an English Sparrow, and I consider that I am
doing the Old Orchard a good turn every time I am lucky enough to catch
one of the family of Bully the English Sparrow. But I live mostly on
Mice and Shrews in winter and in summer I eat a lot of grasshoppers and
other insects. If it wasn't for me and my relatives I guess Mice would
soon overrun the Great World. Farmer Brown ought to be glad I've come to
live in the Old Orchard and I guess he is, for Farmer Brown's boy knows
all about this house of mine and never disturbs me. Now if you'll excuse
me I think I'll fly over to Farmer Brown's young orchard. I ought to
find a fat Mouse or two trying to get some of the bark from those young
trees."

"Huh!" exclaimed Peter. "They can try all they want to, but they won't
get any; I can tell you that."

Spooky's round yellow eyes twinkled. "It must be you have been trying to
get some of that bark yourself," said he.

Peter didn't say anything but he looked guilty, and Spooky once more
chuckled as he spread his wings and flew away so soundlessly that he
seemed more like a drifting shadow than a bird. Then Peter started for
a certain swamp he knew of where he would be sure to find enough bark to
stay his appetite.

CHAPTER XLIII. Queer Feet and a Queerer Bill.

Peter Rabbit had gone over to the Green Forest to call on his cousin,
Jumper the Hare, who lives there altogether. He had no difficulty in
finding Jumper's tracks in the snow, and by following these he at length
came up with Jumper. The fact is, Peter almost bumped into Jumper before
he saw him, for Jumper was wearing a coat as white as the snow itself.
Squatting under a little snow-covered hemlock-tree he looked like
nothing more than a little mound of snow.

"Oh!" cried Peter. "How you startled me! I wish I had a winter coat like
yours. It must be a great help in avoiding your enemies."

"It certainly is, Cousin Peter," cried Jumper. "Nine times out of ten
all I have to do is to sit perfectly still when there was no wind to
carry my scent. I have had Reddy Fox pass within a few feet of me and
never suspect that I was near. I hope this snow will last all winter. It
is only when there isn't any snow that I am particularly worried. Then
I am not easy for a minute, because my white coat can be seen a long
distance against the brown of the dead leaves."

Peter chuckled, "that is just when I feel safest," he replied. "I
like the snow, but this brown-gray coat of mine c