Evening star., 1921-03-11
LI1IILES10R!E!s L1I
%rbEDTInE
Jumper the Hare Tells a
Startling Story.
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Relieve all you can Of what you're told.
But prove the facts before they're cold
-pofor Rabbit

But prove the facts before they're cold.
Peter Rabbit
Peter Rabbit hadn't forgotten the
mystery of the great windfall over
in the Green Forest. No, indeed.
Peter couldn't forget thing like
that. He thought about it a great
deal and he was eager to get back
there to find out if his big cousin,
9umrer the Haras had discovered
how it was that Buster Bears coat
mad turned brown while he slept.
Both had seen Buster just before he
went to sleep for the winter and
then his coat was black. Both had
impoiitely peeped into that bedroom
under the great wifdfall and seen a
brown coat. What kind Of a coat
would Buster Bear be wearing when
he came out from his long sleep?
Would it be black or brown?
There had been so much going on
near home that it was some time be-
fore Peter found a hance to run
over to the Green Forest. In all the
| places which the jolly Little Sun
beams could reach the snow had
melted The ice was gone in the
pond of Paddy the Beaver. The
Laughing Brook was overfiowing it's
! banks. There was the feel of spring
| in the air as Peter at last hurried
| through the Green Forest in search
u bio "iS So0oii, tHe
lie: found Jumper over near the
| great windfall. Jumper was still
| wearing his white coat, but now it
made him very nervous, for with
most of the snow gone it was hard
sns,R,se work to keep from "si being seen by & his
| Peter as soon rs he saw him. HAS
Buster Bear come out yet?'
Yes. replied Jumper. looking this
| way and that way nervously. HE
hae - g. L, Il
What, color is his coat:" asked
Peter. eagerly.
Black relied Jumper.
What" cried reter.
Black" repeated Jumper. HE
never has worn a blacker coat than
| he is wearing this spring. If ever
there was a black bear that bear is
! Busters'
Did you ask him how it happened
that Ibis coat was brown while he
Jumper shook his head. NO said
| he, Buster is too cross these days
| to ask any questions of. Besides
Jumper paused and there was a queer
! look on his face.
Besides WHAT" demanded Peter,
impatiently.
Buster Bear didn't spend the win
| ter under that windfall, at ALL re-
pliedS Jumper. HE slept in his old
led in that cave in the ledge of rocks
WneTe you once 1OunQ MIN. ana he
hasn't zbeen near his old windfall
since he came out. That wasn't Bus
| ter Bear we saw n there at ALL"
Peter swallowed hard two or three
| times, as II he ware trying to swaI-
! low what he had just heard and
| found ii hard work. Then who was
! it We saw with a brown coat?" he de-
manded.
Again Jumper shook his head. "I
don't know" said he. Il haven't the
| least idea. I have a funny feeling
| every time l look at that old wind
| fall. / tell you. Peter, there is the
greatest mystery here I've ever
known"
| "Where is Buster Bear" demand
ed Peter.
Il don't know" replied Jumper.
| "You are likely to- run across him
| anywhere these days. He is doing a
! lot of roaming about to get enough
| to eat. Why?"
Because / want to see him." re-
! plied Peter. 'T don't doubt your word
| at all, Cousin Jumper, but I simply
have got to see Buster Bear with
my own eyes. Perhaps there is a
| little patch of brown on his coat
fthat you didn't see."
But / told you he didn't sleep un-
der the old windfall." replied Jumper.
That's so. I forgot that" said
| Peter. looking bit taken back.
Anyway, 1 want to see him. Good
bye" And with this off scampered
Peter Rabbit, ty-lipperty-lip. to
/ look for Buster Bear.
Copyright. 1921. by T. W. Burgesx.)