d
starting out to see the Great World. When the last little Toad had passed
them, Old Mr. Toad suddenly remembered that he was hungry, very hungry
indeed.

"Didn't have time to eat much while I was in the Smiling Pool," he
explained. "Couldn't eat and sing too, and while I was down there, I was
supposed to sing. Now that it is time to quit singing, I begin to realize
that I've got a stomach to look out for as well as a voice. See that bug
over there on that leaf? Watch him."

Peter looked, and sure enough there was a fat bug crawling along on an old
leaf. He was about two inches from Old Mr. Toad, and he was crawling very
fast. And right while Peter was looking at him he disappeared. Peter turned
to look at Old Mr. Toad. He hadn't budged. He was sitting exactly where he
had been sitting all the time, but he was smacking his lips, and there was
a twinkle of satisfaction in his eyes. Peter opened his eyes very wide.

"Wha--what--" he began.

"Nice bug," interrupted Old Mr. Toad. "Nicest bug I've eaten for a
longtime."

"But I didn't see you catch him!" protested Peter, looking at Old Mr. Toad
as if he suspected him of joking.

"Anything wrong with your eyes?" inquired Old Mr. Toad.

"No," replied Peter just a wee bit crossly. "My eyes are just as good as
ever."

"Then watch me catch that fly over yonder," said Old Mr. Toad. He hopped
towards a fly which had lighted on a blade of grass just ahead. About two
inches from it he stopped, and so far as Peter could see, he sat perfectly
still. But the fly disappeared, and it wasn't because it flew away, either.
Peter was sure of that. As he told Mrs. Peter about it afterwards, "It was
there, and then it wasn't, and that was all there was to it."

Old Mr. Toad chuckled. "Didn't you see that one go, Peter?" he asked.

Peter shook his head. "I wish you Would stop fooling me," said Peter. "The
joke is on me, but now you've had your laugh at my expense, I wish you
would tell me how you do it. Please, Mr. Toad."

Now when Peter said please that way, of course Old Mr. Toad couldn't resist
him. Nobody could.

"Here comes an ant this way. Now you watch my mouth instead of the ant and
see what happens," said Old Mr. Toad.

Peter looked and saw a big black ant coming. Then he kept his eyes on Old
Mr. Toad's mouth. Suddenly there was a little flash of red from it, so tiny
and so quick that Peter couldn't be absolutely sure that he saw it. But
when he looked for the ant, it w