the song of happiness of Redeye the Vireo who, if he knew
what was going on, made no sign. My, but it was exciting to those who
were watching!

Old Man Coyote had crept half-way up the hill, and Peter was wondering
how much nearer he could let him get with safety, when a sudden
grunting broke out right behind him. Peter knew what it meant and
jumped to one side. Then down the hill, rolling straight towards Old
Man Coyote, started the strange, headless, tailess, legless creature
that had so frightened Reddy and Granny Fox.

Old Man Coyote took one good look, hesitated, looked again, and then
turned tail and started for the Green Meadows as fast as his long legs
would take him. It was plain to see that he was afraid, very much
afraid. Quite suddenly he had lost his appetite.

XXIII

BUSTER BEAR GIVES IT ALL AWAY

It was very clear that Old Man Coyote wasn't thinking about his
stomach just then, but about his legs and how fast they could go. He
had been half-way up the hill when he first saw the terrible creature
without head, tail, or legs rolling down straight at him. He stopped
only long enough for one good look and then he started for the bottom
of the hill as fast as he could make his legs go. Now, it is a very
bad plan to run fast down-hill. Yes, Sir, it is a very bad plan. You
see, once you are started, it is not the easiest thing in the world to
stop. And then again, you are quite likely to stub your toes.

This is what Old Man Coyote did. He stubbed his toes and turned a
complete somersault. He looked so funny that the little scamps
watching him had all they could do to keep from shouting right out.
Old Granny Fox and Reddy Fox, looking on from a safe distance, did
laugh. You know they had not been friendly with Old Man Coyote since
he came to live on the Green Meadows, and as they had themselves had a
terrible fright when they first saw the strange creature, they
rejoiced in seeing him frightened.

But Old Man Coyote didn't stop for a little thing like a tumble. Oh,
my, no! He just rolled over on to his feet and was off again, harder
than before. Now there are very few people who can see behind them
without turning their heads as Peter Rabbit can, and Old Man Coyote
is not one of them. Trying to watch behind him, he didn't see where
he was going, and the first thing he knew he ran bump into--guess who!
Why, Buster Bear, to be sure.

Where Buster had come from nobody knew, but there he was, as bi