Evening star., 1915-04-10
Little Storle,
10 Bedtime
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Copyright. 1915. by J. q. Lloyd
The Hunt for Old Mr.. Toad.

Peter Rabbit, Jimmy Skunk and Unc'
Billy Possum had started to follow Old
Mr.. Toad, who had gone hop. hop. hip
perty hop. down the Lone I.ittle Path to-
ward the Smiling Pool. lie had gone in
hurry, and it was the first time in all
their lives that they had ever seen him
hurry, excepting when Mr.. Blacksnake'
was after him. But though he was
hurrying as fast as ever he could, and
was quite out of breath. he wasn't get
ting along very fast as compared with
the way Peter Rabbit or either OF the
others could cover the ground when
they were in hurry. You see he can
not make long jumps like his cousin.
Grandfather Frog. but only little short
hops.
So Peter and Jimmy and Inc Billy
took their time about following him.
They stopped by the way to hunt for
fat beetles for Jimmy Skunk. and at
every little patch of sweet clover for
Peter Rabbit to help himself. once they
wasted a lot of time while Inc' Billy
Possum hunted for a nest of Carol the
Meadow Lark on the chance that he
would find some fresh eggs there. lie.
didn't find the nest for the very good
reason that Carol hadn't built one Yet.
Peter was secretly glad. You know lie
doesn't eat eggs. and he is always sorry
for his feathered friends when their
eggs are stolen.
Half way across the Green Meadows
i they stopped to play with the Merry
Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind.
and because i. was very pleasant there
they played longer than they realized
When at last they started on again Old
Mr. Toad was out of sight. You see
all the time he had kept right on go
( ing, hop. hop, Improvisation
| Never mind" said Peter, we can
catch up with him easy enough-h-'s
such a slowpoke.'
| But even slowpoke who keeps right
on doing thing without wasting any
time always gets somewhere sooner of
! later very often sooner than those who
are naturally quicker. but who waste
their time. So it was with Old Mr..
Toad. He kept right on, hop. hop. hip
perty-hop. while the others were play
ing. and so it happened that When at
last Peter and Jimmy and Cnc' Billy
reached the Smiling Pool they hadn't
caught another glimpse of old Mr.. Toad.
DO you suppose he hid somewhere.
and We passed him." asked Peter.
Unc. Billy shook his head. ''Ah dom
reckon So" said he. "We-uns done been
foolin away our time an Brer Toad
done stole a march on us. All reckons
bank here somewhere.
So right away the three separated IN
look for Old Mr.. Toad. All along the
bank of the Smiling Pool they looked.
They peeped under old leaves and sticks
They looked in every place where old
Mr.. Toad might have hidden. but not
,, trace of him did they find.
Trs.la-,a Ice, Okla rhee: Okla -cllee.
Happy am as can be-,
sang Redwing. the Blackbird. as he
swayed to and fro among the hulrushes
Say. Mr. Redwing. have you seen Old
Mr. Toad?' called Peter Rabbit
No replied Redwing. is that whe
YOU fellows are looking for? | Won
dered if you had lost something What
, do YOU want with Old Mr.. Toad
Peter explained how Old Mr.. Toad had
| hurried down to the Smiling Fool. say
| ing that he had a beautiful voice and
must take part in the great spring
| chorus and how they had followed him
| lust to see what he really was up To,
I -Of course, we know that he hasn't any
more voice than / have declared Peter.
but we are curious to know'if he really
thinks he has and why he should be -
such a hurry to reach the Smiling Pool
1t looks to us if the spring has made
Old Mr.. Toad crazy.
"Oh that's il, is IL? replied RedwinG,
his bright eyes twinkling. Some pe"-
pie don't know as much they might
I've been wondering where Old Mr.. Toad
was and I'm ever so glad to learn thai
he hasn't forgotten that he has a very
important part in our beautiful spring
chorus Then once more Redwing be
gan to sing.