n light
olive-green and greenish-yellow. She looked no more like beautiful
Redcoat than did Mrs. Grosbeak like Rosebreast.

"Can't you fly up just a little way so as to get off the ground?" she
cried anxiously. "Isn't it dreadful, Peter Rabbit, to have such an
accident? We've just got our nest half built, and I don't know what I
shall do if anything happens to Redcoat. Oh, dear, here comes somebody!
Hide, Redcoat! Hide!" Mrs. Tanager flew off a short distance to one side
and began to cry as if in the greatest distress. Peter knew instantly
that she was crying to get the attention of whoever was coming.

Poor Redcoat, with the old look of terror in his eyes, fluttered along,
trying to find something under which to hide. But there was nothing
under which he could crawl, and there was no hiding that wonderful red
coat. Peter heard the sound of heavy footsteps, and looking back, saw
that Farmer Brown's boy was coming. "Don't be afraid, Redcoat," he
whispered. "It's Farmer Brown's boy and I'm sure he won't hurt you.
Perhaps he can help you." Then Peter scampered off for a short distance
and sat up to watch what would happen.

Of coarse Farmer Brown's boy saw Redcoat. No one with any eyes at all
could have helped seeing him, because of that wonderful scarlet coat. He
saw, too, by the way Redcoat was acting, that he was in great trouble.
As Farmer Brown's boy drew near and Redcoat saw that he was discovered,
he tried his hardest to flutter away. Farmer Brown's boy understood
instantly that something was wrong with one wing, and running forward,
he caught Redcoat.

"You poor little thing. You poor, beautiful little creature," said
Farmer Brown's boy softly as he saw the cruel twig sticking through
Redcoats' shoulder. "We'll have to get that out right away," continued
Farmer Brown's boy, stroking Redcoat ever so gently.

Somehow at that gentle touch Redcoat lost much of his fear, and a little
hope sprang in his heart. He saw, too, this was no enemy, but a friend.
Farmer Brown's boy took out his knife and carefully cut off the twig on
the upper side of the wing. Then, doing his best to be careful and to
hurt as little as possible, he worked the other part of the twig out
from the under side. Carefully he examined the wing to see if any bones
were broken. None were, and after holding Redcoat a few minutes he
carefully set him up in a tree and withdrew a short distance. Redcoat
hopped from branch to branch until he was halfway