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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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