Evening star., 1940-06-21
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON W. BURGESS.

BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Baby Possum was getting his first
real lesson in how to take care of
himself in the Green Forest. Always
before when there had been danger
he had had Nanny Possum's big
pocket to climb into and feel safe.
Now 1t was all so different. Here he
was tip-toeing along behind Peter
Rabbit, SO as not to make the least
little bit of noise for fear that
Reddy Fox, who was hiding over
behind the thick young hemlock
tree, would hear them.
Every few minutes Peter Rabbit
would stop. sit up very straight,
and with his funny long ears listen
and listen. At those times Baby
Possum would crouch in a little
bunch and listen and listen till it
seemed as If his own heart thumped
so loud that he couldn't hear any
thing else.
Farther and farther they got away
from where Reddy Fox ws hiding
until finally Peter Rabbit kicked up
his heels and then began to laugh.
Baby Possum gave great sigh of
relief and began to laugh, too.
Il wish I could see Reddy Fox
when he discovers that you are not
up In the black birch tree where he
thinks you are. I really do. NV,
won't he be mad!" said Peter Rabbit.
"Ah wish All wasn't so little. All
wish All was growed up like you
all, Peter Rabbit. Then All wouldn't
to be afraid of Reddy Fox and Sha-
dow the Weasel" said Baby Possum
as he looked up at Peter Rabbit ad-
miringly. Peter made wry face.
Ill tell you something, Baby Pos
sum- said he. "Reddy Fox spends
half his time hunting for me, and I
wouldn't like to meet him right this
minute any more than you would
But I don't lose any sleep Just be-
ing afraid of him. Oh. nv. no.
l just keep my wits sharper than
his are. Now let's hurry along so
as to get home to your hollow tree,
where you will be safe"
Ihey hurried along through the
Green Forest and, just as before
feter Rabbit kept sitting up and
listening. Once after doing this he
squatted down in a hurry and whis-
pered in Baby Possum's ear:
Some one is following us and we
must hurry, hurry. hurry" whis-
pered Peter Rabbit. excitedly.
He started off, lipperty-lippertv-
lip; so fast that almost in a minute
Baby Possum lost sight of him. Ba-
by Possum began to cry, for vol,
know ne was a very little fellow and
ne didn't know anything about the
dangers in the Green Forest or even
now to find his way home. In a
few minutes back came Peter look
ing for him. Il forgot you can't run
SO fast as can" said Peter.
So Peter Rabbit hoped SLOWLY
and behind him Baby Possum sour
RED as fast as his little legs would
take him. He was getting dread
fully out of breath and, oh, so tired
"Ah doan believe anybody's fol-
lowing we-an,' painted Baby Pos
sum.
But Peter Rabbit was sure that
there was. and grew more worried
every minute. Pretty soon they
came to a very wet place where
the water stood in puddles on the
ground. Baby Possum stopped for
ne didn't want to get his feet wet
linen, before he knew what was
coming. Peter Rabbit had pushed
MN right into one of the puddles
Now follow me-" whispered Peter
Rabbit flercely, hopping through
one puddle after another. and Debv
Possum was so frightened that he
did ''~
Pretty soon, they came to a hol-
low log into which Peter crawled
and Baby Possum after him. Hardly
were they safely inside when peep
ing through knot hole Baby Pos
sum saw something long and slim
with fierce little eyes, running with
lts nose to the ground, and it was
following the tracks of Baby Pos
sum and Peter Rabbit. Right In to
the first puddle of water it came
and then stopped and showed all
lts teetn IN an angry snarl.
ITS Shadow the Weasel" whis-
pered Peter Rabbit, land he can't
follow us any farther because he
cannot smell our tracks in the
WatarD