d no tail. At least, that is what Peter said.

"You see, it was this way," declared Peter. "I had stopped longer than
I meant to in the Green Forest, for you know, my dear, I always try to
be home by the time jolly, round, red Mr. Sun gets out of bed and Old
Mother West Wind gets down on the Green Meadows." Mrs. Peter nodded.
"But somehow time slipped away faster than I thought for, or else Mr.
Sun got up earlier than usual," continued Peter. Then he stopped. That
last idea was a new one, and it struck Peter as a good one. "I do
believe that that is just what happened--Mr. Sun must have made a
mistake and crawled out of bed earlier than usual," he cried.

Mrs. Peter looked as if she very much doubted it, but she didn't say
anything, and so Peter went on with his story.

"I had just realized how light it was and had started for home,
hurrying with all my might, when I heard a little noise at the top of
the hill where Prickly Porky the Porcupine lives. Of course I thought
it was Prickly himself starting out for his breakfast, and I looked
up with my mouth open to say hello. But I didn't say hello. No, Sir,
I didn't say a word. I was too scared. There, just starting down the
hill straight towards me, was the most dreadful creature that ever has
been seen in the Green Forest! It didn't have any legs, and it didn't
have any head, and it didn't have any tail, and it was coming straight
after me so fast that I had all I could do to get out of the way!"
Peter's eyes grew very round and wide as he said this. "I took one
good look, and then I jumped. My gracious, how I did jump!" he
continued. "Then I started for home just as fast as ever I could make
my legs go, and here I am, and mighty glad to be here!"

Mrs. Peter had listened with her mouth wide open. When Peter finished,
she closed it with a snap and hopped over and felt of his head.

"Are you sick, Peter?" she asked anxiously.

Peter stared at her. "Sick! Me sick! Not a bit of it!" he exclaimed.
"Never felt better in my life, save that I am a little tired from my
long run. What a silly question! Do I look sick?"

"No-o," replied little Mrs. Peter slowly. "No-o, you don't look sick,
but you talk as if there were something the matter with your head. I
think you must be just a little light-headed, Peter, or else you have
taken a nap somewhere and had a bad dream. Did I understand you to say
that this dreadful creature has no legs, and yet that it chased you?"

"That's