tit, the Chickadee how he had fooled Peter and how Peter didn't know where the new house was at all. Peter had never felt more foolish in his life. No, sir, he never had felt more foolish in his life. Of course, if it was true that he had been fooled and really didn't know where Chatterer's new house was, there was no use in beg-i ging Chatterer's pardon, for he only would make himself still more of a laughing stock than he was al--ready. And yet the thing he had done was just as mean as if he had found out Chatterer's secret, a,nd he knew that he would feel better if he owned up. He scratched his left ear with his right hind foot, and then scratched his right ear with his left hind foot. He pulled his whiskers, and still he didn't know what to do. He was still trying to decide when he heard a great racket in the direction di-rection of the Green Forest. It was. Sammy Jay screaming noisily, as usual, and he was hurrying straight up to the Old Orchard. Of course, Chatterer heard him, and as soon "PoohJ" replied Sammy. "You needn't be. I guess I deserved them." as Sammy was within hearing he called to him. Sammy hurried over at once. 1 "So here you are!" he exclaimed. "I've hunted all through the Green Forest for you until I'm quite tuckered tuck-ered out. I've got news for you." "What is it?" begged Chatterer, dancing about with impatience. "I've seen Shadow the Weasel," replied Sammy. "Where is he?" asked Chatterer, and his voice sounded very anxious. "He's over in the Green Forest, and he says he is going to stay there until he catches you, if he has to stay all winter," replied Sammy. "Old Redtail, the Hawk kept him cooped up in that hollow in the old chestnut tree so long that by the time he did get out he couldn't follow fol-low your tracks at all, and he was in a terrible rage. But he says he is going to find you if he has to hunt through every tree in the Green Forest." For-est." Chatterer actually turned pale for a minute. "You you didn't tell him that I wasn't in the Green Forest, did you?" he asked. "Of course I didn't! How could I, when I didn't know it myself?" retorted re-torted Sammy, scornfully. "And and you won't tell him when you see him again, will you, Sammy?" begged Chatterer. "What do you take me for?" demanded de-manded Sammy, angrily. "I haven't got any love for you, Chatterer, and you know it. You're a redheaded, red-coated nuisance, and I'm not a bit sorry to see you in trouble, but I wouldn't turn my worst enemy over to such a cruel, cold-blooded robber as Shadow the Weasel. He would kill me just as quickly as he would you if he could catch me, which he can't, and I am going to make it my business to see to it that all the little people who are afraid of him know that he is about. I am going over to the Old Briar Patch right away to warn Peter Rabbit. "You don't need to, because I am right here," spoke up Peter from his hiding place, "I am ever so much obliged to you for planning o warn me, and I'm sorry I've ever said mean things about you, Sammy Sam-my Jay." "Pooh!" replied Sammy, "You needn't be. I guess I've deserved them." Then Sammy and Peter and Chatterer Chat-terer began to talk over the news about Shadow the Weasel so eagerly that not one of them saw Black Pussy stealing along the old stone wall. |