lthough it was a warm day. Somehow, he didn't feel like meeting Buster
Bear. If he had had his terrible gun with him, it might have been
different. But he didn't, and so he suddenly made up his mind that he
didn't want to fish any more that day. He had a funny feeling, too, that
he was being watched, although he couldn't see any one. He _was_ being
watched. Little Joe Otter and Buster Bear were watching him and taking
the greatest care to keep out of his sight.

All the way home through the Green Forest, Farmer Brown's boy kept
looking behind him, and he didn't draw a long breath until he reached
the edge of the Green Forest. He hadn't run, but he had wanted to.

"Huh!" said Buster Bear to Little Joe Otter, "I believe he was afraid!"

And Buster Bear was just exactly right.

IX

LITTLE JOE OTTER HAS GREAT NEWS TO TELL

Little Joe Otter was fairly bursting with excitement. He could hardly
contain himself. He felt that he had the greatest news to tell since
Peter Rabbit had first found the tracks of Buster Bear in the Green
Forest. He couldn't keep it to himself a minute longer than he had to.
So he hurried to the Smiling Pool, where he was sure he would find Billy
Mink and Jerry Muskrat and Grandfather Frog and Spotty the Turtle, and
he hoped that perhaps some of the little people who live in the Green
Forest might be there too. Sure enough, Peter Rabbit was there on one
side of the Smiling Pool, making faces at Reddy Fox, who was on the
other side, which, of course, was not at all nice of Peter. Mr. and Mrs.
Redwing were there, and Blacky the Crow was sitting in the Big
Hickory-tree.

Little Joe Otter swam straight to the Big Rock and climbed up to the
very highest part. He looked so excited, and his eyes sparkled so, that
every one knew right away that something had happened.

"Hi!" cried Billy Mink. "Look at Little Joe Otter! It must be that for
once he has been smarter than Buster Bear."

Little Joe made a good-natured face at Billy Mink and shook his head.
"No, Billy," said he, "you are wrong, altogether wrong. I don't believe
anybody can be smarter than Buster Bear."

[Illustration: Reddy glared across the Smiling Pool at Peter.
_Page 45._]

Reddy Fox rolled his lips back in an unpleasant grin. "Don't be too
sure of that!" he snapped. "I'm not through with him yet."

"Boaster! Boaster!" cried Peter Rabbit.

Reddy glared across the Smiling Pool at Peter. "I'm not through with you
either, Pete