hat. Never do such a crazy thing as Peter Rabbit was
doing. What was he doing? Why, he was running the risk of being caught
by Reddy Fox all for the sake of a joke. Did you ever hear of anything
more foolish? Yet Peter was no different from a lot of people who every
day risk their lives in the most careless and heedless ways just to save
a few minutes of time or for some other equally foolish reason. The fact
is, Peter didn't stop to think what dreadful thing might happen if his
plans didn't work out as he intended. He didn't once think of little
Mrs. Peter over in the dear Old Briar-patch and how she would feel if he
never came home again. That's the trouble with thoughtlessness; it never
remembers other people.

All the time that Reddy Fox was creeping along behind the old stone wall
on the edge of the Old Orchard, Peter knew just where he was, though
Reddy didn't know that. If he had known it, he would have suspected one
of Peter's tricks.

"He'll peep over that wall, and just as soon as he sees me, he will feel
sure that this time he will catch me," thought Peter. "He will steal
along to that place where the wall is lowest and will jump over it right
there. I must be ready to jump the very second he does."

It all happened just as Peter had expected. While seeming to be paying
no attention to anything but to Sammy Jay, he kept his eyes on that low
place in the old wall, and presently he saw Reddy's sharp nose, as Reddy
peeped over to make sure that he was still there. The instant that sharp
nose dropped out of sight, Peter made ready to run for his life. A
second later, Reddy leaped over the wall, and Peter was off as hard as
he could go, with Reddy almost at his heels. Sammy Jay, who had been so
busy calling Peter names that he hadn't seen Reddy at all, forgot all
about his quarrel with Peter.

"Go it, Peter! Go it!" he screamed excitedly. That was just like Sammy.

Peter did go it. He had to. He ran with all his might. Reddy grinned as
he saw Peter start towards the Green Meadows. It was a long way to the
dear Old Briar-patch, and Reddy didn't have any doubt at all that he
would catch Peter before he got there. He watched sharply for Peter to
dodge and try to get back to the old stone wall. He didn't mean to let
Peter do that. But Peter didn't even try. He ran straight for the edge
of the hill above the Green Meadows. Then, for the first time, Reddy
noticed an old barrel there lying on its side.

"I wonder i