Evening star., 1917-09-15
LI1IILE@0RIEs L1I
%BE1DTInTE %B1
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Copyright, 1917, by T. W. Burgess.)
Peter Promises to Be Good.

"Quit. quit" said Mrs. Gobbler in a
was preparing to run away. Quit,
quit, Peter Rabbit, I want to talk to
you. Sit down"
Peter sat down. The truth is he
didn't dare do otherwise. There was
a look in Mrs. Gobbler's eyes and
tone to her voice that made him de-
eide right on the instant that the
"I-I-I beg your pardon said Peter,
a little breathlessly. Il didn't know
you We're in here. | didn't. Mrs. Cob
bier. Truly didn't"
.Of course, you didn't, replied Mrs.
Gobbler rather grimly. NO one knew
where / am until you came blundering
in here. No one but you knows it now.
1 don't intend that anybody else shall
know it,"
She snapped her eyes in a way that
made Peter very uncomfortable. He
wished that he dared run. but he didn't
dare. You see. he knew that Mrs. Cob
bier has long neck and he knew that
he was within reach of her stout bill
So he wisely sat still.
"Why did you come in here?" she
snapped.
''To hide from Old Man Coyote" re-
piled Peter meekly and truthfully. Il
opposite here, and I lodged in here to
get out of his sight if he should look
behind him. You know he is very fond
of Rabbit"
NO more than he is of Turkey" snap
ped Mrs. Gobbler. That's one reason
1 want to have an understanding with
you, Peter Rabbit. Do you know what
am doing here?"
'I can guess" replied Peter in a
small voice, for he still felt uneasy.
well go ahead and guess" retorted
Mrs. Gobbler sharply.
You are sitting or a nestful of
eggs" replied Peter, although he could
see nothing of the nest because Mrs.
Gobbler quite covered it.
Right. Quite right agreed Mrs.
Gobbler THAT is exactly what / am
doing, and it is what I want to continue
to do in peace of mind until those eggs
hatch. Now listen to me. Peter Rabbit.
You have got to promise to be good.
You have got to promise not to tell a
single soul-not one
She said this so fiercely that Peter
actually ducked his head.
Il promise, he said hastily. Il prom
ise not to tell a single soul, not even
Big Tom. though you've no idea how
lonesome and quite out of sorts he is"
TT will do him good" retorted Mrs.
Gobbler tartly He is the last person
in the wide world that 1 want to know
where this nest is. He would smash
every one of those precious eggs If he
should find them. He is too jealous
to live with for the present, but he'll
get over IL aIIeF 4 "nile. NOW L want
you to promise on your honor that you
won't tell any one that you know where
1 am. and also that you will keep away
from here yourself You are not to
come here again no matter what hap
pens. Do you understand"
Yes replied Peter meekly. He hesi-
tated minute. Then he asked timidly
Wont you let me see those eggs of
yours, Mrs. Gobbler? / think l can
keep your secret better if l have the
memory of those eggs to help me-"
Mrs. Gobbler grinned. She was right
on the point of refusing, but Peter
looked so wistful that she didn't. In
stead she got up and stepped aside.
Peter gasped. There before him at the
foot of the great tree were twelve great
eggs, the largest eggs Peter had ever
seen They were a pale cream buff
finely and evenly speckled.
"Oh, cried Peter.
Aren't they lovely?" asked Mrs.
Gobbler, looking at them with eyes
shining with pride