KE

One morning when big round Mr. Sun was climbing up in the sky and Old
Mother West Wind had sent all her Merry Little Breezes to play in the
Green Meadows, Johnny Chuck started out for a walk. First he sat up
very straight and looked and looked all around to see if Reddy Fox was
anywhere about, for you know Reddy Fox liked to tease Johnny Chuck.

But Reddy Fox was nowhere to be seen, so Johnny Chuck trotted down the
Lone Little Path to the wood. Mr. Sun was shining as brightly as ever he
could and Johnny Chuck, who was very, very fat, grew very, very warm. By
and by he sat down on the end of a log under a big tree to rest.

Thump! Something hit Johnny Chuck right on the top of his round little
head. It made Johnny Chuck jump.

"Hello, Johnny Chuck!" said a voice that seemed to come right out of the
sky. Johnny Chuck tipped his head way, way back and looked up. He was
just in time to see Happy Jack Squirrel drop a nut. Down it came and hit
Johnny Chuck right on the tip of his funny, black, little nose.

"Oh!" said Johnny Chuck, and tumbled right over back off the log. But
Johnny Chuck was so round and so fat and so roly-poly that it didn't
hurt him a bit.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Happy Jack up in the tree.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Johnny Chuck, picking himself up. Then they both
laughed together. It was such a good joke.

"What are you laughing at?" asked a voice so close to Johnny Chuck that
he rolled over three times he was so surprised. It was Peter Rabbit.

"What are you doing in my wood?" asked Peter Rabbit.

"I'm taking a walk," said Johnny Chuck.

"Good," said Peter Rabbit, "I'll come along too."

So Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit set out along the Lone Little Path
through the wood. Peter Rabbit hopped along with great big jumps, for
Peter's legs are long and meant for jumping, but Johnny Chuck couldn't
keep up though he tried very hard, for Johnny's legs are short. Pretty
soon Peter Rabbit came back, walking very softly. He whispered in Johnny
Chuck's ear.

"I've found something," said Peter Rabbit.

"What is it?" asked Johnny Chuck.

"I'll show you," said Peter Rabbit, "but you must be very, very still,
and not make the least little bit of noise."

Johnny Chuck promised to be very, very still for he wanted very much
to see what Peter Rabbit had found. Peter Rabbit tip-toed down the Lone
Little Path through the wood, his funny long ears pointing right up to
the sky. And behind him tip-toed Johnny