Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-23

| w Hal AXE YOU DDlNlI DOW N
THERE?' DEMANDED PETER.
worms that were spelling the trees
knew it, and Peter himself knew it, and
that was enough.
| So Peter sat up very straight with
| his long ears pointing straight up to
! the blue, blue sky, and he watched
I this way and he watched that way.
| Over on the other side of the Old
| Orchard was Johnny Chuck doing the
| same thing. In the trees the birds
were working with might and main and
| chattering merrily they worked.
Even Sammy Jay was helping. Peter
! wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't
| seen it for himself. But he did see 1t.
| He saw Sammy tear open a big nest
of caterpillars. and when Sammy got
through there wasn't caterpillar
left.
! Good for you, Sammy" called Peter.
| Sammy pretended not to hear. but
he did hear, and secretly he was
| pleased You see, Sammy doesn't often
| hear nice things said to him. and 1t
| gave him a very pleasant feeling in
! side, though not for the world would
he have admitted it, 1t was while
| he would do next that he felt the
| ground rise under him. 1t was SO
| sudden and unexpected that he nearly
! lost his balance. and had to drop down
too He jumped off to one side and
then looked where he had been sitting
| to see what it meant There was
| little ridge where the earth had been
| pushed up from beneath, and even as
| Peter looked the ground moved as If
something was showing it up and the
| little ridge was a few inches longer
| than before.
D<yA oh ylyHn hod
! frightened him. He knew that little
ridge was made by Miner the Mole,
and that Miner was making tunnel
| right along Just under the surface
| through the old Orchard. OF course
| Miner hadn't known that Peter was
sitting there, and he had just happened
| to push his tunnel right under Peter
Now most people are apt to be little
| bit cross when they are frightened, es-
| pecially il they find that there was
nothing to be frightened of. 1t was SO
! With Peter.
! "Ha!" exclaimed Peter. "PlI teach
| you to frighten honest people," And
| with that he hoped over to the spot
| where by the movement of the earth
he could tell that Miner was at work.
and then what do you think he did?
right over Miner the Mole. OF course
| it wasn't a nice thing to do. not at
| all a nice thing TO do. II was trying to
get even and it was doing II In an unfair
| brighten Peter. but Peter did intend to
| Brighten Miner lie did frghten him.
TOO Who wouldn't be frightened 10 have
terrible thump just over their head?
| Miner was just as much frightened as
Peter had heen a few moments before
He backed along his tunnel until he
| reached the nearest opening. He didn't
come out because the sunlight hurts
his eyes. but he scolded angrily at
Peter. who had followed by watching
the roof of the little tunnel move.
What are you doing down there un-
derground. anyway" demanded Peter.
I'm minding my own business. that's
what" retorted Miner. GROSSLY. IT'S a
pity II fellow can't hunt for his food
without having other people try to
frighten him to death"
What kind Of food do you find down
there" asked Peter.
"Grubs and worms replied Miner
shortly. III it wasn't for me they'd
ruin half the green things that grow"
"T.cn you're helping Farmer Browns
boy. too" cried Peter. delightedly. eff
| ! had known that wouldn't have been
so mean and frightened YOU"