others, they always stop to
listen when Sammy sounds a warning. Because Sammy knew this he felt
sure of breaking up this party.

As soon as he came in sight of all the little meadow and forest
people, he began to shriek at the top of his lungs.

"Run! run! run! Here comes Bowser the Hound," he shouted.

No one moved, and this puzzled Sammy so that he hardly knew what to
do, but he kept right on shrieking, just as if Bowser was right close
at hand. Still no one moved. Sammy stopped on a tall pine and
pretended to be terribly excited.

"You had better run before Bowser gets here," he shouted.

What do you think happened then? Why, everybody set up a great shout.
"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Peter Rabbit.

"Ho! ho! ho!" shouted Johnny Chuck.

"Hee! hee! hee!" giggled Danny Meadow Mouse.

"What time will Bowser get here?" asked Bobby Coon, gravely.

"Tell Bowser that we are all waiting for him," added Jimmy Skunk.

"Is Bowser quite out of breath?" inquired Jerry Muskrat.

"I would like nothing better than to run a race with Bowser the
Hound," said Jumper the Hare, sitting up very straight.

Sammy Jay didn't know what to do or what to say. He was just the most
disgusted looking Jay that ever flew through the Green Forest, and all
the time he wondered and wondered and wondered how it could be that
Peter Rabbit and his friends knew that Bowser the Hound was not in the
Green Forest at all. You see, old Mr. Toad had told Peter all about
Sammy's plan, and this is what Peter had been whispering to the
others.

XII

PRICKLY PORKY MAKES HIMSELF AT HOME

Peter Rabbit's party promised to be a great success. When old Mr.
Toad, who had overheard Sammy Jay's plan, had told Peter Rabbit all
about it, he had also told Peter that Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel
were hiding in an old hollow log close by.

Peter had whispered the news in the ear of each of the little forest
and meadow people and had told them how Prickly Porky was even then
sitting with his back against the opening in the hollow log.

Every one had thought this the best joke ever, for, of course, they
all knew that Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel could not get out past
the thousand little spears hidden in the long coat of Prickly Porky.

Prickly Porky settled himself very comfortably and began to tell
stories about his home, way up in the North Woods. Every few minutes
he would rattle the thousand little spears in his coat, and though no
one could see