one I know. Now
run along, Peter Rabbit, and don't bother me any more."

Seeing Farmer Brown's boy coming through the Old Orchard Peter decided
that it was high time for him to depart. So he scampered for the Green
Forest, lipperty-lipperty-lip. Just within the edge of the Green Forest
he caught sight of something which for the time being put all thought of
Farmer Brown's boy out of his head. Fluttering on the ground was a bird
than whom not even Glory the Cardinal was more beautiful. It was about
the size of Redwing the Blackbird. Wings and tail were pure black and
all the rest was a beautiful scarlet. It was Redcoat the Tanager. At
first Peter had eyes only for the wonderful beauty of Redcoat. Never
before had he seen Redcoat so close at hand. Then quite suddenly it came
over Peter that something was wrong with Redcoat, and he hurried forward
to see what the trouble might be.

Redcoat heard the rustle of Peter's feet among the dry leaves and at
once began to flap and flutter in an effort to fly away, but he could
not get off the ground. "What is it, Redcoat? Has something happened to
you? It is just Peter Rabbit. You don't have anything to fear from me,"
cried Peter.

The look of terror which had been in the eyes of Redcoat died out, and
he stopped fluttering and simply lay panting.

"Oh, Peter," he gasped, "you don't know how glad I am that it is only
you. I've had a terrible accident, and I don't know what I am to do. I
can't fly, and if I have to stay on the ground some enemy will be sure
to get me. What shall I do, Peter? What shall I do?"

Right away Peter was full of sympathy. "What kind of an accident was it,
Redcoat, and how did it happen?" he asked.

"Broadwing the Hawk tried to catch me," sobbed Redcoat. "In dodging him
among the trees I was heedless for a moment and did not see just where I
was going. I struck a sharp-pointed dead twig and drove it right through
my right wing."

Redcoat held up his right wing and sure enough there was a little
stick projecting from both sides close up to the shoulder. The wing was
bleeding a little.

"Oh, dear, whatever shall I do, Peter Rabbit? Whatever shall I do?"
sobbed Redcoat.

"Does it pain you dreadfully?" asked Peter.

Redcoat nodded. "But I don't mind the pain," he hastened to say. "It is
the thought of what MAY happen to me."

Meanwhile Mrs. Tanager was flying about in the tree tops near at
hand and calling anxiously. She was dressed almost wholly i