and to Peter's astonishment he lifted the end of the
upper half without opening the rest of his bill at all. "That's the way
I get them," said he. "I can feel them when I reach them, and then I
just open the top of my bill and grab them. I think there is one right
under my feet now; watch me get him." Longbill bored into the ground
until his head was almost against it. When he pulled his bill out, sure
enough, there was a worm. "Of course," explained Longbill, "it is only
in soft ground that I can do this. That is why I have to fly away south
as soon as the ground freezes at all."

"It's wonderful," sighed Peter. "I don't suppose any one else can find
hidden worms that way."

"My cousin, Jack Snipe, can," replied Longbill promptly. "He feeds the
same way I do, only he likes marshy meadows instead of brushy swamps.
Perhaps you know him."

Peter nodded. "I do," said he. "Now you speak of it, there is a strong
family resemblance, although I hadn't thought of him as a relative of
yours before. Now I must be running along. I'm ever so glad to have seen
you, and I'm coming over to call again the first chance I get."

So Peter said good-by and kept on down the Laughing Brook to the Smiling
Pool. Right where the Laughing Brook entered the Smiling Pool there was
a little pebbly beach. Running along the very edge of the water was
a slim, trim little bird with fairly long legs, a long slender bill,
brownish-gray back with black spots and markings, and a white waistcoat
neatly spotted with black. Every few steps he would stop to pick up
something, then stand for a second bobbing up and down in the funniest
way, as if his body was so nicely balanced on his legs that it teetered
back and forth like a seesaw. It was Teeter the Spotted Sandpiper, an
old friend of Peter's. Peter greeted him joyously.

"Peet-weet! Peet-weet!" cried Teeter, turning towards Peter and bobbing
and bowing as only Teeter can. Before Peter could say another word
Teeter came running towards him, and it was plain to see that Teeter was
very anxious about something. "Don't move, Peter Rabbit! Don't move!" he
cried.

"Why not?" demanded Peter, for he could see no danger and could think of
no reason why he shouldn't move. Just then Mrs. Teeter came hurrying up
and squatted down in the sand right in front of Peter.

"Thank goodness!" exclaimed Teeter, still bobbing and bowing. "If you
had taken another step, Peter Rabbit, you would have stepped right on
our e