New Britain herald., 1930-07-03

You'll find to be the muskrat way
 Jerry Muskrat Peter Rabbit spent a lot Of time around the smiling Pool. You see, Peter was greatly interested in the school there. for really there was a school in the Smiling Pool There were two teachers-Jerry Muskrat and Mrs. Nuskrat. Nine little Musk rats went to that school. But after all any place where you learn les sons is a school and those little Nuskrats wera being taught lessons every day.
 It was surprising how fast they grew. It was quite necessary that they should learn as fast as they grew. Otherwise they would be- come grown up without being really fitted to take care Of themselves, Peter. rust rom watching. got so that he understood some Of the signals. He was over there just at dusk one evening Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had gone to bed behind the Purple Hills and the Black Shadows had crept across the Green Meadows and over the Smiling Pool. It was all very calm and quiet and shadowy there Presently the first little star came peepIng out and vas reflected in the water.
 Nowhere could Peter see anything of the Muskr2ts Jerry wasn't to be seen. Mrs. Muskrat wasn't to be seen; none Of the little Muskrats were 10 be seen. After a while Peter began to wonder where they were. l. was just such night as Mushrats love. Could it be that something had happened to one or more of the family and the rest were i0 hiding? Peter tried 10 be patient. However. patience does not hold out forever and at last Peter made up his mind that he would go over in the Green Forest for a while.
 Peter was just about to start along when he heard clearly but taintly a sound which he recognized. It was the sound made by fiat tail being slapped on the water. The sound came from down the Laughing Brook below the Smiling Pool. Im- mediately the sound was repeated but was much louder. This time it came from back of the Big Rock in the Smiling Pool. And then right away came a whole series Of little slaps, They were not so loud. be- cause they were made by small tails. These slaps came from in among the bulrushes al the upper end of . the Smiling Pool. After that all was still. Yes, sir, all was still.
 Peter sat right where he vas, He didn't move, In moment Or two t seemed as if shadow--a flying shadow-passed across the Smiling Pool. Peter held his breath. Inside he was saying. That was Hooty the Owl Jerry Muskrat must have seen him and gave the signal down there in the Laughing Brook. Mrs. Musk rat over there behind the Big Rock heard the signal and passed it along. The nine children over there in the bulrushes heard her and each passed the signal along. So, by the time Hooty the Owl got up here every little Muskrat was hidden"
 All this Peter said 10 himself in side. taking the greatest care not to move so much as whisker Or to make q sound of any kind. You see, Peter knows all about the wonderful ears of Hooty the Owl and how well he can see at a time when most other people can See very little. And Peter was quite right in his under standing Of those signals. Jerry Muskrat had seen Hooty the Owl and had passed the signal along to Mrs. Muskrat. She, in turn. had passed the signal on to the little Muskrats and they, because they had all been trained. had al once hidden and rez mained hidden.
 By and by Peter heard a squeak. l. was Mrs. Muskrat. IL was an- sWerod by number Of little squeaks. These were from the little Muskrats Their mother had told them that the danger was past.