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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/21845-h.zip b/21845-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9c3fca5 --- /dev/null +++ b/21845-h.zip diff --git a/21845-h/21845-h.htm b/21845-h/21845-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8705094 --- /dev/null +++ b/21845-h/21845-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3386 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <link rel="schema.DC" href="http://dublincore.org/documents/1998/09/dces/" /> + <meta name="author" content="Arthur Scott Bailey" /> + <meta name="DC.Creator" content="Arthur Scott Bailey" /> + <meta name="DC.Title" content="The Tale of Peter Mink" /> + <meta name="DC.Date" content="2007" /> + <meta name="DC.Language" content="en" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Tale of Peter Mink, by Arthur Scott Bailey. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + @media print { + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: x-small; background-color: inherit; + text-align: right; color: gray; display: none; visibility: hidden; } + } + @media screen { + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: x-small; background-color: inherit; + text-align: right; color: gray; display: inline; visibility: visible;} + .pagenum a {text-decoration:none; color:#444;} + .pagenum a:hover {color:#F00;} + } + + div.frontmatter {max-width: 48em; + margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; page-break-before: always; } + + p { text-align: justify; text-indent: .5em; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0em; + max-width: 40em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + p.noindent {text-indent: 0em; text-align: justify;} + p.flat {margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; line-height: 100%;} + p.center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} + p.titleblock {margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; text-indent: 0em; text-align: center; line-height: 125%;} + + h2+p, h3+p { text-indent: 0; } + + h1,h2,h3 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; font-weight: normal; page-break-after: avoid ! important;} + h2 {margin-top: 2em; clear: both; + word-spacing: 0.6em; letter-spacing: 0.2em; + font-weight: 500;} + h3 {margin-top: 1em; clear: both; + word-spacing: 0.2em; } + + hr {width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; + clear: both;} + + hr.chapter {width: 325px; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; page-break-before: always;} + hr.sorta {width: 45%; margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 3em;} + hr.minor {width: 30%; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + td.pr {text-align: right; padding-right: 10px; vertical-align: top;} + + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + + a {text-decoration: none;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .figcenter, .figcenterchap {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;} + .caption {font-size: 80%;} + img {border: none;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Tale of Peter Mink, by Arthur Scott Bailey + +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 Tale of Peter Mink + Sleepy-Time Tales + +Author: Arthur Scott Bailey + +Illustrator: Joseph Guzie + +Release Date: June 16, 2007 [EBook #21845] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF PETER MINK *** + + + + +Produced by Joe Longo and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="frontmatter"> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 541px; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 30px;"> +<a name="illus-cover-big" id="illus-cover-big" href="images/illus-big-cover.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus-cover.jpg" width="541" height="684" + style="border: 2px solid; border-color: #333333;" +alt="Peter Mink Cover" title="Peter Mink Cover" /> +</a> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 254px; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 30px; page-break-before: always;"> +<img src="images/illus-seal.jpg" width="254" height="194" +alt="THE TALE OF PETER MINK" title="THE TALE OF PETER MINK" /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 362px; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 30px; page-break-before: always;"> +<a name="illus-001" id="illus-001"></a> +<a name="illus-001-big" id="illus-001-big" href="images/illus-big-frontispiece.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus-frontispiece.jpg" width="362" height="554" +alt="CHECK YOUR HAT AND COAT?" title="CHECK YOUR HAT AND COAT?" /> +</a> +</div> + +<table width="400" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" +style="margin-top: 30px; page-break-before: always;" +summary="title page" border="0" id="Table2"> +<tr><td> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 395px;"> +<img src="images/illus-title.jpg" width="395" height="258" +alt="THE TALE OF PETER MINK" title="THE TALE OF PETER MINK" /> +</div> +</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class="titleblock" style="font-size: 100%;">BY</p> +<p class="titleblock" style="font-size: 140%; margin-bottom: 5px;">ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY</p> +<p class="titleblock" style="font-size: 90%;">AUTHOR OF</p> +<p class="titleblock" style="font-size: 100%;">THE CUFFY BEAR STORIES</p> +<p class="titleblock" style="font-size: 100%; margin-bottom: 50px;">SLEEPY-TIME TALES, ETC.</p> +<p class="titleblock" style="font-size: 120%;">Illustrations by</p> +<p class="titleblock" style="font-size: 120%; margin-bottom: 60px;">Joseph B. Guzie</p> +<p class="titleblock" style="font-size: 100%;">GROSSET & DUNLAP</p> +<p class="titleblock" style="font-size: 70%; margin-bottom: 15px;">PUBLISHERS NEW YORK</p> +</td></tr></table> + +<p class="center"><br /><br /> + <span style="font-size: 80%;">Copyright, 1916, by</span><br /> +GROSSET & DUNLAP +<br /><br /></p> + + +<hr class="sorta" /> +<h3><a name="Contents" id="Contents"></a>CONTENTS</h3> +<div class="smcap"> +<table border="0" width="75%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents" id="Table3"> +<col style="width:20%;" /><col style="width:70%;" /><col style="width:10%;" /> +<tbody valign="top"> +<tr> + <td class="pr" style="font-size: small" >CHAPTER</td> <td align="left"> </td> + <td align="right" style="font-size: small">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">I</td> <td align="left">How Peter Was Different</td> <td align="right"><a href="#I">9</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">II</td> <td align="left">Sawing Wood</td> <td align="right"><a href="#II">13</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">III</td> <td align="left">Making Peter Work</td> <td align="right"><a href="#III">19</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">IV</td> <td align="left">The Lecture</td> <td align="right"><a href="#IV">25</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">V</td> <td align="left">Passing the Hat</td> <td align="right"><a href="#V">31</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">VI</td> <td align="left">Mr. Rabbit Is Worried</td> <td align="right"><a href="#VI">38</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">VII</td> <td align="left">Peter's Bad Temper</td> <td align="right"><a href="#VII">43</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">VIII</td> <td align="left">At the Garden-Party</td> <td align="right"><a href="#VIII">48</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">IX</td> <td align="left">Helping Jimmy Rabbit</td> <td align="right"><a href="#IX">53</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">X</td> <td align="left">What Could Peter Do?</td> <td align="right"><a href="#X">59</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">XI</td> <td align="left">The Circus Parade</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XI">64</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">XII</td> <td align="left">Peter Learns a New Word</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XII">69</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">XIII</td> <td align="left">Good News About Peter</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XIII">75</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">XIV</td> <td align="left">Uncle Jerry Helps</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XIV">80</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">XV</td> <td align="left">Peter's New Coat</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XV">85</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">XVI</td> <td align="left">The Duck Pond</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XVI">90</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">XVII</td> <td align="left">How To Be Lucky</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XVII">96</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">XVIII</td> <td align="left">The Bargain</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XVIII">101</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="pr">XIX</td> <td align="left">Settling a Dispute</td> <td align="right"><a href="#XIX">107</a></td> +</tr> +</tbody> +</table> +</div> + + +<h3>ILLUSTRATIONS</h3> +<div class="smcap"> +<table border="0" width="75%" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="Illustrations"> +<col style="width:80%; padding-right: .5em;" /> +<col style="width:20%;" /> +<tbody valign="top"> +<tr> +<td align="left">CHECK YOUR HAT AND COAT?</td> +<td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#illus-001">Frontispiece</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left">PETER SPLIT THE STICK PERFECTLY!</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#illus-002">22</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left">JIMMY WENT SAILING THROUGH THE AIR</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#illus-003">62</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left">PETER PULLED JIMMY OUT OF THE MUD</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#illus-004">90</a></td> +</tr> +</tbody> +</table> +</div> + +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">p. 9</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 325px;"> +<a name="I" id="I" /> +<img src="images/illus-i-p009.jpg" width="325" height="206" +alt="HOW PETER WAS DIFFERENT" title="HOW PETER WAS DIFFERENT" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">There</span> were two ways in which Peter +Mink was different from any other person +in Pleasant Valley, or on Blue Mountain, +either. In the first place, he had no home; +and in the second, he had a very long neck.</p> + +<p>The reason why Peter had no home was +because he didn't want one. And the reason +why he had such a long neck was because +he couldn't help it.</p> + +<p>When he grew sleepy he would crawl +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">p. 10</a></span>into any snug place he happened to find—sometimes +in a hollow stump, or in a pile +of rocks, or a haystack. And often he +even drove a muskrat out of his house, so +he could sleep there.</p> + +<p>Most of the time Peter Mink went about +in rags and tatters. Whenever he did +have a new suit (which wasn't often) it +never looked well for long. Naturally, +sleeping in all sorts of places did not improve +it. But what specially wore out his +clothes was the way he was always squeezing +through small holes and cracks. +Wherever Peter saw a narrow place he +never could resist trying to get through it.</p> + +<p>He was a long, slim fellow, with a small, +snake-like head. And he always knew that +if he could squeeze his head through a +crack he could get his body through it, too.</p> + +<p>It is not at all strange that Mrs. Rabbit +and Mrs. Squirrel and Mrs. Woodchuck—as +well as a good many other people—did<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">p. 11</a></span> +not care to have their sons in Peter Mink's +company. They said that any one who +went about looking as untidy as he did, +and without a home, was not likely to set +a good example to the young.</p> + +<p>But Jimmy Rabbit and Frisky Squirrel +and Billy Woodchuck loved to be with +Peter Mink. To be sure, he was quarrelsome. +And he was always ready to fight +any one four times as big as he was. So +they had to be careful not to offend him. +But in spite of that, they found him interesting—he +was such a fine swimmer. He +could swim under water just as well as he +could swim with his head above the surface. +And in winter he was not afraid to +swim under the ice in Broad Brook.</p> + +<p>There was another thing about Peter +Mink that made the <i>younger</i> forest people +admire him. He was a famous fisherman. +He could dive for a trout and catch him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">p. 12</a></span> +too, just as likely as not. And there was +nothing more exciting than to see Peter +Mink pull an eel out of the water.</p> + +<p>It is really a great pity that he was so +rough. But you see, he left home at an +early age and grew up without having any +one to tell him what he ought—and ought +not—to do. No doubt he didn't know the +difference between right and wrong. Jimmy +Rabbit's mother used to call him "the +Pest." She often remarked that she +wished Peter would leave the neighborhood +and never come back.</p> + +<p>I am sure that Johnnie Green's father +would have agreed with her, because +Peter Mink was too fond of ducks to suit +Farmer Green. Of course, Peter didn't +care to eat ducks <i>all</i> the time. Sometimes +he dined on a fat hen. But even then +Farmer Green was angry. No doubt +Peter Mink thought him hard to please.</p> + + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">p. 13</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 325px;"> +<a name="II" id="II" /> +<img src="images/illus-ii-p013.jpg" width="325" height="143" +alt="SAWING WOOD" title="SAWING WOOD" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">It</span> was really no wonder that Mrs. Rabbit +did not like Peter Mink. When you hear +what happened the very first time she saw +him you will understand why Mrs. Rabbit +always called him "the Pest."</p> + +<p>One day Mrs. Rabbit heard a knock on +her door. And when she went to see who +was there, she found a ragged young fellow, +with his hat tipped far over on one +side. Instead of a collar, he wore a handkerchief +about his neck. But it would +have taken at least a dozen handkerchiefs, +tied one above another, to cover +the stranger's neck; for it was by far the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">p. 14</a></span> +longest neck Mrs. Rabbit had ever seen.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" Mrs. Rabbit +asked.</p> + +<p>"Something to eat!" said the stranger.</p> + +<p>You notice that he didn't say "Please!" +That was a word that Peter Mink had +never used. Probably he didn't even know +what it meant.</p> + +<p>Now, Mrs. Rabbit saw that the stranger +was very thin. She did not know that no +matter how much he ate, he would never +be what you might call <i>fat</i>. That slimness +was something that ran in Peter Mink's +family. The Minks were always slender +people.</p> + +<p>Being a kind-hearted soul, Mrs. Rabbit +went back to her kitchen. And soon +she brought Peter a plateful of the best +food she had.</p> + +<p>"You're not ill, are you?" she asked +Peter.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">p. 15</a></span></p> + +<p>"No!" he answered, as he took the dish.</p> + +<p>"Then," said Mrs. Rabbit, "I shall expect +you to do some work, to pay for this +food."</p> + +<p>"All right!" said Peter. But he wished +that he had said he was ill. For he simply +hated work. And he made it a rule never +to do a stroke of work if he could avoid it.</p> + +<p>Well, he sat down on Mrs. Rabbit's +doorstep and ate what she had given him. +And while he was eating, Jimmy Rabbit +came out and watched him. Even Jimmy +Rabbit could see that he had very bad +manners. He held something to eat in each +hand. And he didn't seem to care from +which hand he ate, so long as he kept his +mouth stuffed so full that he could hardly +talk.</p> + +<p>"What's your name?" Peter Mink +asked Jimmy. And when Jimmy told him, +he said: "No wonder you're fat, with such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">p. 16</a></span> +good things to eat as your mother makes."</p> + +<p>When Mrs. Rabbit heard that she was +pleased. And for a time she thought that +perhaps the stranger was not so bad as he +looked.</p> + +<p>When he had almost finished his lunch, +Mrs. Rabbit went back into her house once +more. And pretty soon she came out with +a saw in her hand. She gave the saw to +Peter Mink and said:</p> + +<p>"Now you may saw some wood, to pay +me for the food. You'll find the wood-pile +behind the house. And you may saw all of +it," she added.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink took the saw and started for +the wood-pile. And Jimmy Rabbit followed +him. Peter sawed just one stick of +wood; and then he said to Jimmy:</p> + +<p>"Go in and ask your mother if she can't +find an old pair of shoes for me."</p> + +<p>So Jimmy ran into the house to find his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">p. 17</a></span> +mother. And kind-hearted Mrs. Rabbit +began at once to hunt for a pair of shoes +to give the stranger. She had noticed that +his toes were sticking out.</p> + +<p>Pretty soon she found some shoes which +she thought would fit the stranger. And +when she stepped to her door again, there +he was, waiting for her.</p> + +<p>"What! Is the wood all sawed so +soon?" asked Mrs. Rabbit. "If it is, +you're a spry worker, young man!"</p> + +<p>"The saw—" said Peter Mink—"the +saw is no good at all. It broke before I +finished sawing half the wood-pile." And +that was true, too, in a way; because he +had only sawed one stick.</p> + +<p>"Well, if you've finished half of it you +haven't done badly," Mrs. Rabbit told +him. And she gave Peter Mink the shoes.</p> + +<p>"They're not very new," he grumbled. +"But they're better than none."</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">p. 18</a></span></p> + +<p>They certainly were much better than +the shoes he had been wearing.</p> + +<p>Then Peter Mink went slouching off. +He did not even thank Mrs. Rabbit for her +kindness. He did not even take away his +old shoes, but left them on the doorstep +for Mrs. Rabbit to pick up.</p> + +<p>"I must say that young man has had no +bringing up at all," she told Jimmy. "I +hope this is the last we'll see of him.... +Come!" she said. "Help me bring in some +of the wood he sawed."</p> + +<p>Well, Mrs. Rabbit was surprised when +she found that the stranger had sawed +only one stick.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Rabbit came home he took +just one look at his broken saw. And <i>he</i> +was more than surprised. <i>He</i> was angry.</p> + +<p>"Why," he said, "I do believe that +good-for-nothing rascal broke my saw on +purpose, so he wouldn't have to work."</p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">p. 19</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 320px;"> +<a name="III" id="III" /> +<img src="images/illus-iii-p019.jpg" width="320" height="143" +alt="MAKING PETER WORK" title="MAKING PETER WORK" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Peter Mink</span> waited several days before +he knocked at Mrs. Rabbit's door again. +And when he did at last come back, he first +made sure that her husband was not at +home. You see, Peter had heard that Mr. +Rabbit had told some of the forest-people +that Peter had broken his saw, so he +wouldn't have to saw wood to pay for the +food that Mrs. Rabbit gave him.</p> + +<p>When Mrs. Rabbit saw who it was that +knocked, she came very near shutting the +door in Peter's face. But she couldn't +help noticing again how thin Peter was. +And when he asked again for something to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">p. 20</a></span> +eat she hadn't the heart to refuse him.</p> + +<p>"You're not ill, are you?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Well—yes, I am!" said Peter Mink, +boldly. He would actually rather tell a lie +than work. And he thought that if he said +he was ill, Mrs. Rabbit wouldn't expect +him to do any work to pay for what she +might give him.</p> + +<p>"You look to me as if you needed some +cambric tea," Mrs. Rabbit said.</p> + +<p>Now, if there was anything that Peter +Mink disliked, it was cambric tea. If she +had said "chicken broth," he might have +liked that.</p> + +<p>"I've been very ill," he said. "But now +the doctor tells me I must have good, nourishing +food—and plenty of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, if you're well enough to eat, +you're well enough to work," said Mrs. +Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"Oh, certainly!" answered Peter.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">p. 21</a></span></p> + +<p>Mrs. Rabbit went into the house then. +And when she came out again Peter Mink +was surprised at what she brought. He +had expected another plateful of goodies. +But instead of that, Mrs. Rabbit had an +axe in her hand.</p> + +<p>"Here!" she said. "Take this out to the +wood-pile—and use it! I want you to split +every stick of wood you can find. Then +knock on the door again and I'll bring you +something to eat."</p> + +<p>You ought to have seen Peter Mink +scowl, as he walked away to the wood-pile +with the axe on his shoulder. It was a lesson +to anybody, never to frown!</p> + +<p>"She needn't think she can make <i>me</i> +work!" Peter said to himself. "I'll just +break her old axe—that's what I'll do!" +And he swung the axe with all his might +at a stick of wood.</p> + +<p>But the axe didn't break. And as for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">p. 22</a></span> +the stick, it fell in two pieces; for Peter +had split it perfectly.</p> + +<p>He was so out of patience that he aimed +a hard blow at another stick of wood. +Again, he didn't hurt the axe at all. And +again he split the wood exactly as Mrs. +Rabbit wanted him to. But Peter never +thought of that.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink scowled even worse than +ever. And he made up his mind that he +would break Mrs. Rabbit's axe if he had +to use up the whole wood-pile to do it.</p> + +<p>Well, that is just what happened. Peter +tried so hard to break the axe so he +wouldn't have to work, that before he +knew it he had split all the wood.</p> + +<p>He was just about to look for a rock, +then—on which to break the axe—when +he happened to think that there was no +longer any sense in trying to do that, because +the work was all done!</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 330px;"> +<a name="illus-002" id="illus-002"></a> +<a name="illus-002-big" id="illus-002-big" href="images/illus-big-p22.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus-p22.jpg" width="330" height="510" +alt="PETER SPLIT THE STICK PERFECTLY!" title="PETER SPLIT THE STICK PERFECTLY!" /> +</a> +</div> + +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">p. 23</a></span></p> + +<p>So he put the axe across his shoulder +and went and knocked on Mrs. Rabbit's +door.</p> + +<p>"Bring on your food!" he said, when +Mrs. Rabbit appeared.</p> + +<p>"Is the axe all right?" she asked. "It +didn't break, did it?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed!" he said—"though I +was rather expecting it would."</p> + +<p>"Is the wood all split?" she inquired.</p> + +<p>"Every stick of it!" answered Peter.</p> + +<p>"Then bring it here, near the back +door," Mrs. Rabbit told him. "That will +help pay for the saw you broke here last +week."</p> + +<p>"I'll do nothing of the kind!" said +Peter Mink. And he was so angry that +he went back to the wood-pile and began +throwing sticks of wood at Mrs. Rabbit's +house, trying to break a window. And +before he knew it he had thrown the whole<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">p. 24</a></span> +wood-pile in almost the exact spot where +Mrs. Rabbit wanted it. And he hadn't +broken a single window, either.</p> + +<p>But Peter Mink never once realized +what he had done. He went off to take a +swim in the brook, and maybe catch a +trout.</p> + +<p>Later when Mrs. Rabbit saw that in +spite of what Peter had said, he had +moved her wood-pile for her, she wondered +why he had not asked for something to +eat. But Peter Mink never knocked on +her door again. He kept away from Mrs. +Rabbit ever afterward, because she was +the only person who had ever been able to +make him work.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 319px;"> +<img src="images/illus-p024.jpg" width="319" height="86" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">p. 25</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 318px;"> +<a name="IV" id="IV" /> +<img src="images/illus-iv-p025.jpg" width="320" height="168" alt="THE LECTURE" title="THE LECTURE" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Peter Mink</span> was going to give a lecture. +He had invited everybody.</p> + +<p>"It's something you all ought to hear," +he said. "And it will cost you nothing to +come. Another time," he explained, +"whoever hears my lecture will have to +pay. But this one is free."</p> + +<p>Old Mr. Crow remarked that he supposed +Peter Mink was going to tell people +how to catch ducks. And since he never +cared anything at all about ducks, he said +he didn't expect to be present.</p> + +<p>"I'm glad you're not coming," Peter +Mink answered, "because I'm afraid there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">p. 26</a></span> +won't be room for all the people who intend +to hear me. As for ducks—I'd no +more think of giving a lecture about ducks +than I would about <i>crows</i>."</p> + +<p>Old Mr. Crow pretended not to hear +what Peter said. He did not care even to +be seen talking with such a worthless fellow.</p> + +<p>But there were many other people living +in Pleasant Valley and on Blue Mountain +who decided to go to Peter Mink's lecture—when +they learned that they might get +in free.</p> + +<p>And when the night of the lecture arrived +even Peter himself was surprised to +see how many were present.</p> + +<p>To be sure, Peter noticed that some of +the audience were smiling; and some of +them were nudging one another, as if they +thought the whole thing was nothing but +a joke. And when the full moon climbed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">p. 27</a></span> +over the top of Blue Mountain, and Peter +Mink climbed on top of an old stump and +faced the gathering, a few rude persons +laughed aloud.</p> + +<p>"What about ducks?" somebody called +from a tree above Peter's head. Everybody +tittered at that, because everybody +knew that Peter was very fond of ducks +and spent much of his time at Farmer +Green's duck pond.</p> + +<p>It was old Mr. Crow who asked that +question. He had come to the lecture, in +spite of what he had said.</p> + +<p>"My lecture," Peter Mink began, when +all was quiet, "my lecture to-night is going +to be about a poor boy who has no one +to take care of him. He has no home. +And very often he goes about in rags. +Sometimes he begs for food and clothes. +I think," Peter said, "we all ought to be +very sorry for him."</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">p. 28</a></span></p> + +<p>As soon as Peter said that, Mrs. Squirrel +and Mrs. Woodchuck took out their +pocket-handkerchiefs and wiped their +eyes. And Mrs. Squirrel's husband was +heard to remark that it was a shame, and +that he thought something ought to be +done.</p> + +<p>Well, Peter Mink went on and told them +as many as twenty-three different tales +about that poor boy, to show them what a +hard life he led. Every tale was sadder +than the one just before it. And by the +time Peter had finished the twenty-third, +there were very few dry eyes in the place. +And Mr. Squirrel spoke up loudly and +said once more that <i>something</i> ought to be +done about it.</p> + +<p>When he said that, Uncle Jerry Chuck +rose hurriedly and hobbled away from the +lecture. He had sat in one of the best +seats, because it was free. And he had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">p. 29</a></span> +wept quite noisily, once or twice, because +it cost no more to weep and he wanted all +he could get for nothing. But when Mr. +Squirrel said what he did, Uncle Jerry at +once thought of a <i>collection</i>. And he decided +that he had better leave before it was +too late.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink saw him go. And here and +there he noticed other people who looked +as if they would like to leave, too. And he +knew that there was no time to lose.</p> + +<p>"I see one gentleman leaving," Peter +Mink said in a loud voice. "I hope no +more will go—unless, of course, they're so +stingy that they wouldn't care to give a +little something to help this poor boy I've +been telling you about."</p> + +<p>After that, nobody wanted to leave, because +nobody wanted to be thought stingy.</p> + +<p>"I appoint Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Woodchuck +to take up a <i>collection</i> for this poor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">p. 30</a></span> +boy," Peter Mink said. "And I've no +doubt that they will be glad to give all they +can, themselves."</p> + +<p>Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Woodchuck saw +that everybody was looking at them. And +they at once emptied their pocket-books +into their hats.</p> + +<p>"What's his name? What's the poor +boy's name?" a hoarse voice called. It +was Mr. Crow who asked the question.</p> + +<p>"That," said Peter Mink, "is something +I do not care to tell to everybody."</p> + +<p>And many people clapped their hands. +They were beginning to have a better opinion +of Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>But old Mr. Crow only laughed loudly +from his perch in the tree.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 322px;"> +<img src="images/illus-p030.jpg" width="322" height="97" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">p. 31</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 325px;"> +<a name="V" id="V" /> +<img src="images/illus-v-p031.jpg" width="325" height="177" +alt="PASSING THE HAT" title="PASSING THE HAT" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">After</span> giving all they happened to have in +their pocket-books, Mr. Rabbit and Mr. +Woodchuck began to pass their hats to +take up the collection for the poor boy that +Peter Mink had been telling them about. +And all the people who had come to hear +Peter's lecture began to dig down into +their pockets.</p> + +<p>"That's right!" Peter cried. "Give +what you can! Of course, I don't expect +the poor people to give as much as the +rich."</p> + +<p>That made everybody decide that he +would give all he had with him. And many<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">p. 32</a></span> +people wished they had brought more. Besides, +no one wanted to be thought stingy, +like Uncle Jerry Chuck, who had hurried +away as soon as he suspected that there +was going to be a collection.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Woodchuck +had passed their hats to every person present, +their hats were filled to the brim. And +they marched proudly up to the stump +where Peter Mink still stood.</p> + +<p>Peter jumped down to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Keep your seats, everybody!" he +called. "The next thing to be done is to +count this money. And I will do that myself." +So Peter picked up the two hats +and started away.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" Mr. Rabbit +asked him.</p> + +<p>"Just a little way into the woods," said +Peter. "It's so noisy here, with all this +talking, that I might make a mistake."</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">p. 33</a></span></p> + +<p>"We'll go with you and help you," Mr. +Rabbit told him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you don't need to do that," said +Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>But Mr. Rabbit insisted.</p> + +<p>"One of those hats is mine," he remarked. +"And wherever <i>it</i> goes, I go, +too," And he beckoned to Mr. Woodchuck +to follow.</p> + +<p>Well, Peter Mink didn't like that very +well. You see, he had planned to go into +the woods alone with the money. And nobody +likes to have his plans upset. But +there was nothing he could say. So they +all three went into a thicket of elderberry +bushes and counted the money.</p> + +<p>"I thought there was more," Peter said. +"Maybe we dropped some of the money. +You and Mr. Woodchuck had better go +back and see if you can find any," he told +Mr. Rabbit.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">p. 34</a></span></p> + +<p>But Mr. Rabbit said that they could just +as well all go back together and search +along the ground as they went.</p> + +<p>"All right!" said Peter Mink. "Well +leave these hatfuls right here for a while."</p> + +<p>But Mr. Rabbit said he didn't think that +would be a safe thing to do. So he picked +up one hatful, and told Mr. Woodchuck +to carry the other.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink didn't like that at all. But +there was nothing he could say. So they +all went back together to the place where +the rest of the people were still waiting. +And they found no more money, either.</p> + +<p>Mr. Rabbit jumped up on the stump +where Peter had stood and talked.</p> + +<p>"The question is," he said, "who is going +to take charge of all this money?"</p> + +<p>"I am!" said Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>But Mr. Rabbit said he didn't think that +would be safe.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">p. 35</a></span></p> + +<p>"You have no home, you know," he told +Peter. "And you can't very well carry +the money about with you. I must have +my hat back; and no doubt Mr. Woodchuck +will want his, too."</p> + +<p>Mr. Woodchuck nodded his head. He +certainly did want his hat. It was the best +one he had.</p> + +<p>"I would suggest—" said Mr. Rabbit +then—"I would suggest that I take one +hatful home with me, and that Mr. Woodchuck +take the other to his house. Then +we'll each have our hats; and the money +will be perfectly safe."</p> + +<p>"That's a good idea!" Peter Mink said. +"The only trouble with it is that it won't +do at all. For you and Mr. Woodchuck +don't know the poor boy. So how could +you ever give him the money?"</p> + +<p>Everybody said that was so.</p> + +<p>"This Peter Mink is certainly a bright<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">p. 36</a></span> +young fellow," people told one another.</p> + +<p>Mr. Rabbit looked puzzled.</p> + +<p>"What do <i>you</i> suggest, then?" he asked +Peter.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink smiled. He seemed pleased, +for one reason or another.</p> + +<p>"This stump," he said, "is hollow. As +you can all see, there's a small hole in it. +We can put the money in there and nobody +can get it out. It will be the same as +in a bank."</p> + +<p>Mr. Rabbit looked at the hole in the +stump.</p> + +<p>"I know <i>I</i> can't get through that hole," +he said. "But what about you, young fellow?" +he asked Peter.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I can't squeeze through such a +small hole as this," said Peter. "See!" +He pushed his nose part way through the +hole. And there his head seemed to stick. +He could have squirmed through if he had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">p. 37</a></span> +really tried. But nobody else seemed to +know it.</p> + +<p>"But how is the poor boy ever going to +get his money?" Mr. Rabbit inquired.</p> + +<p>"Oh, he's very slim," Peter Mink said. +"<i>He</i> can get inside the stump. Don't you +worry about <i>him</i>!"</p> + +<p>Everybody seemed satisfied. So they +dropped the money through the hole.</p> + +<p>And then Mr. Rabbit said:</p> + +<p>"When are you going to bring the poor +boy to get the money?"</p> + +<p>"To-morrow night would be a good +time," Peter Mink said. "Would you all +like to come here to-morrow night at this +same hour?"</p> + +<p>And everybody said, "Yes!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 319px;"> +<img src="images/illus-p037.jpg" width="319" height="92" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">p. 38</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 322px;"> +<a name="VI" id="VI" /> +<img src="images/illus-vi-p038.jpg" width="322" height="169" +alt="MR. RABBIT IS WORRIED" title="MR. RABBIT IS WORRIED" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">When</span> Mr. Rabbit reached home, after +Peter Mink's lecture, and told his wife +about the money that had been collected +for the poor boy whom Peter Mink knew, +she asked:</p> + +<p>"Who has the money?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's safe," said Mr. Rabbit. "It's +hidden in an old stump. And the hole in +the stump is so small that even Peter himself +can't crawl through it."</p> + +<p>"How do you know he can't?"</p> + +<p>"He tried," said Mr. Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"How do you know he tried as hard as +he could?" Mrs. Rabbit asked.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">p. 39</a></span></p> + +<p>That was what made Mr. Rabbit worry. +So instead of going to bed, he hurried back +to the place where Peter had given his famous +lecture; and there he hid himself +under a small pine.</p> + +<p>Mr. Rabbit hadn't waited long before +he saw some one come out of the elderberry +bushes and hurry up to the stump.</p> + +<p>It was Peter Mink! He had a bag in his +hand. And while Mr. Rabbit was watching, +he squeezed through the hole in the +stump. Even for Peter Mink the hole was +almost too small. But he managed to +squirm through, though it cost him a few +groans; and he said some words that made +Mr. Rabbit shake his head.</p> + +<p>Well, as soon as Peter was inside the +hole he began to push the money through +it. And then what do you suppose Mr. +Rabbit did? He crept up to the stump, +picked up the bag, which Peter had left<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">p. 40</a></span> +on the ground, and as fast as the money +rolled out of the hole, Mr. Rabbit put it +inside the bag.</p> + +<p>The bag was almost full when the money +stopped rolling out of the hole. And Mr. +Rabbit heard Peter Mink say to himself:</p> + +<p>"That seems to be all!"</p> + +<p>And as soon as he heard that, Mr. Rabbit +hurried away, with the bag of money +over his shoulder.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink waited a bit, to see if he +could find more money. But he had +thrown it all out. So he squeezed through +the hole again. Then he turned to pick +up the bag. But it had vanished.</p> + +<p>"That's queer!" said Peter Mink. "I +thought I left that bag right here." He +looked all around, but he couldn't find it +anywhere. So he took off his ragged +coat and laid it on the ground. "I'll put +the money in this!" Peter said.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">p. 41</a></span></p> + +<p>But when he looked for the money he +couldn't find a single piece.</p> + +<p>"That's queer!" said Peter. "It must +have rolled away from the stump." And +he began to search all about. But the +money, too, had vanished completely. And +Peter Mink couldn't understand it.</p> + +<p>The following night, when everybody +came back again, expecting that Peter +Mink would bring the poor boy with him +to get the money, Peter never appeared +at all.</p> + +<p>Finally Mr. Rabbit jumped on top of +the stump and told his friends what had +happened the night before.</p> + +<p>"And now," he said, "everybody can +come right up here and get his money +back, for there's no doubt at all that Peter +Mink was collecting it for himself. <i>He</i> +was the poor boy he told us about."</p> + +<p>Everybody was surprised. But everybody<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">p. 42</a></span> +was glad to get his money again. In +fact, there was only one person who +grumbled; and that was Uncle Jerry +Chuck. He hurried up to the stump ahead +of all the rest, to get some money. And +he seemed more surprised than ever when +Mr. Rabbit said there was no money there +for <i>him</i>.</p> + +<p>"I was at the lecture last night," Uncle +Jerry said.</p> + +<p>"But you left before the money was +collected," Mr. Rabbit replied.</p> + +<p>Uncle Jerry admitted that that was so. +But he claimed that he had made <i>less +trouble</i> for everybody, because no one had +been obliged to handle the money that he +hadn't given.</p> + +<p>But Mr. Rabbit told him he ought to be +ashamed of himself. And every one will +say that Peter Mink ought to have been +ashamed of himself, too.</p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">p. 43</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 325px;"> +<a name="VII" id="VII" /> +<img src="images/illus-vii-p043.jpg" width="325" height="188" +alt="PETER'S BAD TEMPER" title="PETER'S BAD TEMPER" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Peter Mink</span> was always quarreling. And +he seemed always ready to fight—to fight +even people who were four times bigger +than he was. And when he fought, Peter +usually won. But there was one person +Peter Mink was afraid of; and that was +Fatty Coon. Fatty was almost too big for +Peter Mink to whip. And his teeth were +very sharp. And his claws were like +thorns.</p> + +<p>One day Peter and Fatty had a dispute. +Fatty Coon had said that a hen made the +finest meal in the world. But Peter Mink +spoke up at once and said it wasn't so.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">p. 44</a></span></p> + +<p>"There's nothing quite like a duck," he +said.</p> + +<p>Fatty Coon sneered.</p> + +<p>"Ducks may be all right," he cried. "In +fact, in my opinion they are far too good +for any member of the Mink family to eat. +But for me—give me a plump hen!" And +just thinking about hens made him +hungry. And being hungry made him +think of green corn. "Give me a plump +hen and plenty of green corn!" And he +looked all around, as if he expected somebody +would hurry up to him with a hen in +one hand and a dozen ears of corn in the +other.</p> + +<p>But nobody came.</p> + +<p>"You're a big glutton!" Peter Mink +shouted. He was very angry. But he did +not dare fight Fatty Coon.</p> + +<p>"I guess you wish I was smaller," said +Fatty Coon, "so you could fight me."</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">p. 45</a></span></p> + +<p>At that, Peter Mink looked very fierce. +And he turned to Frisky Squirrel and +Billy Woodchuck and Jimmy Rabbit and +shouted:</p> + +<p>"Take hold of me, quick, you fellows—before +I hurt him! For I can't keep my +hands off him a second longer!"</p> + +<p>When they heard that, Fatty's friends +were frightened. They were afraid Peter +Mink would fly at him and hurt him terribly. +So they all seized Peter and held +him fast, while they begged Fatty to run +away.</p> + +<p>Now, Fatty Coon was not the least bit +afraid of Peter. But talking of good +things to eat had made him so hungry that +he felt he must hurry down to Farmer +Green's cornfield at once. So he said +"Good-bye!" and left them.</p> + +<p>After Fatty had disappeared, Peter +Mink said it was safe to let him go again,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">p. 46</a></span> +but that it was lucky they had held him.</p> + +<p>And Frisky Squirrel and Billy Woodchuck +and Jimmy Rabbit agreed afterwards +that Peter Mink was a dangerous +fellow. They were glad that Fatty Coon +had escaped.</p> + +<p>The next day, almost the same thing +happened again. Only this time Peter +Mink remarked that there was nothing +any tastier than a fine eel. Fatty Coon +told him that eels might be good enough +for the Mink family, but as for him, he +preferred green peas.</p> + +<p>"Somebody hold me, quick!" Peter +Mink screamed. "I don't want to hurt +him—but I'm losing my temper fast."</p> + +<p>Several of Fatty Coon's friends started +to seize Peter Mink, so Fatty might run +away. But there was one person present +who had not been there the day before. +This was Tommy Fox. And he only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">p. 47</a></span> +laughed when Peter Mink said what he +did.</p> + +<p>"Don't touch him!" Tommy Fox told +the others. "Let's see what he'll do. +Fatty isn't afraid of him."</p> + +<p>"Why, certainly not!" Fatty Coon said. +And he smiled in such a way that he +showed his sharp teeth.</p> + +<p>"Somebody stop me, before it's too +late!" Peter Mink cried.</p> + +<p>But nobody laid a hand on him. And +still Peter did not move.</p> + +<p>"Go ahead!" Tommy Fox urged him. +"You said you were losing your temper, +you know."</p> + +<p>"I'm waiting!" Fatty Coon called. And +he held up both his front paws. Peter +saw how strong and sharp his claws were.</p> + +<p>"I declare," Peter Mink said, "I haven't +lost my temper, after all. I felt it going—for +a moment. But it came back again."</p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">p. 48</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 318px;"> +<a name="VIII" id="VIII" /> +<img src="images/illus-viii-p048.jpg" width="318" height="167" +alt="AT THE GARDEN-PARTY" title="AT THE GARDEN-PARTY" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Peter Mink</span> was angry with Tommy Fox; +for it was he who showed everybody that +Peter was afraid of Fatty Coon. Peter +Mink was so angry that he went about telling +everyone he met how he was going to +punish Tommy Fox. "When I finish with +him," he said, "he'll know enough to keep +his advice to himself."</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do to him?" +Jimmy Rabbit inquired.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm going to bite his nose," +Peter explained, "because it was his nose +that he stuck in my affairs." And Peter +went away muttering even worse things<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">p. 49</a></span> +to his cousin, who was with him. His +cousin's name was Slim Mink. And he +was spending the summer in Farmer +Green's haystack near the duck pond.</p> + +<p>Slim had heard somewhere that there +was a place called the Reform School, +where boys were sent who fought too +much. And he began to be afraid that if +Peter did to Tommy Fox half the things +he said he was going to do, some one would +come along and catch Peter and send him +to the Reform School.</p> + +<p>And the Reform School was an awful +place! Why, boys who went there had to +sleep in beds! They had to wash their +faces every morning, and brush their hair, +and have table manners! It was no wonder +that Slim began to worry.</p> + +<p>"You'd better let that young fox alone!" +he told Peter. "You fight too much. If +you don't look out, something dreadful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">p. 50</a></span> +will happen to you, some day. You'll get +sent to the Reform School."</p> + +<p>But Peter Mink told him to hold his +tongue. "If you're not careful," Peter +said, "I'll bite your nose, too."</p> + +<p>Now, Slim was smaller than his cousin +Peter. And he didn't want his nose bitten. +So he kept quiet after that. But he +hoped that Peter would take his advice.</p> + +<p>"Let's go down to the brook and fish," +he suggested, hoping that he could get +Peter's mind off Tommy Fox.</p> + +<p>"You can go if you want to," said Peter +Mink. "And save me some fish, too, or it +will be the worse for you!"</p> + +<p>Slim decided that he wouldn't go fishing, +after all. And he roamed through the +woods with Peter, who was determined to +find Tommy Fox.</p> + +<p>And at last Peter found him, at a garden-party +that was being given by Jimmy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">p. 51</a></span> +Rabbit, in Farmer Green's garden.</p> + +<p>Everybody but Tommy Fox was having +refreshments. But he said he didn't feel +like eating anything. That was because +he was polite. He never cared for lettuce, +or peas, or cabbage.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink had not been invited to the +garden-party. But that made no difference +to him. Before anyone knew what +was happening he marched straight up to +Tommy Fox and bit him on the nose.</p> + +<p>Then there followed such an uproar as +had never before been seen in Farmer +Green's garden. Tommy Fox and Peter +Mink rolled over and over upon the +ground. And for a long time nobody +could tell one from the other.</p> + +<p>But after a while that squirming heap +of tails and legs began to turn more slowly, +until at last it stopped altogether.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink was a sad sight. He had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">p. 52</a></span> +been ragged enough, before the fight. +But now he looked ten times worse. And +one of his eyes was closed. And he had +lost his hat, and one shoe.</p> + +<p>Everyone was glad that the trouble was +over. And everyone was glad that Tommy +Fox had won.</p> + +<p>And to everybody's surprise, the gladdest +of all was Slim Mink, Peter's cousin.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" he cried. (The others had +been too polite to say anything.)</p> + +<p>"What makes you shout that?" Peter +asked Slim as he crawled away.</p> + +<p>"Why," his cousin answered, "Tommy +Fox hurt you, instead of your hurting +him. And now you won't have to go to +the Reform School."</p> + +<p>But for once Peter Mink thought there +might be worse places than that. He +thought that maybe a real bed would feel +pretty comfortable, just then.</p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">p. 53</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 325px;"> +<a name="IX" id="IX" /> +<img src="images/illus-ix-p053.jpg" width="325" height="194" +alt="HELPING JIMMY RABBIT" title="HELPING JIMMY RABBIT" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Peter Mink</span> was feeling even more peevish +than usual. And this was the reason: +Jimmy Rabbit had a new sled.</p> + +<p>Now, Peter had never owned a sled; +and it made him envious to see what a +good time Jimmy was having, coasting +down the side of Blue Mountain.</p> + +<p>There was only one thing that Jimmy +Rabbit did not like about his sled. It +went so fast that he always fell off long +before he reached the end of the slide.</p> + +<p>"I can fix that," Peter Mink told him. +"You go home and borrow your father's +hammer and a few nails, and I'll show you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">p. 54</a></span> +how you can coast 'way down into Pleasant +Valley without once tumbling off."</p> + +<p>Jimmy thanked him. And he hurried +home at once. He dragged his new sled +after him, too; for he was afraid that if +he left it behind he might not be able to +find Peter Mink—or the sled, either—when +he came back again.</p> + +<p>But Peter did not seem to care. Perhaps +he had something on his mind. Anyhow, +when Jimmy Rabbit returned with +the hammer and nails, Peter Mink was +waiting patiently for him.</p> + +<p>"Now, then," said Peter, as he took the +nails and the hammer, "you sit on the +sled, Jimmy, and I'll fix you up in no +time."</p> + +<p>So Jimmy Rabbit sat down on his new +sled. And in a few minutes Peter Mink +had nailed Jimmy's trousers fast to the +sled.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">p. 55</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now you simply <i>can't</i> fall off," Peter +said. "I'll give you a push; and the first +thing you know, you'll be down in the valley."</p> + +<p>Jimmy Rabbit said to himself that +Peter Mink was very bright, to think of +such a splendid plan as nailing his trousers +to the sled. He thanked Peter; and +he gripped the sled tightly—though he +didn't need to—while Peter gave him a +push that sent him flying down the mountainside.</p> + +<p>Though he went like the wind, he never +fell off once. And soon he was down in +Pleasant Valley, skimming over the crust +which covered the drifts in Farmer +Green's meadow.</p> + +<p>At last the sled stopped. And then +Jimmy Rabbit decided that Peter Mink +had forgotten something. How was he to +get off the sled with his trousers nailed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">p. 56</a></span> +fast to it? And what would his mother +say, when she saw the nail-holes in his +trousers? And what would his father do, +when <i>he</i> saw the nails in Jimmy's new +sled?</p> + +<p>It was not very pleasant for Jimmy +Rabbit, sitting all alone in the meadow, +with such thoughts running through his +head.</p> + +<p>After he had sat there a while Jimmy +heard something that worried him even +more. He heard old dog Spot barking. +And he saw that he would be in a good +deal of a fix if Spot should happen to +come along and find him. For he couldn't +stir from his sled.</p> + +<p>Jimmy began to hate that sled. He +wished he had never seen it.... And +then he heard somebody scampering over +the crust. He was almost too frightened +to look around to see who it was. But he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">p. 57</a></span> +turned his head. And he was glad to find +that it was Peter Mink, who had run all +the way down from Blue Mountain.</p> + +<p>"You had a fine ride, didn't you?" said +Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Jimmy answered. "But I liked +the beginning of it better than the end."</p> + +<p>"Why, what's the matter?" Peter inquired.</p> + +<p>"I can't get off the sled," Jimmy said.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink pretended to be surprised. +And he said that he hadn't thought of +that.</p> + +<p>"But I'll help you," he promised.</p> + +<p>Jimmy Rabbit thanked him.</p> + +<p>"But," said Peter Mink, "I can't do +all these things for you for nothing, of +course. I have too much else to do, to be +wasting my time like this, without pay."</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" Jimmy Rabbit +asked him.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">p. 58</a></span></p> + +<p>"Give me the sled," said Peter Mink, +"and I'll help you to get off it."</p> + +<p>"All right," Jimmy agreed. He would +even have given Peter his wheelbarrow, +too, he was so anxious to be freed from +his seat. "I think, though, that you +might pull me up the mountain," Jimmy +added. "I don't feel like walking." And +that was quite true, because he had been +so frightened, when he heard old Spot +barking, that his legs were still shaking.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Peter Mink, "I'm pretty +particular who rides on my sled. But I'll +pull you up the mountain, because I'm +going that way myself, to slide."</p> + +<p>And he started off, dragging Jimmy +Rabbit behind him.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 318px;"> +<img src="images/illus-p058.jpg" width="318" height="89" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">p. 59</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 316px;"> +<a name="X" id="X" /> +<img src="images/illus-x-p059.jpg" width="316" height="170" +alt="WHAT COULD PETER DO?" title="WHAT COULD PETER DO?" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Peter Mink</span> was pulling Jimmy Rabbit +up the mountainside. You remember that +Jimmy had a new sled, and that Peter had +nailed Jimmy's trousers to the sled, so he +wouldn't fall off when he slid down Blue +Mountain. But when Jimmy had coasted +down into the meadow he found he could +not get off the sled. So Peter Mink had +offered to help him, if Jimmy would give +him the sled in return for his kindness.</p> + +<p>"How do you like my new sled?" Peter +Mink asked Jimmy Rabbit, as he stopped +to rest, after climbing a steep slope.</p> + +<p>But before Jimmy Rabbit could answer,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">p. 60</a></span> +an alarming sound rang through the clear +air and startled them both. It was old +dog Spot, baying as if he had found some +very interesting tracks.</p> + +<p>"Hurry!" Jimmy Rabbit cried. "We +don't want Spot to catch us!"</p> + +<p>"Get off my sled!" Peter Mink ordered. +"How can I run fast, pulling a great, fat +fellow like you?"</p> + +<p>"How can I get off," Jimmy answered, +"when I'm nailed fast to the sled?"</p> + +<p>"I'll get you off," said Peter. And he +took hold of Jimmy Rabbit's ears and began +to pull as hard as he could. But the +sled only slipped along on the snow.</p> + +<p>"Grab this sapling!" Peter Mink cried, +drawing Jimmy close to a small tree. +"And I'll pull the sled from under you." +But all his pulling did no more than to +make Jimmy's arms ache. For Jimmy +was nailed so fast to the sled that he stuck<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">p. 61</a></span> +to it—or <i>it</i> stuck to <i>him</i>—as if they were +just one, instead of two, things.</p> + +<p>"I wish my mother hadn't made me +wear such stout trousers," Jimmy Rabbit +said. For once, he wished he wore old, +ragged clothes, like Peter's. If he had, he +thought he might have torn himself away +from the sled. But now there seemed no +hope for him, because old Spot's voice +sounded nearer every minute.</p> + +<p>At last Peter Mink became so angry because +Jimmy didn't get off the sled that +he flew at him and began to pommel him.</p> + +<p>When Peter threw himself upon Jimmy +the sled began to move. But Peter was so +enraged he never noticed that, until they +were coasting down the mountain so fast +that he didn't dare jump off.</p> + +<p>Once they struck something. They +couldn't see what it was, because they +were traveling like the wind. But Jimmy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">p. 62</a></span> +Rabbit thought he heard a frightened sort +of yelp. Then they tore on again.</p> + +<p>Before they reached the foot of Blue +Mountain they struck something else. +This time there was no yelp, for they ran +right into a big maple tree. And Jimmy +Rabbit felt himself sailing through the +air, until at last he landed on top of a big +drift, broke through the crust, and sank +into the soft snow beneath.</p> + +<p>He crawled quickly out of the drift. +And when he saw that he and the sled had +parted company he was so delighted that +he never minded his torn trousers.</p> + +<p>He looked around. And there was the +sled, as good as ever, except for the nails +Peter Mink had driven into it. And there +was Peter Mink, lying very still beneath +the maple tree. Though Jimmy listened, +he could no longer hear old Spot baying.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 342px;"> +<a name="illus-003" id="illus-003"></a> +<a name="illus-003-big" id="illus-003-big" href="images/illus-big-p62.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus-p62.jpg" width="342" height="517" +alt="JIMMY WENT SAILING THROUGH THE AIR" title="JIMMY WENT SAILING THROUGH THE AIR" /> +</a> +</div> + +<p>That was because old Spot was running<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">p. 63</a></span> +home as fast as his legs would carry him. +He didn't know what it was that had +struck him; and he was frightened.</p> + +<p>When Jimmy Rabbit saw Peter Mink +slowly open one eye he knew that it +wouldn't be long before Peter was himself +again. So Jimmy hurried back up the +mountain, pulling the sled after him.</p> + +<p>The next day, who should come to Jimmy's +house but Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>"I've come for my sled," he said.</p> + +<p>"What sled?" asked Jimmy Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"Why, the one you gave me for getting +you off it," Peter answered.</p> + +<p>"But <i>you</i> didn't get me off the sled," +Jimmy told him. "You don't even know +how I got off. So I certainly am not going +to give you my sled."</p> + +<p>And Peter Mink had to go away empty-handed. +He didn't like it at all. But +what could he do?</p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">p. 64</a></span></p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 319px;"> +<a name="XI" id="XI" /> +<img src="images/illus-xi-p064.jpg" width="319" height="172" +alt="THE CIRCUS PARADE" title="THE CIRCUS PARADE" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">If</span> it hadn't been for the circus posters on +Farmer Green's barn, the idea of having +a circus parade would never have occurred +to Jimmy Rabbit.</p> + +<p>You see, all those wonderful pictures set +him thinking. And he lost no time in inviting +everybody to help. He even invited +Peter Mink, though he was sorry, afterwards, +that he had.</p> + +<p>For a day or two everybody in the +neighborhood of Blue Mountain was as +busy as he could be, getting ready for the +parade. Cuffy Bear had promised to be +the elephant, because he was so big.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">p. 65</a></span> +Frisky Squirrel was to be a wolf, on account +of his being so gray. And Jimmy +had invited Peter Mink to march as a +giraffe, for the reason that he had such a +long neck. And as for Jimmy Rabbit himself, +he said that he expected to be a little +pitcher, because he had heard that they +had big ears.</p> + +<p>"I've heard that, too," remarked Billy +Woodchuck. "But I never knew that a +pitcher was an animal."</p> + +<p>"Well, you see you have a good deal to +learn," Jimmy Rabbit said.</p> + +<p>Then Tommy Fox murmured something +about having heard that little pitchers had +big mouths, too, and that they always +talked a good deal. But Jimmy Rabbit +made believe he didn't hear him.</p> + +<p>Everything would have been pleasant, +on the day of the parade, if it hadn't been +for Peter Mink. He insisted that he must<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">p. 66</a></span> +lead the procession; and that made trouble +at once, because Jimmy Rabbit had expected +to do that.</p> + +<p>Peter finally settled the dispute.</p> + +<p>"A parade," he said, "has two ends. +Of course, one person can't march at both +ends at the same time. So while I march +at the front end, Jimmy Rabbit can march +at the other. And that's perfectly fair."</p> + +<p>At first Jimmy Rabbit looked quite +glum. But pretty soon he seemed to feel +more cheerful; and he said, "All right!"</p> + +<p>Then there was a great bustle, and much +talking, as the parade prepared to start.</p> + +<p>"Remember!" Peter Mink warned everybody, +"you must follow everywhere I +go, because I'm the leader."</p> + +<p>At that, Cuffy Bear seemed somewhat +worried. He knew that Peter Mink was +fond of squeezing through narrow places; +and he didn't see how he could follow him.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">p. 67</a></span></p> + +<p>But after a while Cuffy began to smile +again—right after Jimmy Rabbit had +come and whispered something in his ear. +You see, Jimmy went to everybody in the +parade and whispered. And last of all he +went to Peter Mink and whispered in his +ear, too.</p> + +<p>"Everybody must look straight ahead," +Jimmy told Peter, "because that's the way +they always do in a circus parade."</p> + +<p>"Don't you suppose I know that, just +as well as you do?" snapped Peter Mink. +"You'd better hurry back to the other end +of the parade, because I'm going to start +in exactly two or three minutes—I'm not +sure which."</p> + +<p>So Jimmy Rabbit hurried back as fast +as he could. He might have run faster, +if he hadn't stopped to wink at every person +in the line. But he just managed to +reach his place when the parade started.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">p. 68</a></span></p> + +<p>Then a queer thing happened. When +everybody had taken ten steps, the whole +parade turned about in its tracks and +started marching in the opposite direction. +And now Jimmy Rabbit led the procession, +instead of Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>I said the <i>whole</i> parade turned around; +but what I meant to say was <i>everybody +but Peter Mink</i>. You see, Jimmy Rabbit +had told Peter not to look back, but to +march straight ahead, with his eyes to the +front. And naturally, Peter Mink supposed +that that was what Jimmy had whispered +to everyone else.</p> + +<p>So away Peter Mink marched, trying to +look as much like a giraffe as he could, and +feeling very proud, too—because he +thought the parade was following him.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 322px;"> +<img src="images/illus-p068.jpg" width="322" height="99" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">p. 69</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 329px;"> +<a name="XII" id="XII" /> +<img src="images/illus-xii-p069.jpg" width="329" height="177" +alt="PETER LEARNS A NEW WORD" title="PETER LEARNS A NEW WORD" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">While</span> Peter Mink marched on, believing +that the circus parade was following +him (when Jimmy Rabbit had actually led +it away in the opposite direction), Peter +kept trying to think of some trick he could +play on the parade.</p> + +<p>He decided, at last, that he would hunt +around until he found the smallest hole +he could possibly squeeze through, and he +would squirm through it, and then have +fun watching the others try to follow him.</p> + +<p>Finally he found a log which lay upon +a rocky ledge. Between the log and the +rock there was a narrow opening. And<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">p. 70</a></span> +when he saw that, Peter knew it was the +very place he had been looking for. Without +once glancing around, he thrust his +head through the crack.</p> + +<p>Then something happened. Peter Mink +always claimed, afterwards, that the log +settled a bit lower, or the rock rose a bit +higher. Anyhow, to his astonishment, he +found himself stuck fast under the log. +Such a thing had never happened to him +before.</p> + +<p>"Well!" he said to himself, "there are +plenty of people here to help me, anyhow." +You see, he hadn't discovered that +the whole parade—except him—had +turned about and followed Jimmy Rabbit.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink thought it was strange that +nobody came and offered to help him. And +soon he began to shout.</p> + +<p>Still no one came. And Peter began to +wish that he hadn't tried to play a trick<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">p. 71</a></span> +on the paraders. For he saw that he was +in something very like a trap. In fact, it +<i>was</i> a trap, which Johnnie Green had set. +But Peter didn't know that. If he had, he +would have been even more worried than +he was. It was bad enough, just to imagine +what would happen if old dog Spot +should come along and find him.</p> + +<hr class="sorta" /> + +<p>Jimmy Rabbit had a fine time leading +the parade. You may be sure <i>he</i> looked +around at the procession following him. +And he shouted a good many orders, too, +telling different ones just what they +should or shouldn't do.</p> + +<p>The parade had marched through the +woods for a long time; and Jimmy was +about to stop and tell everybody that the +fun was over, when he saw all at once that +it was really just going to begin. For +right in front of him he saw his friend.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">p. 72</a></span> +Peter Mink, pinned fast beneath the log.</p> + +<p>"You've been long enough coming to +help me!" Peter Mink growled. "Get this +log off me—you people—and be quick +about it!"</p> + +<p>Brownie Beaver left his place in the +parade and hurried forward, because he +knew more about handling logs than anybody +else there. But before he could get +his coat off, Jimmy Rabbit called him one +side and whispered to him. And then +Jimmy whispered to everybody else. And +the parade disbanded. Then everybody +crowded around Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>"What is it you want?" Jimmy Rabbit +asked Peter.</p> + +<p>"Want?" Peter Mink screamed. "Are +you blind? Can't you see this great log +on top of me? Can't you get it off? What +are you waiting for?"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Jimmy Rabbit. "We are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">p. 73</a></span> +waiting for just one thing. And we +haven't heard it yet."</p> + +<p>"Heard it?" Peter Mink snarled. +"Aren't your ears big enough to hear +everything?"</p> + +<p>"We're going to teach you something," +said Jimmy. "And until you've learned +the lesson, we're going to leave you right +where you are."</p> + +<p>You should have heard Peter Mink then—or +rather, you're lucky you <i>didn't</i> hear +him. For the way he went on was something +dreadful. But until Jimmy Rabbit +heard what he was waiting for, he +wouldn't let anyone roll the log off Peter.</p> + +<p>Finally it grew so late that some of the +paraders said they would have to be going +home pretty soon. And then Billy Woodchuck +remarked that he didn't believe +Peter Mink had the least idea what they +were waiting for.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">p. 74</a></span></p> + +<p>"I think we ought to tell him," Billy +said.</p> + +<p>So Jimmy Rabbit told Peter what it +was.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what it means," said +Peter.</p> + +<p>"Well—say it, anyhow!" Jimmy Rabbit +ordered. "And after this, whenever you +want anybody to do anything for you, +don't forget to say it! It wouldn't do you +a bit of harm to practice saying it every +day, for a while, until you get used to it."</p> + +<p>Peter Mink looked as if he would have +liked to do something to Jimmy Rabbit. +And for a long time he refused to obey. +But when Brownie Beaver said that he +simply <i>must</i> go home, because it was so +late, Peter Mink said what Jimmy had +been waiting for.</p> + +<p>It was "Please!"</p> + +<p>And no doubt you guessed it long ago.</p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">p. 75</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 325px;"> +<a name="XIII" id="XIII" /> +<img src="images/illus-xiii-p075.jpg" width="325" height="170" +alt="GOOD NEWS ABOUT PETER" title="GOOD NEWS ABOUT PETER" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent">"<span class="smcap">Yes</span>! They say he has at last decided to +go to work," Mrs. Rabbit was saying to +Billy Woodchuck's mother.</p> + +<p>"It's the best news I've heard in a long +while," Mrs. Woodchuck remarked. "And +I hope he'll be so busy that he won't have +time to come around here and get our sons +into any more mischief."</p> + +<p>"Have you learned what his work is going +to be?" Mrs. Rabbit inquired.</p> + +<p>But Mrs. Woodchuck said she didn't +know that. She only knew that Peter +Mink was going to turn over a new leaf +and do some sort of honest work.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">p. 76</a></span></p> + +<p>Now, Peter Mink had a plan. And he +hadn't told any one exactly what it was.</p> + +<p>The Grouse boys and the Woodchuck +brothers gave a concert that very night. +You see, Mr. Fox had taught them to make +music like a fife-and-drum corps—the +Grouse boys drummed and the Woodchuck +brothers whistled. And whenever +they gave a concert, almost everybody +went to it.</p> + +<p>Well, when the forest-people reached +the hollow where the concert was to be +given, there was Peter Mink, all smiles. +He stepped up to each newcomer and said:</p> + +<p>"Check your hat and coat?"</p> + +<p>Some of the forest-people didn't know +what he meant, until Peter explained to +them that he would take care of hats, +coats, umbrellas, walking-sticks, or anything +else that anybody might like to leave +with him during the concert.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">p. 77</a></span></p> + +<p>"How are you going to find my hat, if I +leave it with you?" Mr. Rabbit asked.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink showed him a heap of oak +leaves.</p> + +<p>"I'll tear one of these in two," he said, +"give you half of it, and stick the other +half inside your hatband. When the concert +is over and you come away, all you +have to do is to hand me your half of the +oak leaf and I'll see which piece matches +it among those that I have kept. And the +hat in which the other half happens to be +stuck must be your hat. Do you understand? +It's quite simple," Peter said.</p> + +<p>Mr. Rabbit said that he understood, and +that it was a good idea, too. But he +thought he'd keep his hat with him.</p> + +<p>Then his wife said to him in a low voice +that he ought to do whatever he could to +help Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>"Now that Peter has gone to work," she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">p. 78</a></span> +told her husband, "everyone ought to encourage +him. And I want you to leave +your hat with him. I'll have him check my +spectacles, as he calls it," Mrs. Rabbit +added, "for I shall not need them. I can +hear exactly as well without them."</p> + +<p>Mr. Rabbit always tried to please his +wife. So he let Peter Mink check his hat. +But he felt uncomfortable during the +whole concert. It was a new hat. And he +didn't like the thought of losing it.</p> + +<p>That same thing happened in a good +many families. Most of the gentlemen +said that Peter's idea was a good one, but +they thought they would wait till another +time. And their wives generally persuaded +them to let Peter Mink check +something, just to help him along.</p> + +<p>But Uncle Jerry Chuck refused to leave +a single thing with Peter. He said he had +had his hat for a great many years.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">p. 79</a></span></p> + +<p>The music was not so good as usual that +night. And when the fife-and-drum corps +played "Pop! Goes the Weasel!"—which +was their favorite tune, and the first they +had ever learned—they had to stop in the +middle of it three times, and begin again, +because there were so many interruptions. +People kept standing up in their seats and +looking around to see if Peter Mink was +still there. And almost everybody except +Uncle Jerry Chuck seemed worried.</p> + +<p>But Uncle Jerry had a fine time. You +see, whenever the fifers and drummers had +to stop, and begin again, Uncle Jerry felt +he was getting more music. And he enjoyed +it especially because he had found +his ticket in the woods and didn't have to +pay for it. And on account of what happened +when the concert was over, Uncle +Jerry was even happier the next day.</p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">p. 80</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 323px;"> +<a name="XIV" id="XIV" /> +<img src="images/illus-xiv-p080.jpg" width="323" height="169" +alt="UNCLE JERRY HELPS" title="UNCLE JERRY HELPS" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">The</span> concert given by the Grouse boys and +the Woodchuck brothers came to an end +early. Billy Woodchuck, who was one of +the fifers—because he was such a good +whistler—made a short speech.</p> + +<p>"We shall have to stop now," he said, +"because so many people keep bobbing up +and looking around that they make us +nervous. Maybe the piece we just played +didn't sound quite right. So I want to +explain that each of us was playing a different +tune, we were so upset. And, of +course, we can't keep on." Then he made +a low bow.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">p. 81</a></span></p> + +<p>All at once there was a great rush +toward the place where Peter Mink was +waiting, with the hats and sticks, umbrellas +and spectacles, coats and rubbers, and +other things that he had checked for the +people who came to the concert.</p> + +<p>When Peter Mink saw everybody hurrying +up all at the same time the smile +faded from his face.</p> + +<p>"Don't crowd!" he begged them. +"There's something here for everybody." +He took the half oak leaf that Mr. Rabbit +handed to him and hunted around until he +found another half that seemed to match +it. And since that other half was stuck in +an old umbrella, he gave the umbrella to +Mr. Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"But I didn't leave an umbrella with +you. I left a hat!" Mr. Rabbit cried.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink shook his head.</p> + +<p>"You must be mistaken," he replied.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">p. 82</a></span> +"You said yourself my idea was a good +one, you remember."</p> + +<p>Now, Mr. Rabbit didn't intend to lose +his new hat. So he began to hunt for it, +though Peter Mink told him to stand back.</p> + +<p>That was only the first of a number of +disputes. There was Mr. Woodchuck—he +had left his favorite walking-stick with +Peter; and all he received in its place was +one worn-out rubber and one mitten with a +hole in it.</p> + +<p>Old Mr. Crow made a terrible noise +when Peter Mink tried to make him take +an overcoat that was at least four times too +big for him. And Peter insisted on attempting +to squeeze Fatty Coon into a +coat that was twenty-three sizes too small +for him, and which really belonged to +Sandy Chipmunk.</p> + +<p>There was such an uproar, with all the +people complaining, and trying to find<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">p. 83</a></span> +their own things, that Peter Mink began +to think he had better leave before he +found himself in worse trouble. So he +slipped away. And nobody noticed that +he was gone, because there was such confusion.</p> + +<p>It was a long time before everybody +went home. And even then there were +many who weren't satisfied. For instance, +there was Mrs. Rabbit. To be sure, she +found a pair of spectacles. But they +weren't the ones she had given Peter. +And she couldn't see through them very +well.</p> + +<p>Uncle Jerry Chuck did everything he +could to help. He pushed right in where +the crowd was thickest and pawed over +everything he could find. There were +some unkind people who objected, and +said that he had no business there, because +Peter Mink had checked nothing for him.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">p. 84</a></span></p> + +<p>But that made no difference to Uncle +Jerry. He wouldn't leave until he was +ready to go. And the next day he appeared +in a brand new hat. He said that +his old one had really become shabby. But +whenever any one asked him where he +got his new hat he pretended not to hear, +and hurried away. And after that people +liked him even less than they had before.</p> + +<p>As for Peter Mink, he never tried to +work again. Some of the forest-people +said that he had never meant to work, anyhow. +They claimed that he had mixed up +everything on purpose, to play a trick on +people. And for a long time no one saw +Peter Mink in that neighborhood.</p> + +<p>Mr. Rabbit said that that was the only +pleasant part of the whole affair.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 324px;"> +<img src="images/illus-p084.jpg" width="324" height="56" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">p. 85</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 321px;"> +<a name="XV" id="XV" /> +<img src="images/illus-xv-p085.jpg" width="321" height="170" +alt="PETERS NEW COAT" title="PETERS NEW COAT" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Perhaps</span> you never heard how Mr. Mink +lost his tail in the woods, and how Jimmy +Rabbit found it and wore it until Mr. +Mink came along and took the tail away +from him.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink knew all about it, anyhow, +for Mr. Mink was his uncle. And Peter +knew that Jimmy Rabbit was still on the +lookout for a fine, bushy tail.</p> + +<p>So one day when Peter met Jimmy Rabbit +he told Jimmy that if he would go to a +certain place, near Broad Brook, he might +find something that would interest him.</p> + +<p>"You'll find a small place where the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">p. 86</a></span> +earth has been stirred up," Peter said, +"if you look exactly where I tell you to. +There's something hidden there. And I +won't say just what it is. It might be a +tail; and then again, it might not," Peter +told him. "Anyhow, if you go and dig +in that spot, I know you won't hurry +away, when you find what's there."</p> + +<p>Now, Jimmy Rabbit ought to have +known Peter Mink well enough to suspect +that there was something wrong. But the +moment he heard the word "tail" he +couldn't start for Broad Brook fast +enough.</p> + +<p>It took him some time to find the place +Peter Mink had described, for a light +snow had covered the ground. But at last +Jimmy discovered the loose earth, exactly +as Peter had said.</p> + +<p>Jimmy Rabbit was just going to begin +to dig when some one called his name. And<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">p. 87</a></span> +he jumped back quickly and looked all +around. At first he could see no one. But +after a moment he saw some one beckoning +to him. It was Paddy Muskrat. He had +crawled out of the brook just in time to +stop Jimmy Rabbit before it was too late.</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do?" Paddy +Muskrat asked.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to dig in this dirt," Jimmy +explained. "I believe there's a tail hidden +there. I need one, you know. And Peter +Mink told me——"</p> + +<p>"Peter Mink!" Paddy interrupted. +"I'd advise you to have nothing to do +with Peter Mink. Because sooner or later +he'll get you into trouble.... Do you +know what's hidden beneath that dirt? +I'll tell you: it's a trap! Johnnie Green +set it there, thinking he could catch <i>me</i> in +it. But I saw him when he buried it. And +I wouldn't go near it for anything."</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">p. 88</a></span></p> + +<p>As soon as Jimmy heard the word +"trap" he couldn't get away from that +place fast enough. He turned and ran off +in great bounds; and he never even stopped +to thank Paddy Muskrat for warning +him. Now, that was not like Jimmy at all. +But you see, he was frightened.</p> + +<p>Paddy Muskrat was a wise little chap. +And though he had said he wouldn't go +near the trap for anything, he thought it +was about time somebody fixed the trap +so it couldn't do any harm. And very +carefully he scraped the dirt away from it.</p> + +<p>"There!" he said to himself. "Now +everybody can see it. And no one will get +caught." Then he jumped into Broad +Brook again and swam away.</p> + +<p>Not long afterwards a slim figure came +stealing through the woods. It was Peter +Mink; and he had a bag in his hand. He +expected to use the bag, too. For he was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">p. 89</a></span> +very sure that he would find Jimmy Rabbit +fast in the trap and he intended to +put him in the bag and drag him away.</p> + +<p>Peter was disappointed when he saw +that the trap was empty. And he wondered +what had happened.</p> + +<p>"Well, here's the bag, anyhow," he said +to himself. "I've got that!" And he sat +down and made a hole in the bag for his +head, and two more for his arms, and drew +the bag on. It fitted him very well.</p> + +<p>"Why, here I've a new coat!" he said. +"I see now that the bag would have been +much too small to hold Jimmy Rabbit. So +it's just as well he didn't get caught in the +trap."</p> + +<p>And Peter Mink walked away. He liked +his new coat But probably it wasn't the +kind you would care for at all.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 320px;"> +<img src="images/illus-p089.jpg" width="320" height="57" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">p. 90</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 326px;"> +<a name="XVI" id="XVI" /> +<img src="images/illus-xvi-p090.jpg" width="326" height="174" +alt="THE DUCK POND" title="THE DUCK POND" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Sometimes</span> Peter Mink grew tired of +not knowing where he was going to sleep. +And now and then, when he happened to +be in some neighborhood that he liked, he +would try to find a place where he might +stay until he felt like roaming on again.</p> + +<p>There was one neighborhood that Peter +liked very much. He often said that of all +the places in Pleasant Valley that he knew +anything about, there was no other as +charming as Farmer Green's duck pond.</p> + +<p>The reason for his thinking that was +that he was specially fond of duck meat. +And, of course, it was convenient to be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">p. 91</a></span> +able to swim under water, and steal upon +a fat duck, and seize her before she knew +that Peter was anywhere near.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 343px;"> +<a name="illus-004" id="illus-004"></a> +<a name="illus-004-big" id="illus-004-big" href="images/illus-big-p90.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus-p90.jpg" width="343" height="519" +alt="PETER PULLED JIMMY OUT OF THE MUD" title="PETER PULLED JIMMY OUT OF THE MUD" /> +</a> +</div> + +<p>Now, Peter Mink learned that there was +a muskrat who had built him a house in +the bank of the duck pond. And as soon +as Peter found out where the muskrat's +home was, he drove away the owner and +began to live in the house himself.</p> + +<p>He found it very comfortable. And he +caught a duck every day, until at last +Farmer Green noticed that his ducks were +disappearing.</p> + +<p>"I believe it's a mink that's taking +them," Farmer Green said to his son +Johnnie. "If it was a coon, he'd steal +more than just one a day.... Now, you +take the old gun and go down to the pond +and hide. And when I let the ducks go +out for their swim, I want you to watch +for a mink."</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">p. 92</a></span></p> + +<p>Naturally, Peter Mink didn't hear what +Farmer Green said. If he had, no doubt +he would have left the muskrat's house at +once and moved on to some other neighborhood.</p> + +<p>Early the next morning Johnnie Green +put the old gun on his shoulder and stole +down to the edge of the duck pond, where +he hid among some cat-tails. He kept his +sharp eyes on the bank of the pond, for +the ducks were just waddling down from +the barnyard, to enjoy their morning +swim.</p> + +<p>As sharp as Johnnie's eyes were, they +did not see Peter Mink as he crept out of +his house and stretched himself in the sun. +Peter had fallen into the habit of sleeping +late and awaking each morning just as the +ducks reached the pond.</p> + +<p>He saw them as they picked their way +down the bank. And for once he didn't<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">p. 93</a></span> +seem to care anything about them. To +tell the truth, he had breakfasted on duck +so often that he had at last grown a bit +tired of duck meat. And now he thought +that for a change an eel would taste good. +For the first time since Peter had driven +the muskrat from his home the ducks were +safe.</p> + +<p>Peter paid no attention to them. And +unnoticed by Johnnie Green, he slipped +into the water and swam quickly to a place +in the pond where there was a warm +spring. He knew that the warm water +rose to the top of the pond. And he knew, +as well, that if an eel should happen to +swim over the spring, the rising water +would bear him to the surface of the duck +pond.</p> + +<p>Peter Mink must have been a lucky fellow. +For he had hardly reached the +spring when he saw an eel right in front of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">p. 94</a></span> +him. He seized the eel and swam toward +the bank. And there was such a commotion +in the water that Johnnie Green +couldn't help noticing it.</p> + +<p>You see, the eel did not want to leave +the duck pond. He had always lived there, +and he liked it, too. So he twisted and +squirmed, trying his hardest to break +away from Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>But Peter swam steadily on, though to +be sure he couldn't swim very fast, dragging +such a slippery fellow along with +him.</p> + +<p>But finally he reached the shore. And +then he pulled the eel out of the water.</p> + +<p>Still the eel tried to get away from him. +He wound himself about Peter Mink. +And several times he managed to throw +Peter head over heels. But Peter Mink +always rushed upon the eel again before +he could wriggle into the pond.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">p. 95</a></span></p> + +<p>All this time Johnnie Green had entirely +forgotten about his gun. He had +never seen such a sight before. And he +looked on with staring eyes, until at last +Peter dragged the eel away from the pond +and into some bushes.</p> + +<p>Then Johnnie Green remembered why +his father had sent him down to the duck +pond. And he ran forward, all ready to +shoot.</p> + +<p>But Peter Mink had vanished. He had +heard Johnnie running; and that was +enough to send him skipping away.</p> + +<p>Peter was disappointed, because he lost +his breakfast. And Johnnie Green was +disappointed, because he lost Peter.</p> + +<p>In fact, of all those present, the ducks +seemed to be the only ones that were really +contented. They had a fine swim. And +when night came, not one of them was +missing.</p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">p. 96</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 321px;"> +<a name="XVII" id="XVII" /> +<img src="images/illus-xvii-p096.jpg" width="321" height="184" alt="HOW TO BE LUCKY" title="HOW TO BE LUCKY" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">There</span> was one thing that Peter Mink +couldn't understand. No matter how hard +he tried to get Jimmy Rabbit into trouble, +Jimmy always managed to escape. Peter +wondered what the reason might be. And +one day he said to Jimmy:</p> + +<p>"Why is it that you're always able to +get out of a scrape?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you know?" Jimmy Rabbit +asked him. "I thought everybody knew +that.... <i>It's because I'm lucky</i>."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know that!" said Peter Mink. +"What I'd like to know is what makes +you so lucky?"</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">p. 97</a></span></p> + +<p>"I supposed everybody knew that, too," +Jimmy Rabbit answered. "<i>It's because I +have the left hind-foot of a rabbit.</i>"</p> + +<p>Peter Mink answered that he didn't see +what that had to do with being lucky.</p> + +<p>"You ask anybody about it," Jimmy +told him. "There's Mr. Crow, over on the +fence. Go and ask him why I'm lucky."</p> + +<p>So Peter Mink went over to the fence +where Mr. Crow was resting, and put the +question to him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, ask me something hard!" Mr. +Crow cried. "That's too easy. Everybody +knows that one."</p> + +<p>For once Peter Mink remembered the +word Jimmy Rabbit had taught him when +he was caught beneath the big log.</p> + +<p>"Please!" he said. "I'd really like to +know, Mr. Crow!"</p> + +<p>"Left hind-foot!" Mr. Crow replied +briefly. "It's a rabbit's, you know; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">p. 98</a></span> +there's nothing like 'em to bring luck."</p> + +<p>That set Peter Mink to thinking. He +couldn't help wishing that he might have +Jimmy's left hind-foot for himself. It +ought to bring luck to him, he thought, +just as it did to Jimmy Rabbit.</p> + +<p>After Peter Mink had thought the matter +over for some time, he said to Jimmy:</p> + +<p>"I wish you'd come over to the creek +with me. There's something there that I +want to show you. Of course, it's a long +way off; and maybe your mother wouldn't +like to have you go so far from home."</p> + +<p>"I'll come!" Jimmy Rabbit said quickly.</p> + +<p>"Maybe you'd better ask your mother +first," Peter suggested.</p> + +<p>But Jimmy Rabbit shook his head.</p> + +<p>"That wouldn't do any good," he replied. +"Let's be on our way!"</p> + +<p>So Peter Mink started off toward the +creek, with Jimmy close behind him.</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">p. 99</a></span></p> + +<p>At last they reached the bank of the +creek. The water was low. And before +them was a stretch of mud, which looked +dry and firm. There were a few weeds +growing in it. And it certainly looked +harmless enough.</p> + +<p>"What is it you're going to show me?" +Jimmy asked.</p> + +<p>"Follow me!" said Peter Mink. "You'll +see pretty soon what it is." And he +jumped off the bank and landed lightly on +his feet on the mud-flat, and started on +again.</p> + +<p>It never once entered Jimmy Rabbit's +head that there could be any danger. So +he jumped off the bank, too. And to his +great surprise his legs sank entirely out of +sight in the mud.</p> + +<p>You see, he was at least four times heavier +than Peter Mink. And when he landed +on the thin, sun-baked crust that covered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">p. 100</a></span> +the mud-flat he had broken through it.</p> + +<p>Jimmy Rabbit had a terrible feeling +that he was going right down until the +mud closed over his head.</p> + +<p>"Help!" he shrieked. "Help! Help!"</p> + +<p>But Peter Mink walked straight on. He +never once looked around.</p> + +<p>And though Jimmy Rabbit called and +called, he couldn't seem to make Peter +Mink hear him.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 318px;"> +<img src="images/illus-p100.jpg" width="318" height="212" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">p. 101</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 322px;"> +<a name="XVIII" id="XVIII" /> +<img src="images/illus-xviii-p101.jpg" width="322" height="188" alt="A BARGAIN" title="A BARGAIN" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Stuck</span> fast in the mud as he was, Jimmy +Rabbit couldn't do a thing except shout. +Or you might spy there were only two +things he could do—shouting being one of +them, and keeping still being the other.</p> + +<p>At first, Jimmy couldn't help calling out +at the top of his lungs. But Peter Mink, +you remember, didn't appear to hear him. +And there seemed to be no one else near. +After a time Jimmy Rabbit grew so hoarse +that he stopped shouting for help and +tried to think of some way in which he +might escape.</p> + +<p>It occurred to him that if he could only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">p. 102</a></span> +manage to get his left hind-foot free of +the mud (that was his lucky foot, you +know) perhaps he would be able to crawl +out, somehow. With his lucky foot buried +deep in the mud, and quite out of sight, +Jimmy thought it was not at all strange +that he had not been able to free himself.</p> + +<p>So he tried to raise his left hind-foot. +At first the mud actually seemed to suck +it deeper, as he tried. But after a long +time Jimmy succeeded in lifting that foot +the least bit. And he was pleased—until +he discovered that his other hind-foot had +only sunk further into the mire.</p> + +<p>At last he happened to look up. And +there on the bank, gazing down at him, +stood Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing down there?" +Peter Mink called. "Why didn't you follow +me, as I told you to?"</p> + +<p>"I fell into this mud," Jimmy Rabbit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">p. 103</a></span> +told him. "And I called and called to you. +Couldn't you hear me?"</p> + +<p>"The wind was blowing," said Peter—and +anyone can see that <i>that</i> was no answer +at all.</p> + +<p>"Well, if you'd looked around, you +could have seen what happened to me," +Jimmy Rabbit complained.</p> + +<p>"The sun was shining in my eyes," +Peter Mink told him—and I shouldn't say +that this answer of Peter's was any better +than the first.</p> + +<p>"Well—you can help me out of this bog, +anyhow," Jimmy Rabbit said. "So please +give me your hand. I'm pretty tired of +being stuck here."</p> + +<p>But Peter Mink never stirred. "Where's +your lucky left hind-foot?" he asked. "I +should think <i>that</i> could help you out, if +anything could."</p> + +<p>"The trouble is," said Jimmy Rabbit,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">p. 104</a></span> +"my left hind-foot is so deep in this mire +that I can't pull it up where it can do me +any good at all. It's the first time I've +ever known it to fail me. And you can't +really blame the foot, either, for it hasn't +a chance. I don't suppose it even knows +what a fix I'm in."</p> + +<p>Still Peter Mink made no move.</p> + +<p>"What are you waiting for?" Jimmy +inquired. "I've been here long enough."</p> + +<p>"Maybe you have—for you," said Peter +Mink. "But you haven't been there long +enough to suit me." And he pretended to +start to go away.</p> + +<p>Jimmy Rabbit called to him.</p> + +<p>"I'll give you something, if you'll help +me," he said.</p> + +<p>Peter turned around.</p> + +<p>"There's just one thing you can give +me," he said, "that will make me willing +to pull you out of the mud."</p> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">p. 105</a></span></p> + +<p>"What's that?" Jimmy asked him.</p> + +<p>"Your left hind-foot!" Peter Mink told +him. "I need a lucky foot. I'm always +getting into trouble of some sort and a +rabbit's left hind-foot would be a great +help to me—unless I happened to get +stuck in the mud," he added with a sly +smile. Jimmy Rabbit knew then that +Peter Mink had meant all the time to lead +him into that mud. He knew that Peter +had meant all the time to get his left hind-foot +away from him. But he didn't let +Peter Mink know that he knew.</p> + +<p>"You can have my left hind-foot," +Jimmy Rabbit said, "on two conditions. +You must always carry it in your pocket, +and you have to agree to take—along with +the foot—all the luck and everything else +that goes with it."</p> + +<p>Peter Mink quickly agreed to that.</p> + +<p>And Jimmy Rabbit said it was a bargain,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">p. 106</a></span> +and that something awful always +happened to people that didn't stand by +their bargains.</p> + +<p>Well, after that Peter jumped down +and pulled Jimmy Rabbit out of the mud.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Peter Mink, as soon as +they had climbed up the bank again, "the +next thing to do is to cut off your left hind-foot." +And he was much surprised when +Jimmy Rabbit began to laugh. "I don't +see anything funny about it," Peter Mink +growled.</p> + +<p>"Of course you don't," said Jimmy. "I +didn't expect you to. And I don't expect +you're going to cut my foot off, because +<i>you agreed not to</i>."</p> + +<p>"I never did anything of the kind!" +Peter Mink shouted.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll go and ask Mr. Crow what +he thinks about it," Jimmy Rabbit said. +"We'll leave it to him."</p> + +<hr class="chapter" /> +<p class="flat"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">p. 107</a></span></p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 321px;"> +<a name="XIX" id="XIX" /> +<img src="images/illus-xix-p107.jpg" width="321" height="173" alt="SETTLING A DISPUTE" title="SETTLING A DISPUTE" /> +</div> + +<p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">While</span> Jimmy Rabbit was looking for +wise old Mr. Crow, Peter Mink stuck close +behind him.</p> + +<p>"You needn't think you can run away +with <i>my</i> rabbit's lucky left hind-foot," +Peter kept saying. "That's <i>my</i> foot! You +promised to give it to me for helping you +out of the mud. And I intend to have it. +I'm going to follow you wherever you go. +I wish you'd try to be a little more careful +where you step with my foot."</p> + +<p>But Jimmy Rabbit didn't seem the least +bit worried.</p> + +<p>"You stand by your bargain, and I'll<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">p. 108</a></span> +stand by mine," he told Peter. And that +was all he would say.</p> + +<p>At last Jimmy found Mr. Crow. And as +soon as Peter Mink spied him he hurried +up and began to complain to Mr. Crow +that Jimmy Rabbit wouldn't stand by his +bargain.</p> + +<p>"What was it?" Mr. Crow asked.</p> + +<p>"He promised to give me his left hind-foot, +if I'd pull him out of the creek," said +Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>"Did he pull you out?" Mr. Crow asked +Jimmy Rabbit.</p> + +<p>And Jimmy admitted that Peter had +helped him out.</p> + +<p>"He helped me in, too," added Jimmy. +"But I didn't have to pay him for doing +that."</p> + +<p>"You're out of order!" Mr. Crow told +Jimmy sharply.</p> + +<p>And looking down at his mud-stained<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">p. 109</a></span> +clothes, Jimmy Rabbit said that he supposed +he was.</p> + +<p>"Can you repeat the exact words of the +bargain?" Mr. Crow asked Peter Mink.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Peter began. "He said——"</p> + +<p>"That will do!" Mr. Crow cautioned +him. "I said, '<i>Can</i> you repeat them?' I +didn't <i>tell</i> you to repeat them, did I?"</p> + +<p>"No," Peter Mink admitted.</p> + +<p>"I advise you to be very careful," Mr. +Crow warned him. Then Mr. Crow turned +to Jimmy Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"Can <i>you</i> repeat the exact words of the +bargain?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir!" said Jimmy Rabbit promptly.</p> + +<p>"Good!" Mr. Crow exclaimed. "I'll +settle this dispute in no time. Now, I want +you, Jimmy Rabbit, to whisper the exact +words in my <i>right</i> ear, while Peter Mink +whispers the exact words in my <i>left</i> one.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">p. 110</a></span> +In that way I shall know at once if there's +anybody that isn't telling the truth."</p> + +<p>Mr. Crow was very particular. He +made Peter and Jimmy begin at the same +time. And he said that if they both told +the truth it seemed to him that they ought +to <i>finish</i> at the same time, too.</p> + +<p>And that's just the way it happened!</p> + +<p>"I don't see what the dispute is," said +Mr. Crow. "You both agree. And how +can two people have a dispute, when they +agree perfectly? The only difference I +noticed in your stories was that Peter +whispered much louder than Jimmy."</p> + +<p>"The trouble," Peter Mink cried, "the +trouble is, he won't let me cut off his left +hind-foot!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Crow looked astonished.</p> + +<p>"And why should he?" he exclaimed. +"You agreed to take, along with the foot, +all the luck and <i>everything else that goes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">p. 111</a></span> +with it</i>. And if the rest of Jimmy Rabbit +doesn't go with his left hind-foot, why—I +should like to know what does!"</p> + +<p>Peter Mink looked very sour. But +pretty soon he brightened up.</p> + +<p>"All right!" he said. "I get the whole +of him, then—don't I?"</p> + +<p>"You certainly do," said Mr. Crow. +"And what's more, you have to <i>carry him +in your pocket</i>, for that was part of the +bargain."</p> + +<p>Now, when you stop to remember that +Jimmy Rabbit was four times bigger than +Peter Mink, you can understand how +angry Peter must have been. He saw +right away that such a thing was impossible.</p> + +<p>"I can't do that!" he cried.</p> + +<p>"Then I declare the agreement to be +broken," said Mr. Crow. "And I advise +Jimmy Rabbit to run home at once, for I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">p. 112</a></span> +happen to know that his mother is looking +for him."</p> + +<p>Afterward, Peter Mink always claimed +that there was no use trying to get the better +of anybody that had the left hind-foot +of a rabbit. He said that they certainly +were lucky, and that he knew what he was +talking about.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 321px;"> +<img src="images/illus-p112.jpg" width="321" height="262" alt="The End" title="The End" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter" style="margin-bottom: 50px;" /> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 30px;"> +<a name="front-endpapers" id="front-endpapers"></a> +<a name="front-endpapers-grande" id="front-endpapers-grande" href="images/illus-big-fe.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus-fe.jpg" style="border: 2px solid; border-color: #333333;" width="640" height="405" +alt="Front endpapers" title="Front endpapers" /> +</a> +<span class="caption">Front endpapers</span> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 640px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 30px;"> +<a name="back-endpapers" id="back-endpapers"></a> +<a name="back-endpapers-grande" id="back-endpapers-grande" href="images/illus-big-be.jpg"> +<img src="images/illus-be.jpg" style="border: 2px solid; border-color: #333333;" width="640" height="400" +alt="Back endpapers" title="Back endpapers" /> +</a> +<span class="caption">Back endpapers</span> +</div> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Tale of Peter Mink, by Arthur Scott Bailey + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF PETER MINK *** + +***** This file should be named 21845-h.htm or 21845-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/8/4/21845/ + +Produced by Joe Longo and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3c629f4 --- /dev/null +++ b/21845-h/images/illus-xviii-p101.jpg diff --git a/21845.txt b/21845.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2116779 --- /dev/null +++ b/21845.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2318 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Tale of Peter Mink, by Arthur Scott Bailey + +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 Tale of Peter Mink + Sleepy-Time Tales + +Author: Arthur Scott Bailey + +Illustrator: Joseph Guzie + +Release Date: June 16, 2007 [EBook #21845] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF PETER MINK *** + + + + +Produced by Joe Longo and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + +THE TALE OF +PETER MINK + +[Illustration: CHECK YOUR HAT AND COAT?] + + THE TALE + OF + PETER MINK + + BY + ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY + + AUTHOR OF + THE CUFFY BEAR STORIES + SLEEPY-TIME TALES, ETC. + + Illustrations by + Joseph B. Guzie + + GROSSET & DUNLAP + PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + Copyright, 1916, by + GROSSET & DUNLAP + + + + +CONTENTS + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I HOW PETER WAS DIFFERENT 9 + II SAWING WOOD 13 + III MAKING PETER WORK 19 + IV THE LECTURE 25 + V PASSING THE HAT 31 + VI MR. RABBIT IS WORRIED 38 + VII PETER'S BAD TEMPER 43 + VIII AT THE GARDEN-PARTY 48 + IX HELPING JIMMY RABBIT 53 + X WHAT COULD PETER Do? 59 + XI THE CIRCUS PARADE 64 + XII PETER LEARNS A NEW WORD 69 + XIII GOOD NEWS ABOUT PETER 75 + XIV UNCLE JERRY HELPS 80 + XV PETER'S NEW COAT 85 + XVI THE DUCK POND 90 + XVII HOW TO BE LUCKY 96 + XVIII THE BARGAIN 101 + XIX SETTLING A DISPUTE 107 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE + + CHECK YOUR HAT AND COAT? _Frontispiece_ + PETER SPLIT THE STICK PERFECTLY! 22 + JIMMY WENT SAILING THROUGH THE AIR 62 + PETER PULLED JIMMY OUT OF THE MUD 90 + + + + +THE TALE OF PETER MINK + + + + +HOW PETER WAS DIFFERENT + + +There were two ways in which Peter Mink was different from any other +person in Pleasant Valley, or on Blue Mountain, either. In the first +place, he had no home; and in the second, he had a very long neck. + +The reason why Peter had no home was because he didn't want one. And the +reason why he had such a long neck was because he couldn't help it. + +When he grew sleepy he would crawl into any snug place he happened to +find--sometimes in a hollow stump, or in a pile of rocks, or a +haystack. And often he even drove a muskrat out of his house, so he +could sleep there. + +Most of the time Peter Mink went about in rags and tatters. Whenever he +did have a new suit (which wasn't often) it never looked well for long. +Naturally, sleeping in all sorts of places did not improve it. But what +specially wore out his clothes was the way he was always squeezing +through small holes and cracks. Wherever Peter saw a narrow place he +never could resist trying to get through it. + +He was a long, slim fellow, with a small, snake-like head. And he always +knew that if he could squeeze his head through a crack he could get his +body through it, too. + +It is not at all strange that Mrs. Rabbit and Mrs. Squirrel and Mrs. +Woodchuck--as well as a good many other people--did not care to have +their sons in Peter Mink's company. They said that any one who went +about looking as untidy as he did, and without a home, was not likely to +set a good example to the young. + +But Jimmy Rabbit and Frisky Squirrel and Billy Woodchuck loved to be +with Peter Mink. To be sure, he was quarrelsome. And he was always ready +to fight any one four times as big as he was. So they had to be careful +not to offend him. But in spite of that, they found him interesting--he +was such a fine swimmer. He could swim under water just as well as he +could swim with his head above the surface. And in winter he was not +afraid to swim under the ice in Broad Brook. + +There was another thing about Peter Mink that made the _younger_ forest +people admire him. He was a famous fisherman. He could dive for a trout +and catch him too, just as likely as not. And there was nothing more +exciting than to see Peter Mink pull an eel out of the water. + +It is really a great pity that he was so rough. But you see, he left +home at an early age and grew up without having any one to tell him what +he ought--and ought not--to do. No doubt he didn't know the difference +between right and wrong. Jimmy Rabbit's mother used to call him "the +Pest." She often remarked that she wished Peter would leave the +neighborhood and never come back. + +I am sure that Johnnie Green's father would have agreed with her, +because Peter Mink was too fond of ducks to suit Farmer Green. Of +course, Peter didn't care to eat ducks _all_ the time. Sometimes he +dined on a fat hen. But even then Farmer Green was angry. No doubt Peter +Mink thought him hard to please. + + + + +SAWING WOOD + + +It was really no wonder that Mrs. Rabbit did not like Peter Mink. When +you hear what happened the very first time she saw him you will +understand why Mrs. Rabbit always called him "the Pest." + +One day Mrs. Rabbit heard a knock on her door. And when she went to see +who was there, she found a ragged young fellow, with his hat tipped far +over on one side. Instead of a collar, he wore a handkerchief about his +neck. But it would have taken at least a dozen handkerchiefs, tied one +above another, to cover the stranger's neck; for it was by far the +longest neck Mrs. Rabbit had ever seen. + +"What do you want?" Mrs. Rabbit asked. + +"Something to eat!" said the stranger. + +You notice that he didn't say "Please!" That was a word that Peter Mink +had never used. Probably he didn't even know what it meant. + +Now, Mrs. Rabbit saw that the stranger was very thin. She did not know +that no matter how much he ate, he would never be what you might call +_fat_. That slimness was something that ran in Peter Mink's family. The +Minks were always slender people. + +Being a kind-hearted soul, Mrs. Rabbit went back to her kitchen. And +soon she brought Peter a plateful of the best food she had. + +"You're not ill, are you?" she asked Peter. + +"No!" he answered, as he took the dish. + +"Then," said Mrs. Rabbit, "I shall expect you to do some work, to pay +for this food." + +"All right!" said Peter. But he wished that he had said he was ill. For +he simply hated work. And he made it a rule never to do a stroke of work +if he could avoid it. + +Well, he sat down on Mrs. Rabbit's doorstep and ate what she had given +him. And while he was eating, Jimmy Rabbit came out and watched him. +Even Jimmy Rabbit could see that he had very bad manners. He held +something to eat in each hand. And he didn't seem to care from which +hand he ate, so long as he kept his mouth stuffed so full that he could +hardly talk. + +"What's your name?" Peter Mink asked Jimmy. And when Jimmy told him, he +said: "No wonder you're fat, with such good things to eat as your +mother makes." + +When Mrs. Rabbit heard that she was pleased. And for a time she thought +that perhaps the stranger was not so bad as he looked. + +When he had almost finished his lunch, Mrs. Rabbit went back into her +house once more. And pretty soon she came out with a saw in her hand. +She gave the saw to Peter Mink and said: + +"Now you may saw some wood, to pay me for the food. You'll find the +wood-pile behind the house. And you may saw all of it," she added. + +Peter Mink took the saw and started for the wood-pile. And Jimmy Rabbit +followed him. Peter sawed just one stick of wood; and then he said to +Jimmy: + +"Go in and ask your mother if she can't find an old pair of shoes for +me." + +So Jimmy ran into the house to find his mother. And kind-hearted Mrs. +Rabbit began at once to hunt for a pair of shoes to give the stranger. +She had noticed that his toes were sticking out. + +Pretty soon she found some shoes which she thought would fit the +stranger. And when she stepped to her door again, there he was, waiting +for her. + +"What! Is the wood all sawed so soon?" asked Mrs. Rabbit. "If it is, +you're a spry worker, young man!" + +"The saw--" said Peter Mink--"the saw is no good at all. It broke before +I finished sawing half the wood-pile." And that was true, too, in a way; +because he had only sawed one stick. + +"Well, if you've finished half of it you haven't done badly," Mrs. +Rabbit told him. And she gave Peter Mink the shoes. + +"They're not very new," he grumbled. "But they're better than none." + +They certainly were much better than the shoes he had been wearing. + +Then Peter Mink went slouching off. He did not even thank Mrs. Rabbit +for her kindness. He did not even take away his old shoes, but left them +on the doorstep for Mrs. Rabbit to pick up. + +"I must say that young man has had no bringing up at all," she told +Jimmy. "I hope this is the last we'll see of him.... Come!" she said. +"Help me bring in some of the wood he sawed." + +Well, Mrs. Rabbit was surprised when she found that the stranger had +sawed only one stick. + +When Mr. Rabbit came home he took just one look at his broken saw. And +_he_ was more than surprised. _He_ was angry. + +"Why," he said, "I do believe that good-for-nothing rascal broke my saw +on purpose, so he wouldn't have to work." + + + + +MAKING PETER WORK + + +Peter Mink waited several days before he knocked at Mrs. Rabbit's door +again. And when he did at last come back, he first made sure that her +husband was not at home. You see, Peter had heard that Mr. Rabbit had +told some of the forest-people that Peter had broken his saw, so he +wouldn't have to saw wood to pay for the food that Mrs. Rabbit gave him. + +When Mrs. Rabbit saw who it was that knocked, she came very near +shutting the door in Peter's face. But she couldn't help noticing again +how thin Peter was. And when he asked again for something to eat she +hadn't the heart to refuse him. + +"You're not ill, are you?" she asked. + +"Well--yes, I am!" said Peter Mink, boldly. He would actually rather +tell a lie than work. And he thought that if he said he was ill, Mrs. +Rabbit wouldn't expect him to do any work to pay for what she might give +him. + +"You look to me as if you needed some cambric tea," Mrs. Rabbit said. + +Now, if there was anything that Peter Mink disliked, it was cambric tea. +If she had said "chicken broth," he might have liked that. + +"I've been very ill," he said. "But now the doctor tells me I must have +good, nourishing food--and plenty of it." + +"Well, if you're well enough to eat, you're well enough to work," said +Mrs. Rabbit. + +"Oh, certainly!" answered Peter. + +Mrs. Rabbit went into the house then. And when she came out again Peter +Mink was surprised at what she brought. He had expected another plateful +of goodies. But instead of that, Mrs. Rabbit had an axe in her hand. + +"Here!" she said. "Take this out to the wood-pile--and use it! I want +you to split every stick of wood you can find. Then knock on the door +again and I'll bring you something to eat." + +You ought to have seen Peter Mink scowl, as he walked away to the +wood-pile with the axe on his shoulder. It was a lesson to anybody, +never to frown! + +"She needn't think she can make _me_ work!" Peter said to himself. "I'll +just break her old axe--that's what I'll do!" And he swung the axe with +all his might at a stick of wood. + +But the axe didn't break. And as for the stick, it fell in two pieces; +for Peter had split it perfectly. + +He was so out of patience that he aimed a hard blow at another stick of +wood. Again, he didn't hurt the axe at all. And again he split the wood +exactly as Mrs. Rabbit wanted him to. But Peter never thought of that. + +Peter Mink scowled even worse than ever. And he made up his mind that he +would break Mrs. Rabbit's axe if he had to use up the whole wood-pile to +do it. + +Well, that is just what happened. Peter tried so hard to break the axe +so he wouldn't have to work, that before he knew it he had split all the +wood. + +He was just about to look for a rock, then--on which to break the +axe--when he happened to think that there was no longer any sense in +trying to do that, because the work was all done! + +[Illustration: PETER SPLIT THE STICK PERFECTLY!] + +So he put the axe across his shoulder and went and knocked on Mrs. +Rabbit's door. + +"Bring on your food!" he said, when Mrs. Rabbit appeared. + +"Is the axe all right?" she asked. "It didn't break, did it?" + +"No, indeed!" he said--"though I was rather expecting it would." + +"Is the wood all split?" she inquired. + +"Every stick of it!" answered Peter. + +"Then bring it here, near the back door," Mrs. Rabbit told him. "That +will help pay for the saw you broke here last week." + +"I'll do nothing of the kind!" said Peter Mink. And he was so angry that +he went back to the wood-pile and began throwing sticks of wood at Mrs. +Rabbit's house, trying to break a window. And before he knew it he had +thrown the whole wood-pile in almost the exact spot where Mrs. Rabbit +wanted it. And he hadn't broken a single window, either. + +But Peter Mink never once realized what he had done. He went off to take +a swim in the brook, and maybe catch a trout. + +Later when Mrs. Rabbit saw that in spite of what Peter had said, he had +moved her wood-pile for her, she wondered why he had not asked for +something to eat. But Peter Mink never knocked on her door again. He +kept away from Mrs. Rabbit ever afterward, because she was the only +person who had ever been able to make him work. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE LECTURE + + +Peter Mink was going to give a lecture. He had invited everybody. + +"It's something you all ought to hear," he said. "And it will cost you +nothing to come. Another time," he explained, "whoever hears my lecture +will have to pay. But this one is free." + +Old Mr. Crow remarked that he supposed Peter Mink was going to tell +people how to catch ducks. And since he never cared anything at all +about ducks, he said he didn't expect to be present. + +"I'm glad you're not coming," Peter Mink answered, "because I'm afraid +there won't be room for all the people who intend to hear me. As for +ducks--I'd no more think of giving a lecture about ducks than I would +about _crows_." + +Old Mr. Crow pretended not to hear what Peter said. He did not care even +to be seen talking with such a worthless fellow. + +But there were many other people living in Pleasant Valley and on Blue +Mountain who decided to go to Peter Mink's lecture--when they learned +that they might get in free. + +And when the night of the lecture arrived even Peter himself was +surprised to see how many were present. + +To be sure, Peter noticed that some of the audience were smiling; and +some of them were nudging one another, as if they thought the whole +thing was nothing but a joke. And when the full moon climbed over the +top of Blue Mountain, and Peter Mink climbed on top of an old stump and +faced the gathering, a few rude persons laughed aloud. + +"What about ducks?" somebody called from a tree above Peter's head. +Everybody tittered at that, because everybody knew that Peter was very +fond of ducks and spent much of his time at Farmer Green's duck pond. + +It was old Mr. Crow who asked that question. He had come to the lecture, +in spite of what he had said. + +"My lecture," Peter Mink began, when all was quiet, "my lecture to-night +is going to be about a poor boy who has no one to take care of him. He +has no home. And very often he goes about in rags. Sometimes he begs for +food and clothes. I think," Peter said, "we all ought to be very sorry +for him." + +As soon as Peter said that, Mrs. Squirrel and Mrs. Woodchuck took out +their pocket-handkerchiefs and wiped their eyes. And Mrs. Squirrel's +husband was heard to remark that it was a shame, and that he thought +something ought to be done. + +Well, Peter Mink went on and told them as many as twenty-three different +tales about that poor boy, to show them what a hard life he led. Every +tale was sadder than the one just before it. And by the time Peter had +finished the twenty-third, there were very few dry eyes in the place. +And Mr. Squirrel spoke up loudly and said once more that _something_ +ought to be done about it. + +When he said that, Uncle Jerry Chuck rose hurriedly and hobbled away +from the lecture. He had sat in one of the best seats, because it was +free. And he had wept quite noisily, once or twice, because it cost no +more to weep and he wanted all he could get for nothing. But when Mr. +Squirrel said what he did, Uncle Jerry at once thought of a +_collection_. And he decided that he had better leave before it was too +late. + +Peter Mink saw him go. And here and there he noticed other people who +looked as if they would like to leave, too. And he knew that there was +no time to lose. + +"I see one gentleman leaving," Peter Mink said in a loud voice. "I hope +no more will go--unless, of course, they're so stingy that they wouldn't +care to give a little something to help this poor boy I've been telling +you about." + +After that, nobody wanted to leave, because nobody wanted to be thought +stingy. + +"I appoint Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Woodchuck to take up a _collection_ for +this poor boy," Peter Mink said. "And I've no doubt that they will be +glad to give all they can, themselves." + +Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Woodchuck saw that everybody was looking at them. And +they at once emptied their pocket-books into their hats. + +"What's his name? What's the poor boy's name?" a hoarse voice called. It +was Mr. Crow who asked the question. + +"That," said Peter Mink, "is something I do not care to tell to +everybody." + +And many people clapped their hands. They were beginning to have a +better opinion of Peter Mink. + +But old Mr. Crow only laughed loudly from his perch in the tree. + +[Illustration] + + + + +PASSING THE HAT + + +After giving all they happened to have in their pocket-books, Mr. Rabbit +and Mr. Woodchuck began to pass their hats to take up the collection for +the poor boy that Peter Mink had been telling them about. And all the +people who had come to hear Peter's lecture began to dig down into their +pockets. + +"That's right!" Peter cried. "Give what you can! Of course, I don't +expect the poor people to give as much as the rich." + +That made everybody decide that he would give all he had with him. And +many people wished they had brought more. Besides, no one wanted to be +thought stingy, like Uncle Jerry Chuck, who had hurried away as soon as +he suspected that there was going to be a collection. + +When Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Woodchuck had passed their hats to every person +present, their hats were filled to the brim. And they marched proudly up +to the stump where Peter Mink still stood. + +Peter jumped down to the ground. + +"Keep your seats, everybody!" he called. "The next thing to be done is +to count this money. And I will do that myself." So Peter picked up the +two hats and started away. + +"Where are you going?" Mr. Rabbit asked him. + +"Just a little way into the woods," said Peter. "It's so noisy here, +with all this talking, that I might make a mistake." + +"We'll go with you and help you," Mr. Rabbit told him. + +"Oh, you don't need to do that," said Peter Mink. + +But Mr. Rabbit insisted. + +"One of those hats is mine," he remarked. "And wherever _it_ goes, I go, +too," And he beckoned to Mr. Woodchuck to follow. + +Well, Peter Mink didn't like that very well. You see, he had planned to +go into the woods alone with the money. And nobody likes to have his +plans upset. But there was nothing he could say. So they all three went +into a thicket of elderberry bushes and counted the money. + +"I thought there was more," Peter said. "Maybe we dropped some of the +money. You and Mr. Woodchuck had better go back and see if you can find +any," he told Mr. Rabbit. + +But Mr. Rabbit said that they could just as well all go back together +and search along the ground as they went. + +"All right!" said Peter Mink. "Well leave these hatfuls right here for a +while." + +But Mr. Rabbit said he didn't think that would be a safe thing to do. So +he picked up one hatful, and told Mr. Woodchuck to carry the other. + +Peter Mink didn't like that at all. But there was nothing he could say. +So they all went back together to the place where the rest of the people +were still waiting. And they found no more money, either. + +Mr. Rabbit jumped up on the stump where Peter had stood and talked. + +"The question is," he said, "who is going to take charge of all this +money?" + +"I am!" said Peter Mink. + +But Mr. Rabbit said he didn't think that would be safe. + +"You have no home, you know," he told Peter. "And you can't very well +carry the money about with you. I must have my hat back; and no doubt +Mr. Woodchuck will want his, too." + +Mr. Woodchuck nodded his head. He certainly did want his hat. It was the +best one he had. + +"I would suggest--" said Mr. Rabbit then--"I would suggest that I take +one hatful home with me, and that Mr. Woodchuck take the other to his +house. Then we'll each have our hats; and the money will be perfectly +safe." + +"That's a good idea!" Peter Mink said. "The only trouble with it is that +it won't do at all. For you and Mr. Woodchuck don't know the poor boy. +So how could you ever give him the money?" + +Everybody said that was so. + +"This Peter Mink is certainly a bright young fellow," people told one +another. + +Mr. Rabbit looked puzzled. + +"What do _you_ suggest, then?" he asked Peter. + +Peter Mink smiled. He seemed pleased, for one reason or another. + +"This stump," he said, "is hollow. As you can all see, there's a small +hole in it. We can put the money in there and nobody can get it out. It +will be the same as in a bank." + +Mr. Rabbit looked at the hole in the stump. + +"I know _I_ can't get through that hole," he said. "But what about you, +young fellow?" he asked Peter. + +"Oh, I can't squeeze through such a small hole as this," said Peter. +"See!" He pushed his nose part way through the hole. And there his head +seemed to stick. He could have squirmed through if he had really tried. +But nobody else seemed to know it. + +"But how is the poor boy ever going to get his money?" Mr. Rabbit +inquired. + +"Oh, he's very slim," Peter Mink said. "_He_ can get inside the stump. +Don't you worry about _him_!" + +Everybody seemed satisfied. So they dropped the money through the hole. + +And then Mr. Rabbit said: + +"When are you going to bring the poor boy to get the money?" + +"To-morrow night would be a good time," Peter Mink said. "Would you all +like to come here to-morrow night at this same hour?" + +And everybody said, "Yes!" + +[Illustration] + + + + +MR. RABBIT IS WORRIED + + +When Mr. Rabbit reached home, after Peter Mink's lecture, and told his +wife about the money that had been collected for the poor boy whom Peter +Mink knew, she asked: + +"Who has the money?" + +"Oh, it's safe," said Mr. Rabbit. "It's hidden in an old stump. And the +hole in the stump is so small that even Peter himself can't crawl +through it." + +"How do you know he can't?" + +"He tried," said Mr. Rabbit. + +"How do you know he tried as hard as he could?" Mrs. Rabbit asked. + +That was what made Mr. Rabbit worry. So instead of going to bed, he +hurried back to the place where Peter had given his famous lecture; and +there he hid himself under a small pine. + +Mr. Rabbit hadn't waited long before he saw some one come out of the +elderberry bushes and hurry up to the stump. + +It was Peter Mink! He had a bag in his hand. And while Mr. Rabbit was +watching, he squeezed through the hole in the stump. Even for Peter Mink +the hole was almost too small. But he managed to squirm through, though +it cost him a few groans; and he said some words that made Mr. Rabbit +shake his head. + +Well, as soon as Peter was inside the hole he began to push the money +through it. And then what do you suppose Mr. Rabbit did? He crept up to +the stump, picked up the bag, which Peter had left on the ground, and +as fast as the money rolled out of the hole, Mr. Rabbit put it inside +the bag. + +The bag was almost full when the money stopped rolling out of the hole. +And Mr. Rabbit heard Peter Mink say to himself: + +"That seems to be all!" + +And as soon as he heard that, Mr. Rabbit hurried away, with the bag of +money over his shoulder. + +Peter Mink waited a bit, to see if he could find more money. But he had +thrown it all out. So he squeezed through the hole again. Then he turned +to pick up the bag. But it had vanished. + +"That's queer!" said Peter Mink. "I thought I left that bag right here." +He looked all around, but he couldn't find it anywhere. So he took off +his ragged coat and laid it on the ground. "I'll put the money in this!" +Peter said. + +But when he looked for the money he couldn't find a single piece. + +"That's queer!" said Peter. "It must have rolled away from the stump." +And he began to search all about. But the money, too, had vanished +completely. And Peter Mink couldn't understand it. + +The following night, when everybody came back again, expecting that +Peter Mink would bring the poor boy with him to get the money, Peter +never appeared at all. + +Finally Mr. Rabbit jumped on top of the stump and told his friends what +had happened the night before. + +"And now," he said, "everybody can come right up here and get his money +back, for there's no doubt at all that Peter Mink was collecting it for +himself. _He_ was the poor boy he told us about." + +Everybody was surprised. But everybody was glad to get his money again. +In fact, there was only one person who grumbled; and that was Uncle +Jerry Chuck. He hurried up to the stump ahead of all the rest, to get +some money. And he seemed more surprised than ever when Mr. Rabbit said +there was no money there for _him_. + +"I was at the lecture last night," Uncle Jerry said. + +"But you left before the money was collected," Mr. Rabbit replied. + +Uncle Jerry admitted that that was so. But he claimed that he had made +_less trouble_ for everybody, because no one had been obliged to handle +the money that he hadn't given. + +But Mr. Rabbit told him he ought to be ashamed of himself. And every one +will say that Peter Mink ought to have been ashamed of himself, too. + + + + +PETER'S BAD TEMPER + + +Peter Mink was always quarreling. And he seemed always ready to +fight--to fight even people who were four times bigger than he was. And +when he fought, Peter usually won. But there was one person Peter Mink +was afraid of; and that was Fatty Coon. Fatty was almost too big for +Peter Mink to whip. And his teeth were very sharp. And his claws were +like thorns. + +One day Peter and Fatty had a dispute. Fatty Coon had said that a hen +made the finest meal in the world. But Peter Mink spoke up at once and +said it wasn't so. + +"There's nothing quite like a duck," he said. + +Fatty Coon sneered. + +"Ducks may be all right," he cried. "In fact, in my opinion they are far +too good for any member of the Mink family to eat. But for me--give me a +plump hen!" And just thinking about hens made him hungry. And being +hungry made him think of green corn. "Give me a plump hen and plenty of +green corn!" And he looked all around, as if he expected somebody would +hurry up to him with a hen in one hand and a dozen ears of corn in the +other. + +But nobody came. + +"You're a big glutton!" Peter Mink shouted. He was very angry. But he +did not dare fight Fatty Coon. + +"I guess you wish I was smaller," said Fatty Coon, "so you could fight +me." + +At that, Peter Mink looked very fierce. And he turned to Frisky Squirrel +and Billy Woodchuck and Jimmy Rabbit and shouted: + +"Take hold of me, quick, you fellows--before I hurt him! For I can't +keep my hands off him a second longer!" + +When they heard that, Fatty's friends were frightened. They were afraid +Peter Mink would fly at him and hurt him terribly. So they all seized +Peter and held him fast, while they begged Fatty to run away. + +Now, Fatty Coon was not the least bit afraid of Peter. But talking of +good things to eat had made him so hungry that he felt he must hurry +down to Farmer Green's cornfield at once. So he said "Good-bye!" and +left them. + +After Fatty had disappeared, Peter Mink said it was safe to let him go +again, but that it was lucky they had held him. + +And Frisky Squirrel and Billy Woodchuck and Jimmy Rabbit agreed +afterwards that Peter Mink was a dangerous fellow. They were glad that +Fatty Coon had escaped. + +The next day, almost the same thing happened again. Only this time Peter +Mink remarked that there was nothing any tastier than a fine eel. Fatty +Coon told him that eels might be good enough for the Mink family, but as +for him, he preferred green peas. + +"Somebody hold me, quick!" Peter Mink screamed. "I don't want to hurt +him--but I'm losing my temper fast." + +Several of Fatty Coon's friends started to seize Peter Mink, so Fatty +might run away. But there was one person present who had not been there +the day before. This was Tommy Fox. And he only laughed when Peter Mink +said what he did. + +"Don't touch him!" Tommy Fox told the others. "Let's see what he'll do. +Fatty isn't afraid of him." + +"Why, certainly not!" Fatty Coon said. And he smiled in such a way that +he showed his sharp teeth. + +"Somebody stop me, before it's too late!" Peter Mink cried. + +But nobody laid a hand on him. And still Peter did not move. + +"Go ahead!" Tommy Fox urged him. "You said you were losing your temper, +you know." + +"I'm waiting!" Fatty Coon called. And he held up both his front paws. +Peter saw how strong and sharp his claws were. + +"I declare," Peter Mink said, "I haven't lost my temper, after all. I +felt it going--for a moment. But it came back again." + + + + +AT THE GARDEN PARTY + + +Peter Mink was angry with Tommy Fox; for it was he who showed everybody +that Peter was afraid of Fatty Coon. Peter Mink was so angry that he +went about telling everyone he met how he was going to punish Tommy Fox. +"When I finish with him," he said, "he'll know enough to keep his advice +to himself." + +"What are you going to do to him?" Jimmy Rabbit inquired. + +"Well, I'm going to bite his nose," Peter explained, "because it was his +nose that he stuck in my affairs." And Peter went away muttering even +worse things to his cousin, who was with him. His cousin's name was +Slim Mink. And he was spending the summer in Farmer Green's haystack +near the duck pond. + +Slim had heard somewhere that there was a place called the Reform +School, where boys were sent who fought too much. And he began to be +afraid that if Peter did to Tommy Fox half the things he said he was +going to do, some one would come along and catch Peter and send him to +the Reform School. + +And the Reform School was an awful place! Why, boys who went there had +to sleep in beds! They had to wash their faces every morning, and brush +their hair, and have table manners! It was no wonder that Slim began to +worry. + +"You'd better let that young fox alone!" he told Peter. "You fight too +much. If you don't look out, something dreadful will happen to you, +some day. You'll get sent to the Reform School." + +But Peter Mink told him to hold his tongue. "If you're not careful," +Peter said, "I'll bite your nose, too." + +Now, Slim was smaller than his cousin Peter. And he didn't want his nose +bitten. So he kept quiet after that. But he hoped that Peter would take +his advice. + +"Let's go down to the brook and fish," he suggested, hoping that he +could get Peter's mind off Tommy Fox. + +"You can go if you want to," said Peter Mink. "And save me some fish, +too, or it will be the worse for you!" + +Slim decided that he wouldn't go fishing, after all. And he roamed +through the woods with Peter, who was determined to find Tommy Fox. + +And at last Peter found him, at a garden-party that was being given by +Jimmy Rabbit, in Farmer Green's garden. + +Everybody but Tommy Fox was having refreshments. But he said he didn't +feel like eating anything. That was because he was polite. He never +cared for lettuce, or peas, or cabbage. + +Peter Mink had not been invited to the garden-party. But that made no +difference to him. Before anyone knew what was happening he marched +straight up to Tommy Fox and bit him on the nose. + +Then there followed such an uproar as had never before been seen in +Farmer Green's garden. Tommy Fox and Peter Mink rolled over and over +upon the ground. And for a long time nobody could tell one from the +other. + +But after a while that squirming heap of tails and legs began to turn +more slowly, until at last it stopped altogether. + +Peter Mink was a sad sight. He had been ragged enough, before the +fight. But now he looked ten times worse. And one of his eyes was +closed. And he had lost his hat, and one shoe. + +Everyone was glad that the trouble was over. And everyone was glad that +Tommy Fox had won. + +And to everybody's surprise, the gladdest of all was Slim Mink, Peter's +cousin. + +"Hurrah!" he cried. (The others had been too polite to say anything.) + +"What makes you shout that?" Peter asked Slim as he crawled away. + +"Why," his cousin answered, "Tommy Fox hurt you, instead of your hurting +him. And now you won't have to go to the Reform School." + +But for once Peter Mink thought there might be worse places than that. +He thought that maybe a real bed would feel pretty comfortable, just +then. + + + + +HELPING JIMMY RABBIT + + +Peter Mink was feeling even more peevish than usual. And this was the +reason: Jimmy Rabbit had a new sled. + +Now, Peter had never owned a sled; and it made him envious to see what a +good time Jimmy was having, coasting down the side of Blue Mountain. + +There was only one thing that Jimmy Rabbit did not like about his sled. +It went so fast that he always fell off long before he reached the end +of the slide. + +"I can fix that," Peter Mink told him. "You go home and borrow your +father's hammer and a few nails, and I'll show you how you can coast +'way down into Pleasant Valley without once tumbling off." + +Jimmy thanked him. And he hurried home at once. He dragged his new sled +after him, too; for he was afraid that if he left it behind he might not +be able to find Peter Mink--or the sled, either--when he came back +again. + +But Peter did not seem to care. Perhaps he had something on his mind. +Anyhow, when Jimmy Rabbit returned with the hammer and nails, Peter Mink +was waiting patiently for him. + +"Now, then," said Peter, as he took the nails and the hammer, "you sit +on the sled, Jimmy, and I'll fix you up in no time." + +So Jimmy Rabbit sat down on his new sled. And in a few minutes Peter +Mink had nailed Jimmy's trousers fast to the sled. + +"Now you simply _can't_ fall off," Peter said. "I'll give you a push; +and the first thing you know, you'll be down in the valley." + +Jimmy Rabbit said to himself that Peter Mink was very bright, to think +of such a splendid plan as nailing his trousers to the sled. He thanked +Peter; and he gripped the sled tightly--though he didn't need to--while +Peter gave him a push that sent him flying down the mountainside. + +Though he went like the wind, he never fell off once. And soon he was +down in Pleasant Valley, skimming over the crust which covered the +drifts in Farmer Green's meadow. + +At last the sled stopped. And then Jimmy Rabbit decided that Peter Mink +had forgotten something. How was he to get off the sled with his +trousers nailed fast to it? And what would his mother say, when she saw +the nail-holes in his trousers? And what would his father do, when _he_ +saw the nails in Jimmy's new sled? + +It was not very pleasant for Jimmy Rabbit, sitting all alone in the +meadow, with such thoughts running through his head. + +After he had sat there a while Jimmy heard something that worried him +even more. He heard old dog Spot barking. And he saw that he would be in +a good deal of a fix if Spot should happen to come along and find him. +For he couldn't stir from his sled. + +Jimmy began to hate that sled. He wished he had never seen it.... And +then he heard somebody scampering over the crust. He was almost too +frightened to look around to see who it was. But he turned his head. +And he was glad to find that it was Peter Mink, who had run all the way +down from Blue Mountain. + +"You had a fine ride, didn't you?" said Peter Mink. + +"Yes," Jimmy answered. "But I liked the beginning of it better than the +end." + +"Why, what's the matter?" Peter inquired. + +"I can't get off the sled," Jimmy said. + +Peter Mink pretended to be surprised. And he said that he hadn't thought +of that. + +"But I'll help you," he promised. + +Jimmy Rabbit thanked him. + +"But," said Peter Mink, "I can't do all these things for you for +nothing, of course. I have too much else to do, to be wasting my time +like this, without pay." + +"What do you want?" Jimmy Rabbit asked him. + +"Give me the sled," said Peter Mink, "and I'll help you to get off it." + +"All right," Jimmy agreed. He would even have given Peter his +wheelbarrow, too, he was so anxious to be freed from his seat. "I think, +though, that you might pull me up the mountain," Jimmy added. "I don't +feel like walking." And that was quite true, because he had been so +frightened, when he heard old Spot barking, that his legs were still +shaking. + +"Well," said Peter Mink, "I'm pretty particular who rides on my sled. +But I'll pull you up the mountain, because I'm going that way myself, to +slide." + +And he started off, dragging Jimmy Rabbit behind him. + +[Illustration] + + + + +WHAT COULD PETER DO? + + +Peter Mink was pulling Jimmy Rabbit up the mountainside. You remember +that Jimmy had a new sled, and that Peter had nailed Jimmy's trousers to +the sled, so he wouldn't fall off when he slid down Blue Mountain. But +when Jimmy had coasted down into the meadow he found he could not get +off the sled. So Peter Mink had offered to help him, if Jimmy would give +him the sled in return for his kindness. + +"How do you like my new sled?" Peter Mink asked Jimmy Rabbit, as he +stopped to rest, after climbing a steep slope. + +But before Jimmy Rabbit could answer, an alarming sound rang through +the clear air and startled them both. It was old dog Spot, baying as if +he had found some very interesting tracks. + +"Hurry!" Jimmy Rabbit cried. "We don't want Spot to catch us!" + +"Get off my sled!" Peter Mink ordered. "How can I run fast, pulling a +great, fat fellow like you?" + +"How can I get off," Jimmy answered, "when I'm nailed fast to the sled?" + +"I'll get you off," said Peter. And he took hold of Jimmy Rabbit's ears +and began to pull as hard as he could. But the sled only slipped along +on the snow. + +"Grab this sapling!" Peter Mink cried, drawing Jimmy close to a small +tree. "And I'll pull the sled from under you." But all his pulling did +no more than to make Jimmy's arms ache. For Jimmy was nailed so fast to +the sled that he stuck to it--or _it_ stuck to _him_--as if they were +just one, instead of two, things. + +"I wish my mother hadn't made me wear such stout trousers," Jimmy Rabbit +said. For once, he wished he wore old, ragged clothes, like Peter's. If +he had, he thought he might have torn himself away from the sled. But +now there seemed no hope for him, because old Spot's voice sounded +nearer every minute. + +At last Peter Mink became so angry because Jimmy didn't get off the sled +that he flew at him and began to pommel him. + +When Peter threw himself upon Jimmy the sled began to move. But Peter +was so enraged he never noticed that, until they were coasting down the +mountain so fast that he didn't dare jump off. + +Once they struck something. They couldn't see what it was, because they +were traveling like the wind. But Jimmy Rabbit thought he heard a +frightened sort of yelp. Then they tore on again. + +Before they reached the foot of Blue Mountain they struck something +else. This time there was no yelp, for they ran right into a big maple +tree. And Jimmy Rabbit felt himself sailing through the air, until at +last he landed on top of a big drift, broke through the crust, and sank +into the soft snow beneath. + +He crawled quickly out of the drift. And when he saw that he and the +sled had parted company he was so delighted that he never minded his +torn trousers. + +He looked around. And there was the sled, as good as ever, except for +the nails Peter Mink had driven into it. And there was Peter Mink, lying +very still beneath the maple tree. Though Jimmy listened, he could no +longer hear old Spot baying. + +[Illustration: JIMMY WENT SAILING THROUGH THE AIR] + +That was because old Spot was running home as fast as his legs would +carry him. He didn't know what it was that had struck him; and he was +frightened. + +When Jimmy Rabbit saw Peter Mink slowly open one eye he knew that it +wouldn't be long before Peter was himself again. So Jimmy hurried back +up the mountain, pulling the sled after him. + +The next day, who should come to Jimmy's house but Peter Mink. + +"I've come for my sled," he said. + +"What sled?" asked Jimmy Rabbit. + +"Why, the one you gave me for getting you off it," Peter answered. + +"But _you_ didn't get me off the sled," Jimmy told him. "You don't even +know how I got off. So I certainly am not going to give you my sled." + +And Peter Mink had to go away empty-handed. He didn't like it at all. +But what could he do? + + + + +THE CIRCUS PARADE + + +If it hadn't been for the circus posters on Farmer Green's barn, the +idea of having a circus parade would never have occurred to Jimmy +Rabbit. + +You see, all those wonderful pictures set him thinking. And he lost no +time in inviting everybody to help. He even invited Peter Mink, though +he was sorry, afterwards, that he had. + +For a day or two everybody in the neighborhood of Blue Mountain was as +busy as he could be, getting ready for the parade. Cuffy Bear had +promised to be the elephant, because he was so big. Frisky Squirrel was +to be a wolf, on account of his being so gray. And Jimmy had invited +Peter Mink to march as a giraffe, for the reason that he had such a long +neck. And as for Jimmy Rabbit himself, he said that he expected to be a +little pitcher, because he had heard that they had big ears. + +"I've heard that, too," remarked Billy Woodchuck. "But I never knew that +a pitcher was an animal." + +"Well, you see you have a good deal to learn," Jimmy Rabbit said. + +Then Tommy Fox murmured something about having heard that little +pitchers had big mouths, too, and that they always talked a good deal. +But Jimmy Rabbit made believe he didn't hear him. + +Everything would have been pleasant, on the day of the parade, if it +hadn't been for Peter Mink. He insisted that he must lead the +procession; and that made trouble at once, because Jimmy Rabbit had +expected to do that. + +Peter finally settled the dispute. + +"A parade," he said, "has two ends. Of course, one person can't march at +both ends at the same time. So while I march at the front end, Jimmy +Rabbit can march at the other. And that's perfectly fair." + +At first Jimmy Rabbit looked quite glum. But pretty soon he seemed to +feel more cheerful; and he said, "All right!" + +Then there was a great bustle, and much talking, as the parade prepared +to start. + +"Remember!" Peter Mink warned everybody, "you must follow everywhere I +go, because I'm the leader." + +At that, Cuffy Bear seemed somewhat worried. He knew that Peter Mink was +fond of squeezing through narrow places; and he didn't see how he could +follow him. + +But after a while Cuffy began to smile again--right after Jimmy Rabbit +had come and whispered something in his ear. You see, Jimmy went to +everybody in the parade and whispered. And last of all he went to Peter +Mink and whispered in his ear, too. + +"Everybody must look straight ahead," Jimmy told Peter, "because that's +the way they always do in a circus parade." + +"Don't you suppose I know that, just as well as you do?" snapped Peter +Mink. "You'd better hurry back to the other end of the parade, because +I'm going to start in exactly two or three minutes--I'm not sure which." + +So Jimmy Rabbit hurried back as fast as he could. He might have run +faster, if he hadn't stopped to wink at every person in the line. But he +just managed to reach his place when the parade started. + +Then a queer thing happened. When everybody had taken ten steps, the +whole parade turned about in its tracks and started marching in the +opposite direction. And now Jimmy Rabbit led the procession, instead of +Peter Mink. + +I said the _whole_ parade turned around; but what I meant to say was +_everybody but Peter Mink_. You see, Jimmy Rabbit had told Peter not to +look back, but to march straight ahead, with his eyes to the front. And +naturally, Peter Mink supposed that that was what Jimmy had whispered to +everyone else. + +So away Peter Mink marched, trying to look as much like a giraffe as he +could, and feeling very proud, too--because he thought the parade was +following him. + +[Illustration] + + + + +PETER LEARNS A NEW WORD + + +While Peter Mink marched on, believing that the circus parade was +following him (when Jimmy Rabbit had actually led it away in the +opposite direction), Peter kept trying to think of some trick he could +play on the parade. + +He decided, at last, that he would hunt around until he found the +smallest hole he could possibly squeeze through, and he would squirm +through it, and then have fun watching the others try to follow him. + +Finally he found a log which lay upon a rocky ledge. Between the log and +the rock there was a narrow opening. And when he saw that, Peter knew +it was the very place he had been looking for. Without once glancing +around, he thrust his head through the crack. + +Then something happened. Peter Mink always claimed, afterwards, that the +log settled a bit lower, or the rock rose a bit higher. Anyhow, to his +astonishment, he found himself stuck fast under the log. Such a thing +had never happened to him before. + +"Well!" he said to himself, "there are plenty of people here to help me, +anyhow." You see, he hadn't discovered that the whole parade--except +him--had turned about and followed Jimmy Rabbit. + +Peter Mink thought it was strange that nobody came and offered to help +him. And soon he began to shout. + +Still no one came. And Peter began to wish that he hadn't tried to play +a trick on the paraders. For he saw that he was in something very like +a trap. In fact, it _was_ a trap, which Johnnie Green had set. But Peter +didn't know that. If he had, he would have been even more worried than +he was. It was bad enough, just to imagine what would happen if old dog +Spot should come along and find him. + + * * * * * + +Jimmy Rabbit had a fine time leading the parade. You may be sure _he_ +looked around at the procession following him. And he shouted a good +many orders, too, telling different ones just what they should or +shouldn't do. + +The parade had marched through the woods for a long time; and Jimmy was +about to stop and tell everybody that the fun was over, when he saw all +at once that it was really just going to begin. For right in front of +him he saw his friend. Peter Mink, pinned fast beneath the log. + +"You've been long enough coming to help me!" Peter Mink growled. "Get +this log off me--you people--and be quick about it!" + +Brownie Beaver left his place in the parade and hurried forward, because +he knew more about handling logs than anybody else there. But before he +could get his coat off, Jimmy Rabbit called him one side and whispered +to him. And then Jimmy whispered to everybody else. And the parade +disbanded. Then everybody crowded around Peter Mink. + +"What is it you want?" Jimmy Rabbit asked Peter. + +"Want?" Peter Mink screamed. "Are you blind? Can't you see this great +log on top of me? Can't you get it off? What are you waiting for?" + +"Ah!" said Jimmy Rabbit. "We are waiting for just one thing. And we +haven't heard it yet." + +"Heard it?" Peter Mink snarled. "Aren't your ears big enough to hear +everything?" + +"We're going to teach you something," said Jimmy. "And until you've +learned the lesson, we're going to leave you right where you are." + +You should have heard Peter Mink then--or rather, you're lucky you +_didn't_ hear him. For the way he went on was something dreadful. But +until Jimmy Rabbit heard what he was waiting for, he wouldn't let anyone +roll the log off Peter. + +Finally it grew so late that some of the paraders said they would have +to be going home pretty soon. And then Billy Woodchuck remarked that he +didn't believe Peter Mink had the least idea what they were waiting +for. + +"I think we ought to tell him," Billy said. + +So Jimmy Rabbit told Peter what it was. + +"I don't know what it means," said Peter. + +"Well--say it, anyhow!" Jimmy Rabbit ordered. "And after this, whenever +you want anybody to do anything for you, don't forget to say it! It +wouldn't do you a bit of harm to practice saying it every day, for a +while, until you get used to it." + +Peter Mink looked as if he would have liked to do something to Jimmy +Rabbit. And for a long time he refused to obey. But when Brownie Beaver +said that he simply _must_ go home, because it was so late, Peter Mink +said what Jimmy had been waiting for. + +It was "Please!" + +And no doubt you guessed it long ago. + + + + +GOOD NEWS ABOUT PETER + + +"Yes! They say he has at last decided to go to work," Mrs. Rabbit was +saying to Billy Woodchuck's mother. + +"It's the best news I've heard in a long while," Mrs. Woodchuck +remarked. "And I hope he'll be so busy that he won't have time to come +around here and get our sons into any more mischief." + +"Have you learned what his work is going to be?" Mrs. Rabbit inquired. + +But Mrs. Woodchuck said she didn't know that. She only knew that Peter +Mink was going to turn over a new leaf and do some sort of honest work. + +Now, Peter Mink had a plan. And he hadn't told any one exactly what it +was. + +The Grouse boys and the Woodchuck brothers gave a concert that very +night. You see, Mr. Fox had taught them to make music like a +fife-and-drum corps--the Grouse boys drummed and the Woodchuck brothers +whistled. And whenever they gave a concert, almost everybody went to it. + +Well, when the forest-people reached the hollow where the concert was to +be given, there was Peter Mink, all smiles. He stepped up to each +newcomer and said: + +"Check your hat and coat?" + +Some of the forest-people didn't know what he meant, until Peter +explained to them that he would take care of hats, coats, umbrellas, +walking-sticks, or anything else that anybody might like to leave with +him during the concert. + +"How are you going to find my hat, if I leave it with you?" Mr. Rabbit +asked. + +Peter Mink showed him a heap of oak leaves. + +"I'll tear one of these in two," he said, "give you half of it, and +stick the other half inside your hatband. When the concert is over and +you come away, all you have to do is to hand me your half of the oak +leaf and I'll see which piece matches it among those that I have kept. +And the hat in which the other half happens to be stuck must be your +hat. Do you understand? It's quite simple," Peter said. + +Mr. Rabbit said that he understood, and that it was a good idea, too. +But he thought he'd keep his hat with him. + +Then his wife said to him in a low voice that he ought to do whatever he +could to help Peter Mink. + +"Now that Peter has gone to work," she told her husband, "everyone +ought to encourage him. And I want you to leave your hat with him. I'll +have him check my spectacles, as he calls it," Mrs. Rabbit added, "for I +shall not need them. I can hear exactly as well without them." + +Mr. Rabbit always tried to please his wife. So he let Peter Mink check +his hat. But he felt uncomfortable during the whole concert. It was a +new hat. And he didn't like the thought of losing it. + +That same thing happened in a good many families. Most of the gentlemen +said that Peter's idea was a good one, but they thought they would wait +till another time. And their wives generally persuaded them to let Peter +Mink check something, just to help him along. + +But Uncle Jerry Chuck refused to leave a single thing with Peter. He +said he had had his hat for a great many years. + +The music was not so good as usual that night. And when the +fife-and-drum corps played "Pop! Goes the Weasel!"--which was their +favorite tune, and the first they had ever learned--they had to stop in +the middle of it three times, and begin again, because there were so +many interruptions. People kept standing up in their seats and looking +around to see if Peter Mink was still there. And almost everybody except +Uncle Jerry Chuck seemed worried. + +But Uncle Jerry had a fine time. You see, whenever the fifers and +drummers had to stop, and begin again, Uncle Jerry felt he was getting +more music. And he enjoyed it especially because he had found his ticket +in the woods and didn't have to pay for it. And on account of what +happened when the concert was over, Uncle Jerry was even happier the +next day. + + + + +UNCLE JERRY HELPS + + +The concert given by the Grouse boys and the Woodchuck brothers came to +an end early. Billy Woodchuck, who was one of the fifers--because he was +such a good whistler--made a short speech. + +"We shall have to stop now," he said, "because so many people keep +bobbing up and looking around that they make us nervous. Maybe the piece +we just played didn't sound quite right. So I want to explain that each +of us was playing a different tune, we were so upset. And, of course, we +can't keep on." Then he made a low bow. + +All at once there was a great rush toward the place where Peter Mink was +waiting, with the hats and sticks, umbrellas and spectacles, coats and +rubbers, and other things that he had checked for the people who came to +the concert. + +When Peter Mink saw everybody hurrying up all at the same time the smile +faded from his face. + +"Don't crowd!" he begged them. "There's something here for everybody." +He took the half oak leaf that Mr. Rabbit handed to him and hunted +around until he found another half that seemed to match it. And since +that other half was stuck in an old umbrella, he gave the umbrella to +Mr. Rabbit. + +"But I didn't leave an umbrella with you. I left a hat!" Mr. Rabbit +cried. + +Peter Mink shook his head. + +"You must be mistaken," he replied. "You said yourself my idea was a +good one, you remember." + +Now, Mr. Rabbit didn't intend to lose his new hat. So he began to hunt +for it, though Peter Mink told him to stand back. + +That was only the first of a number of disputes. There was Mr. +Woodchuck--he had left his favorite walking-stick with Peter; and all he +received in its place was one worn-out rubber and one mitten with a hole +in it. + +Old Mr. Crow made a terrible noise when Peter Mink tried to make him +take an overcoat that was at least four times too big for him. And Peter +insisted on attempting to squeeze Fatty Coon into a coat that was +twenty-three sizes too small for him, and which really belonged to Sandy +Chipmunk. + +There was such an uproar, with all the people complaining, and trying to +find their own things, that Peter Mink began to think he had better +leave before he found himself in worse trouble. So he slipped away. And +nobody noticed that he was gone, because there was such confusion. + +It was a long time before everybody went home. And even then there were +many who weren't satisfied. For instance, there was Mrs. Rabbit. To be +sure, she found a pair of spectacles. But they weren't the ones she had +given Peter. And she couldn't see through them very well. + +Uncle Jerry Chuck did everything he could to help. He pushed right in +where the crowd was thickest and pawed over everything he could find. +There were some unkind people who objected, and said that he had no +business there, because Peter Mink had checked nothing for him. + +But that made no difference to Uncle Jerry. He wouldn't leave until he +was ready to go. And the next day he appeared in a brand new hat. He +said that his old one had really become shabby. But whenever any one +asked him where he got his new hat he pretended not to hear, and hurried +away. And after that people liked him even less than they had before. + +As for Peter Mink, he never tried to work again. Some of the +forest-people said that he had never meant to work, anyhow. They claimed +that he had mixed up everything on purpose, to play a trick on people. +And for a long time no one saw Peter Mink in that neighborhood. + +Mr. Rabbit said that that was the only pleasant part of the whole +affair. + +[Illustration] + + + + +PETER'S NEW COAT + + +Perhaps you never heard how Mr. Mink lost his tail in the woods, and how +Jimmy Rabbit found it and wore it until Mr. Mink came along and took the +tail away from him. + +Peter Mink knew all about it, anyhow, for Mr. Mink was his uncle. And +Peter knew that Jimmy Rabbit was still on the lookout for a fine, bushy +tail. + +So one day when Peter met Jimmy Rabbit he told Jimmy that if he would go +to a certain place, near Broad Brook, he might find something that would +interest him. + +"You'll find a small place where the earth has been stirred up," Peter +said, "if you look exactly where I tell you to. There's something hidden +there. And I won't say just what it is. It might be a tail; and then +again, it might not," Peter told him. "Anyhow, if you go and dig in that +spot, I know you won't hurry away, when you find what's there." + +Now, Jimmy Rabbit ought to have known Peter Mink well enough to suspect +that there was something wrong. But the moment he heard the word "tail" +he couldn't start for Broad Brook fast enough. + +It took him some time to find the place Peter Mink had described, for a +light snow had covered the ground. But at last Jimmy discovered the +loose earth, exactly as Peter had said. + +Jimmy Rabbit was just going to begin to dig when some one called his +name. And he jumped back quickly and looked all around. At first he +could see no one. But after a moment he saw some one beckoning to him. +It was Paddy Muskrat. He had crawled out of the brook just in time to +stop Jimmy Rabbit before it was too late. + +"What are you going to do?" Paddy Muskrat asked. + +"I'm going to dig in this dirt," Jimmy explained. "I believe there's a +tail hidden there. I need one, you know. And Peter Mink told me----" + +"Peter Mink!" Paddy interrupted. "I'd advise you to have nothing to do +with Peter Mink. Because sooner or later he'll get you into trouble.... +Do you know what's hidden beneath that dirt? I'll tell you: it's a trap! +Johnnie Green set it there, thinking he could catch _me_ in it. But I +saw him when he buried it. And I wouldn't go near it for anything." + +As soon as Jimmy heard the word "trap" he couldn't get away from that +place fast enough. He turned and ran off in great bounds; and he never +even stopped to thank Paddy Muskrat for warning him. Now, that was not +like Jimmy at all. But you see, he was frightened. + +Paddy Muskrat was a wise little chap. And though he had said he wouldn't +go near the trap for anything, he thought it was about time somebody +fixed the trap so it couldn't do any harm. And very carefully he scraped +the dirt away from it. + +"There!" he said to himself. "Now everybody can see it. And no one will +get caught." Then he jumped into Broad Brook again and swam away. + +Not long afterwards a slim figure came stealing through the woods. It +was Peter Mink; and he had a bag in his hand. He expected to use the +bag, too. For he was very sure that he would find Jimmy Rabbit fast in +the trap and he intended to put him in the bag and drag him away. + +Peter was disappointed when he saw that the trap was empty. And he +wondered what had happened. + +"Well, here's the bag, anyhow," he said to himself. "I've got that!" And +he sat down and made a hole in the bag for his head, and two more for +his arms, and drew the bag on. It fitted him very well. + +"Why, here I've a new coat!" he said. "I see now that the bag would have +been much too small to hold Jimmy Rabbit. So it's just as well he didn't +get caught in the trap." + +And Peter Mink walked away. He liked his new coat But probably it wasn't +the kind you would care for at all. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE DUCK POND + + +Sometimes Peter Mink grew tired of not knowing where he was going to +sleep. And now and then, when he happened to be in some neighborhood +that he liked, he would try to find a place where he might stay until he +felt like roaming on again. + +There was one neighborhood that Peter liked very much. He often said +that of all the places in Pleasant Valley that he knew anything about, +there was no other as charming as Farmer Green's duck pond. + +The reason for his thinking that was that he was specially fond of duck +meat. And, of course, it was convenient to be able to swim under +water, and steal upon a fat duck, and seize her before she knew that +Peter was anywhere near. + +[Illustration: PETER PULLED JIMMY OUT OF THE MUD] + +Now, Peter Mink learned that there was a muskrat who had built him a +house in the bank of the duck pond. And as soon as Peter found out where +the muskrat's home was, he drove away the owner and began to live in the +house himself. + +He found it very comfortable. And he caught a duck every day, until at +last Farmer Green noticed that his ducks were disappearing. + +"I believe it's a mink that's taking them," Farmer Green said to his son +Johnnie. "If it was a coon, he'd steal more than just one a day.... Now, +you take the old gun and go down to the pond and hide. And when I let +the ducks go out for their swim, I want you to watch for a mink." + +Naturally, Peter Mink didn't hear what Farmer Green said. If he had, no +doubt he would have left the muskrat's house at once and moved on to +some other neighborhood. + +Early the next morning Johnnie Green put the old gun on his shoulder and +stole down to the edge of the duck pond, where he hid among some +cat-tails. He kept his sharp eyes on the bank of the pond, for the ducks +were just waddling down from the barnyard, to enjoy their morning swim. + +As sharp as Johnnie's eyes were, they did not see Peter Mink as he crept +out of his house and stretched himself in the sun. Peter had fallen into +the habit of sleeping late and awaking each morning just as the ducks +reached the pond. + +He saw them as they picked their way down the bank. And for once he +didn't seem to care anything about them. To tell the truth, he had +breakfasted on duck so often that he had at last grown a bit tired of +duck meat. And now he thought that for a change an eel would taste good. +For the first time since Peter had driven the muskrat from his home the +ducks were safe. + +Peter paid no attention to them. And unnoticed by Johnnie Green, he +slipped into the water and swam quickly to a place in the pond where +there was a warm spring. He knew that the warm water rose to the top of +the pond. And he knew, as well, that if an eel should happen to swim +over the spring, the rising water would bear him to the surface of the +duck pond. + +Peter Mink must have been a lucky fellow. For he had hardly reached the +spring when he saw an eel right in front of him. He seized the eel and +swam toward the bank. And there was such a commotion in the water that +Johnnie Green couldn't help noticing it. + +You see, the eel did not want to leave the duck pond. He had always +lived there, and he liked it, too. So he twisted and squirmed, trying +his hardest to break away from Peter Mink. + +But Peter swam steadily on, though to be sure he couldn't swim very +fast, dragging such a slippery fellow along with him. + +But finally he reached the shore. And then he pulled the eel out of the +water. + +Still the eel tried to get away from him. He wound himself about Peter +Mink. And several times he managed to throw Peter head over heels. But +Peter Mink always rushed upon the eel again before he could wriggle into +the pond. + +All this time Johnnie Green had entirely forgotten about his gun. He had +never seen such a sight before. And he looked on with staring eyes, +until at last Peter dragged the eel away from the pond and into some +bushes. + +Then Johnnie Green remembered why his father had sent him down to the +duck pond. And he ran forward, all ready to shoot. + +But Peter Mink had vanished. He had heard Johnnie running; and that was +enough to send him skipping away. + +Peter was disappointed, because he lost his breakfast. And Johnnie Green +was disappointed, because he lost Peter. + +In fact, of all those present, the ducks seemed to be the only ones that +were really contented. They had a fine swim. And when night came, not +one of them was missing. + + + + +HOW TO BE LUCKY + + +There was one thing that Peter Mink couldn't understand. No matter how +hard he tried to get Jimmy Rabbit into trouble, Jimmy always managed to +escape. Peter wondered what the reason might be. And one day he said to +Jimmy: + +"Why is it that you're always able to get out of a scrape?" + +"Don't you know?" Jimmy Rabbit asked him. "I thought everybody knew +that.... _It's because I'm lucky_." + +"Oh, I know that!" said Peter Mink. "What I'd like to know is what makes +you so lucky?" + +"I supposed everybody knew that, too," Jimmy Rabbit answered. "_It's +because I have the left hind-foot of a rabbit._" + +Peter Mink answered that he didn't see what that had to do with being +lucky. + +"You ask anybody about it," Jimmy told him. "There's Mr. Crow, over on +the fence. Go and ask him why I'm lucky." + +So Peter Mink went over to the fence where Mr. Crow was resting, and put +the question to him. + +"Oh, ask me something hard!" Mr. Crow cried. "That's too easy. Everybody +knows that one." + +For once Peter Mink remembered the word Jimmy Rabbit had taught him when +he was caught beneath the big log. + +"Please!" he said. "I'd really like to know, Mr. Crow!" + +"Left hind-foot!" Mr. Crow replied briefly. "It's a rabbit's, you know; +and there's nothing like 'em to bring luck." + +That set Peter Mink to thinking. He couldn't help wishing that he might +have Jimmy's left hind-foot for himself. It ought to bring luck to him, +he thought, just as it did to Jimmy Rabbit. + +After Peter Mink had thought the matter over for some time, he said to +Jimmy: + +"I wish you'd come over to the creek with me. There's something there +that I want to show you. Of course, it's a long way off; and maybe your +mother wouldn't like to have you go so far from home." + +"I'll come!" Jimmy Rabbit said quickly. + +"Maybe you'd better ask your mother first," Peter suggested. + +But Jimmy Rabbit shook his head. + +"That wouldn't do any good," he replied. "Let's be on our way!" + +So Peter Mink started off toward the creek, with Jimmy close behind +him. + +At last they reached the bank of the creek. The water was low. And +before them was a stretch of mud, which looked dry and firm. There were +a few weeds growing in it. And it certainly looked harmless enough. + +"What is it you're going to show me?" Jimmy asked. + +"Follow me!" said Peter Mink. "You'll see pretty soon what it is." And +he jumped off the bank and landed lightly on his feet on the mud-flat, +and started on again. + +It never once entered Jimmy Rabbit's head that there could be any +danger. So he jumped off the bank, too. And to his great surprise his +legs sank entirely out of sight in the mud. + +You see, he was at least four times heavier than Peter Mink. And when he +landed on the thin, sun-baked crust that covered the mud-flat he had +broken through it. + +Jimmy Rabbit had a terrible feeling that he was going right down until +the mud closed over his head. + +"Help!" he shrieked. "Help! Help!" + +But Peter Mink walked straight on. He never once looked around. + +And though Jimmy Rabbit called and called, he couldn't seem to make +Peter Mink hear him. + +[Illustration] + + + + +A BARGAIN + + +Stuck fast in the mud as he was, Jimmy Rabbit couldn't do a thing except +shout. Or you might spy there were only two things he could do--shouting +being one of them, and keeping still being the other. + +At first, Jimmy couldn't help calling out at the top of his lungs. But +Peter Mink, you remember, didn't appear to hear him. And there seemed to +be no one else near. After a time Jimmy Rabbit grew so hoarse that he +stopped shouting for help and tried to think of some way in which he +might escape. + +It occurred to him that if he could only manage to get his left +hind-foot free of the mud (that was his lucky foot, you know) perhaps he +would be able to crawl out, somehow. With his lucky foot buried deep in +the mud, and quite out of sight, Jimmy thought it was not at all strange +that he had not been able to free himself. + +So he tried to raise his left hind-foot. At first the mud actually +seemed to suck it deeper, as he tried. But after a long time Jimmy +succeeded in lifting that foot the least bit. And he was pleased--until +he discovered that his other hind-foot had only sunk further into the +mire. + +At last he happened to look up. And there on the bank, gazing down at +him, stood Peter Mink. + +"What are you doing down there?" Peter Mink called. "Why didn't you +follow me, as I told you to?" + +"I fell into this mud," Jimmy Rabbit told him. "And I called and called +to you. Couldn't you hear me?" + +"The wind was blowing," said Peter--and anyone can see that _that_ was +no answer at all. + +"Well, if you'd looked around, you could have seen what happened to me," +Jimmy Rabbit complained. + +"The sun was shining in my eyes," Peter Mink told him--and I shouldn't +say that this answer of Peter's was any better than the first. + +"Well--you can help me out of this bog, anyhow," Jimmy Rabbit said. "So +please give me your hand. I'm pretty tired of being stuck here." + +But Peter Mink never stirred. "Where's your lucky left hind-foot?" he +asked. "I should think _that_ could help you out, if anything could." + +"The trouble is," said Jimmy Rabbit, "my left hind-foot is so deep in +this mire that I can't pull it up where it can do me any good at all. +It's the first time I've ever known it to fail me. And you can't really +blame the foot, either, for it hasn't a chance. I don't suppose it even +knows what a fix I'm in." + +Still Peter Mink made no move. + +"What are you waiting for?" Jimmy inquired. "I've been here long +enough." + +"Maybe you have--for you," said Peter Mink. "But you haven't been there +long enough to suit me." And he pretended to start to go away. + +Jimmy Rabbit called to him. + +"I'll give you something, if you'll help me," he said. + +Peter turned around. + +"There's just one thing you can give me," he said, "that will make me +willing to pull you out of the mud." + +"What's that?" Jimmy asked him. + +"Your left hind-foot!" Peter Mink told him. "I need a lucky foot. I'm +always getting into trouble of some sort and a rabbit's left hind-foot +would be a great help to me--unless I happened to get stuck in the mud," +he added with a sly smile. Jimmy Rabbit knew then that Peter Mink had +meant all the time to lead him into that mud. He knew that Peter had +meant all the time to get his left hind-foot away from him. But he +didn't let Peter Mink know that he knew. + +"You can have my left hind-foot," Jimmy Rabbit said, "on two conditions. +You must always carry it in your pocket, and you have to agree to +take--along with the foot--all the luck and everything else that goes +with it." + +Peter Mink quickly agreed to that. + +And Jimmy Rabbit said it was a bargain, and that something awful always +happened to people that didn't stand by their bargains. + +Well, after that Peter jumped down and pulled Jimmy Rabbit out of the +mud. + +"Now," said Peter Mink, as soon as they had climbed up the bank again, +"the next thing to do is to cut off your left hind-foot." And he was +much surprised when Jimmy Rabbit began to laugh. "I don't see anything +funny about it," Peter Mink growled. + +"Of course you don't," said Jimmy. "I didn't expect you to. And I don't +expect you're going to cut my foot off, because _you agreed not to_." + +"I never did anything of the kind!" Peter Mink shouted. + +"Well, we'll go and ask Mr. Crow what he thinks about it," Jimmy Rabbit +said. "We'll leave it to him." + + + + +SETTLING A DISPUTE + + +While Jimmy Rabbit was looking for wise old Mr. Crow, Peter Mink stuck +close behind him. + +"You needn't think you can run away with _my_ rabbit's lucky left +hind-foot," Peter kept saying. "That's _my_ foot! You promised to give +it to me for helping you out of the mud. And I intend to have it. I'm +going to follow you wherever you go. I wish you'd try to be a little +more careful where you step with my foot." + +But Jimmy Rabbit didn't seem the least bit worried. + +"You stand by your bargain, and I'll stand by mine," he told Peter. And +that was all he would say. + +At last Jimmy found Mr. Crow. And as soon as Peter Mink spied him he +hurried up and began to complain to Mr. Crow that Jimmy Rabbit wouldn't +stand by his bargain. + +"What was it?" Mr. Crow asked. + +"He promised to give me his left hind-foot, if I'd pull him out of the +creek," said Peter Mink. + +"Did he pull you out?" Mr. Crow asked Jimmy Rabbit. + +And Jimmy admitted that Peter had helped him out. + +"He helped me in, too," added Jimmy. "But I didn't have to pay him for +doing that." + +"You're out of order!" Mr. Crow told Jimmy sharply. + +And looking down at his mud-stained clothes, Jimmy Rabbit said that he +supposed he was. + +"Can you repeat the exact words of the bargain?" Mr. Crow asked Peter +Mink. + +"Yes," Peter began. "He said----" + +"That will do!" Mr. Crow cautioned him. "I said, '_Can_ you repeat +them?' I didn't _tell_ you to repeat them, did I?" + +"No," Peter Mink admitted. + +"I advise you to be very careful," Mr. Crow warned him. Then Mr. Crow +turned to Jimmy Rabbit. + +"Can _you_ repeat the exact words of the bargain?" he asked. + +"Yes, sir!" said Jimmy Rabbit promptly. + +"Good!" Mr. Crow exclaimed. "I'll settle this dispute in no time. Now, I +want you, Jimmy Rabbit, to whisper the exact words in my _right_ ear, +while Peter Mink whispers the exact words in my _left_ one. In that way +I shall know at once if there's anybody that isn't telling the truth." + +Mr. Crow was very particular. He made Peter and Jimmy begin at the same +time. And he said that if they both told the truth it seemed to him that +they ought to _finish_ at the same time, too. + +And that's just the way it happened! + +"I don't see what the dispute is," said Mr. Crow. "You both agree. And +how can two people have a dispute, when they agree perfectly? The only +difference I noticed in your stories was that Peter whispered much +louder than Jimmy." + +"The trouble," Peter Mink cried, "the trouble is, he won't let me cut +off his left hind-foot!" + +Mr. Crow looked astonished. + +"And why should he?" he exclaimed. "You agreed to take, along with the +foot, all the luck and _everything else that goes with it_. And if the +rest of Jimmy Rabbit doesn't go with his left hind-foot, why--I should +like to know what does!" + +Peter Mink looked very sour. But pretty soon he brightened up. + +"All right!" he said. "I get the whole of him, then--don't I?" + +"You certainly do," said Mr. Crow. "And what's more, you have to _carry +him in your pocket_, for that was part of the bargain." + +Now, when you stop to remember that Jimmy Rabbit was four times bigger +than Peter Mink, you can understand how angry Peter must have been. He +saw right away that such a thing was impossible. + +"I can't do that!" he cried. + +"Then I declare the agreement to be broken," said Mr. Crow. "And I +advise Jimmy Rabbit to run home at once, for I happen to know that his +mother is looking for him." + +Afterward, Peter Mink always claimed that there was no use trying to get +the better of anybody that had the left hind-foot of a rabbit. He said +that they certainly were lucky, and that he knew what he was talking +about. + + +[Illustration: The End] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Tale of Peter Mink, by Arthur Scott Bailey + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF PETER MINK *** + +***** This file should be named 21845.txt or 21845.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/8/4/21845/ + +Produced by Joe Longo and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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