|OLD Man Coyote's call was very much like that of Reddy Fox. He was
very, very pleasant and told Bob White that he was very glad indeed that
Bob had come over on the Green Meadows, and he hoped that he would stay.
No one could have been more polite than was Old Man Coyote. Bob White
was just as polite, but he wasn't fooled. No, indeed. He knew that, just
like Reddy Fox, the reason Old Man Coyote was so glad to see him was
because he hoped to catch him some fine day. But Bob White didn't let a
little thing like that bother him. Ever since he could remember he
had been hunted. That was why he had taken the precaution to sit on a
fence-post when he whistled. Up there neither Old Man Coyote nor Reddy
Fox could reach him. Just after Old Man Coyote left Bob White saw some
one else headed his way, and this time he didn't wait. You see it was
Redtail the Hawk, and a fence-post was no place to receive a call from
him.
Spreading his wings Bob White flew across to the dear Old Briar-patch
and dropped in among the brambles close to where Peter Rabbit was
sitting. “You didn't expect me to return your call so soon, did you,
Peter?” said he.
“No,” replied Peter, “but I'm ever so glad to see you just the same. Did
you have a pleasant call from Reddy Fox?”
“Very,” replied Bob White with a chuckle. “He was ever so glad to see
me. So was Old Man Coyote. I didn't wait to see what Old Redtail would
say, but I have a feeling that he would have liked better to have seen
me a little nearer. You see, Peter, you are not the only one who has to
keep his eyes open and his wits about him all the time. There are just
as many looking for me as for you, but I don't allow that to make me any
the less cheerful. Every time I whistle 1 know that some one is going
to come looking for me, but I whistle just the same. I just have to,
because in spite of all its troubles life is worth living and full of
happiness. Now I've got a secret to tell you.”
“What is it?” asked Peter eagerly. “Promise not to tell a single soul,”
commanded Bob White.
“Can't I tell Mrs. Peter? I never keep secrets from her you know,”
replied Peter.
“Well, you may tell her, but she must promise to keep it secret,” said
Bob.
“I'll promise for her and for myself,” declared Peter. “What is it?”
“I've decided to come over here to live,” replied Bob White.
“Right here in the Old Briar-patch?” asked Peter excitedly.
“No, but not far from here,” replied Bob White. “I'm going back to
the Old Pasture after Mrs. Bob, and we are going to build a home right
away.”
“Goody!” cried Peter, clapping his hands. “Where are you going to build?”
“That,” replied Bob White, “is for Mrs. Bob to decide.”
“And when she does you'll tell me where it is so that I can come over
and call, won't you?” cried Peter.
“That depends,” replied Bob White. “You know there are some things it is
better not to know.”
“No, I don't know,” retorted Peter. “I'm your friend, and I don't see
what harm it could do for me to know where your home is.”
“Without meaning to friends sometimes do the most harm of any one,
especially if they talk too much,” replied Bob White. “Now the way is
clear and I must hurry back to the Old Pasture to tell Mrs. Bob how nice
it is here.” And with this away he flew.
“Now what did he mean by friends who talk too much,” muttered Peter.
“Could he have meant me?”