ink because of his fine coat; and no one
wants to put me in a cage because of a fine voice. I am satisfied
to be just as I am, and if you'll take my advice, Danny Meadow
Mouse, you'll be satisfied to be just as you are."

"Perhaps you are right," said Danny Meadow Mouse after a little.
"I'll try."

III

Danny Meadow Mouse Plays Hide-and-Seek

Life is always a game of hide-and-seek to Danny Meadow Mouse. You
see, he is such a fat little fellow that there are a great many
other furry-coated people, and almost as many who wear feathers,
who would gobble Danny up for breakfast or for dinner if they
could. Some of them pretend to be his friends, but Danny always
keeps his eyes open when they are around and always begins to
play hide-and-seek. Peter Rabbit and Jimmy Skunk and Striped
Chipmunk and Happy Jack Squirrel are all friends whom he can
trust, but he always has a bright twinkling eye open for Reddy
Fox and Billy Mink and Shadow the Weasel and old Whitetail the
Marsh Hawk, and several more, especially Hooty the Owl at night.

Now Danny Meadow Mouse is a stouthearted little fellow, and when
rough Brother North Wind came shouting across the Green Meadows,
tearing to pieces the snow clouds and shaking out the snowflakes
until they covered the Green Meadows deep, deep, deep, Danny just
snuggled down in his warm coat in his snug little house of grass
and waited. Danny liked the snow. Yes, Sir, Danny Meadow Mouse
liked the snow. He just loved to dig in it and make tunnels.
Through those tunnels in every direction he could go where he
pleased and when he pleased without being seen by anybody. It was
great fun!

Every little way he made a little round doorway up beside a stiff
stalk of grass. Out of this he could peep at the white world,
and he could get the fresh, cold air. Sometimes, when he was
quite sure that no one was around, he would scamper across on top
of the snow from one doorway to another, and when he did this, he
made the prettiest little footprints.

Now Reddy Fox knew all about those doorways and who made them.
Reddy was having hard work to get enough to eat this cold
weather, and he was hungry most of the time. One morning, as he
came tiptoeing softly over the meadows, what should he see just
ahead of him but the head of Danny Meadow Mouse pop out of one
of those little round doorways! Reddy's mouth watered, and he
stole forward more softly than ever. W