rible, very
terrible indeed, because over in it, hidden away there in some dark
place, was the home of Hooty the Owl.

Just ahead of him was the Old Briar-patch where Peter Rabbit lives
so safely. Every old bramble in it was covered with snow and it was
very, very beautiful. Really everything was just as beautiful as
ever--the moonlight, the Green Forest, the snow-covered Green
Meadows, the Old Briar-patch. The only change was in Danny Meadow
Mouse himself, and it was all because he had forgotten.

Suddenly Danny began to wriggle and struggle. "Keep still!" snapped
Hooty the Owl.

But Danny only struggled harder than ever. It seemed to him that
Hooty wasn't holding him as tightly as at first. He felt one of
Hooty's claws slip. It tore his coat and hurt dreadfully, but it
slipped! The fact is, Hooty had only grabbed Danny Meadow Mouse by
the loose part of his coat, and up in the air he couldn't get hold
of Danny any better. Danny kicked, squirmed and twisted, and
twisted, squirmed, and kicked. He felt his coat tear and of course
the skin with it, but he kept right on, for now he was hanging
almost free. Hooty had started down now, so as to get a better hold.
Danny gave one more kick and then--he felt himself falling!

Danny Meadow Mouse shut his eyes and held his breath. Down, down,
down he fell. It seemed to him that he never would strike the
snow-covered meadows! Really he fell only a very little distance.
But it seemed a terrible distance to Danny. He hit something that
scratched him, and then plump! he landed in the soft snow right in
the very middle of the Old Briar-patch, and the last thing he
remembered was hearing the scream of disappointment and rage of
Hooty the Owl.

CHAPTER XI

_Peter Rabbit Gets a Fright_

Peter Rabbit sat in his favorite place in the middle of the dear Old
Briar-patch, trying to decide which way he would go on his travels
that night. The night before he had had a narrow escape from old
Granny Fox over in the Green Forest. There was nothing to eat around
the Smiling Pool and no one to talk to there any more, and you know
that Peter must either eat or ask questions in order to be perfectly
happy. No, the Smiling Pool was too dull a place to interest Peter
on such a beautiful moonlight night, and Peter had no mind to try
his legs against those of old Granny Fox again in the Green Forest.

Early that morning, just after Peter had settled down for his
morning nap, Tommy Tit t