ad. He just had to know!

So across the Green Meadows and up the Lone Little Path hurried Peter
Rabbit, so as to reach the Laughing Brook before jolly, round, red Mr. Sun
had wholly turned out his light, after going to bed behind the Purple
Hills. He was hurrying so that he almost ran into Unc' Billy Possum.

"Yo' seem to be in a powerful hurry, Brer Rabbit," said Unc' Billy.

"I am," replied Peter. "I must get down to the Laughing Brook before dark."

"'Pears to me it must be mighty impo'tant to make yo' hurry this way," said
Unc' Billy Possum.

"It is," replied Peter Rabbit. "It's to keep me from going crazy."

Unc' Billy looked at Peter very hard for a few minutes, just as if he
thought that Peter was crazy already. Then he put a hand behind one ear
just as if he was hard of hearing. "Ah beg yo' pardon, Brer Rabbit, but Ah
don' seem to have it quite right in mah haid what yo'all am going down to
the Laughing Brook for," said Unc' Billy in the politest way.

Peter chuckled in spite of himself, as he once more replied:

"It's to keep me from going crazy."

Then Peter told Unc' Billy all about Sammy Jay's troubles and all about the
troubles of Sticky-toes the Tree Toad. It was the first Unc' Billy Possum
had heard about it, for Unc' Billy had been away from the Green Forest and
the Green Meadows for a visit and had just returned. He listened to all
that Peter Rabbit had to say, and a funny, pleased sort of look came into
his eyes.

"Ah reckon Ah will go along with yo'all," said he.

So Unc' Billy Possum went with Peter Rabbit to the Laughing Brook, where
they hid underneath the alders.

XV

PETER RABBIT AND UNC' BILLY POSSUM KEEP WATCH

"Now," said Peter Rabbit, as they settled themselves to watch, "we'll
see for ourselves whether Sammy Jay and Sticky-toes have been telling the
truth, or if they have been dreaming. If we hear Sammy Jay's voice down
here in the alders to-night, we ought to be able to see who is using it,
for pretty soon the moon will be up, and then we can see easily."

Unc' Billy Possum didn't say anything, not a word, but if Peter Rabbit had
noticed Unc' Billy's eyes, he would have seen a very knowing look there.

The fact is, Unc' Billy was thinking of the time when he thought he had
heard the voice of an old friend of his from way down South, and he was
beginning to suspect that he had been right, and that his old friend really
was somewhere in the Green Forest.

"Ah reckon