|PETER RABBIT should have been back home in the dear Old Briar-patch
long ago. He knew that Mrs. Peter was worrying. She always worries when
Peter overstays. But Peter was not giving much thought to Mrs. Peter. In
fact, I am afraid he was not giving any thought to her. You see, he was
too full of curiosity about Bobby Coon and what might happen to him. He
had been sorry for Bobby in a way, yet it had seemed like a great joke
that any one as sleepy as Bobby was shouldn't be able to sleep. So I am
afraid Peter rather enjoyed the excitement.
When finally Blacky and his friends grew tired and went about their
business, Peter began to think of getting back to the dear Old
Briar-patch.
“I guess Bobby will sleep in peace now,” thought Peter. “I can't think
of anything more that possibly can happen to disturb him. Poor Bobby. He
has had a hard time getting that nap.”
Still Peter hung around. He didn't know just why, but he had a feeling
that he might miss something if he left, and you know Peter never could
forgive himself if he missed anything worth seeing. So he hung around
for some time after Blacky and his friends had gone about their
business. At last he had just about made up his mind that he would
better be starting for home when he was startled by the snapping of a
little twig. Peeping out from behind a big tree, Peter stared towards
the place from which that sound had come. In a moment he saw a big black
form.
“Buster Bear!” gasped Peter. “It's the first time I have seen him this
spring. My, how thin he is!”
Peter looked about to make sure that the way was clear for a hasty run
if it should be necessary, and then held his breath as Buster drew near.
Buster kept stopping to look and listen and sniff the air, and suddenly
Peter understood.
“He heard those noisy Crows, and he has come to see what it was all
about,” thought Peter, which was just exactly the case.
Buster knew that it was just about this place that Blacky and his
friends had been making such a racket, and his greedy little eyes
searched everywhere for some sign of what had been going on. But there
was nothing to be seen but a black feather at the foot of a tall old
stump. By this Buster knew for sure that he had found the place where
Blacky and his friends had been, but there was nothing to tell him why
they had been there. Buster sat up and blinked thoughtfully. Then as he
looked at the old stump, his eyes brightened.
“I don't know what all that fuss was about,” he muttered, “and I guess I
never will know, but I'm glad I came just the same. That old stump looks
to me to be rotten and hollow. I have found ant nests in many an old
stump like that, and beetles and grubs. I'll just see what this one
contains.”
Buster walked over to the old stump, hooked his great claws into a
crack, and pulled with all his might. Peter Rabbit, watching, held his
breath with excitement. There was a sharp cracking sound, and then the
whole side of that old stump gave way so suddenly that Buster Bear fell
over backwards. As he did so, Bobby Coon rolled out, half awake and
frightened almost out of his wits. It was hard to say which was the most
surprised of those two cousins, Buster Bear or Bobby Coon.