hen I was
fast asleep something pounced upon me. I managed to get away and fly up
in the top of the Great Pine. In the morning I found all my eggs broken,
just as you see them here."

Peter Rabbit looked the ground over very carefully. He hunted around
behind the Great Pine, he looked under the bushes, he studied the ground
with a very wise air. Then he hopped off down the Lone Little Path to
the Green Meadows. He stopped at the house of Johnny Chuck.

"What makes your eyes so big and round?" asked Johnny Chuck. Peter
Rabbit came very close so as to whisper in Johnny Chuck's ear, and told
him all that he had seen. Together they went to Jimmy Skunk's house.
Jimmy Skunk was in bed. He was very sleepy and very cross when he came
to the door. Peter Rabbit told him what he had seen.

"Too bad! Too bad!" said Jimmy Skunk, and yawned sleepily.

"Won't you join us in trying to find out who did it?" asked Johnny
Chuck.

Jimmy Skunk said he would be delighted to come, but that he had some
other business that morning and he would join them in the afternoon.
Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck went on. Pretty soon they met the Merry
Little Breezes and told them the dreadful story.

"What shall we do?" asked Johnny Chuck.

"We'll hurry over, and tell Old Dame Nature," cried the Merry Little
Breezes, "and ask her what to do."

So away flew the Merry Little Breezes to Old Dame Nature and told her
all the dreadful story. Old Dame Nature listened very attentively. Then
she sent the Merry Little Breezes to all the little meadow folks to tell
everyone to be at the Great Pine that afternoon. Now, whatever Old Dame
Nature commanded, all the little meadow folks were obliged to do. They
did not dare to disobey her.

Promptly at 4 o'clock that afternoon all the little meadow folks were
gathered around the foot of the Great Pine. Brokenhearted little Mrs.
Ruffed Grouse sat beside her empty nest, with all the broken shells
about her.

Reddy Fox, Peter Rabbit, Johnny Chuck, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter,
Jerry Muskrat, Hooty the Owl, Bobby Coon, Sammy Jay, Blacky the Crow,
Grandfather Frog, Mr. Toad, Spotty the Turtle, the Merry Little Breezes,
all were there. Last of all came Jimmy Skunk. Very handsome he looked in
his shining black coat, and very sorry he appeared that such a dreadful
thing should have happened. He told Mrs. Grouse how badly he felt, and
he loudly demanded that the culprit should be run down without delay and
severely pun