( an earlier version was prepared by k . nordquist and barbara tozier . ) the adventures of danny meadow mouse books by thornton w burgess bedtime story-books @number@ the adventures of reddy fox @number@ the adventures of johnny chuck @number@ the adventures of peter cottontail @number@ the adventures of unc ' billy possum @number@ the adventures of mr . mocker @number@ the adventures of jerry muskrat @number@ the adventures of danny meadow mouse @number@ the adventures of grandfather frog @number@ the adventures of chatterer , the red squirrel @number@ the adventures of sammy jay @number@ the adventures of buster bear @number@ the adventures of old mr . toad @number@ the adventures of prickly porky @number@ the adventures of old man coyote @number@ the adventures of paddy the beaver @number@ the adventures of poor mrs . quack @number@ the adventures of bobby coon @number@ the adventures of jimmy skunk @number@ the adventures of bob white @number@ the adventures of ol ' mistah buzzard old mother west wind series @number@ old mother west wind @number@ mother west wind's children @number@ mother west wind's animal friends @number@ mother west wind's neighbors @number@ mother west wind's " why " stories @number@ mother west wind's " how " stories @number@ mother west wind's " when " stories @number@ mother west wind's " where " stories green meadow series @number@ happy jack @number@ mrs peter rabbit [ illustration : " i tell you what , you stay right here ! " frontispiece . see page @number@ ] burgess trade quaddies mark the bedtime story-books the adventures of danny meadow mouse by thornton w burgess author of " the adventures of reddy fox , " " old mother west wind , " etc with illustrations by harrison cady [ illustration ] boston little , brown , and company @number@ copyright , @number@ , by little , brown , and company . all rights reserved contents chapter page i danny meadow mouse is worried @date@ . danny meadow mouse and his short tail @date@ . danny meadow mouse plays hide and seek @date@ . old granny fox tries for danny meadow mouse @date@ . what happened on the green meadows @date@ . danny meadow mouse remembers and reddy fox forgets @date@ . old granny fox tries a new plan @date@ . brother north wind proves a friend @number@ ix . danny meadow mouse is caught at last @number@ x . a strange ride and how it ended @number@ xi . peter rabbit gets a fright @number@ xii . the old briar-patch has a new tenant @number@ xiii . peter rabbit visits the peach orchard @number@ xiv . farmer brown sets a trap @number@ xv . peter rabbit is caught in a snare @number@ xvi . peter rabbit's hard journey @number@ xvii . danny meadow mouse becomes worried @number@ xviii . danny meadow mouse returns a kindness @number@ xix . peter rabbit and danny meadow mouse live high @number@ xx . timid danny meadow mouse @number@ xxi . an exciting day for danny meadow mouse @number@ xxii . what happened next to danny meadow mouse @number@ xxiii . reddy fox grows curious @number@ xxiv . reddy fox loses his temper @number@ list of illustrations " i tell you what , you stay right here ! " frontispiece " got plenty to eat and drink , haven't you ? " the adventures of danny meadow mouse i danny meadow mouse is worried he had only a nod for jimmy skunk , and even peter rabbit could get no more than a grumpy " good morning . " it wasn't that he had been caught napping the day before by reddy fox and nearly made an end of . no , it wasn't that . danny had learned his lesson , and reddy would never catch him again . it wasn't that he was all alone with no one to play with . danny was rather glad that he was alone . the fact is , danny meadow mouse was worried . but you know it is the easiest thing in the world to find something to worry over and make yourself uncomfortable about . and when you make yourself uncomfortable , you are almost sure to make every one around you equally uncomfortable . it was so with danny meadow mouse . and what do you think was the matter with danny meadow mouse ? why , he was worrying because his tail is short . yes , sir , that is all that ailed danny meadow mouse that bright morning . you know some people let their looks make them miserable . they worry because they are homely or freckled , or short or tall , or thin or stout , all of which is very foolish . and danny meadow mouse was just as foolish in worrying because his tail is short . it is short ! it certainly is all of that ! danny never had realized how short until he chanced to meet his cousin whitefoot , who lives in the green forest . he was very elegantly dressed , but the most imposing thing about him was his long , slim , beautiful tail . ever since he had been thinking and thinking , and wondering how his family came to have such short tails . then he grew envious and began to wish and wish and wish that he could have a long tail like his cousin whitefoot . if it hadn't been for one of the merry little breezes , danny would have been caught . and all because he was envious . it 's a bad , bad habit . ii danny meadow mouse and his short tail all danny meadow mouse could think about was his short tail . instead of playing in the sunshine as he used to do , he sat and sulked . pretty soon his friends began to pass without stopping . finally one day old mr toad sat down in front of danny and began to ask questions . " what 's the matter ? " asked old mr toad . " nothing , " replied danny meadow mouse . [ illustration : " got plenty to eat and drink , haven't you ? " continued mr . toad . page @number@ ] danny fidgeted , and old mr toad looked up at jolly , round , red mr sun and winked . " sun is just as bright as ever , isn't it ? " he inquired . " yes , " said danny . " got plenty to eat and drink , haven't you ? " continued mr . toad . " yes , " said danny . " seems to me that that is a pretty good looking suit of clothes you 're wearing , " said mr toad , eyeing danny critically . danny hung his head . finally he looked up and caught a kindly twinkle in old mr toad 's eyes . " mr toad , how can i get a long tail like my cousin whitefoot of the green forest ? " he asked . " so that 's what 's the matter ! ha ! ha ! ha ! danny meadow mouse , i 'm ashamed of you ! i certainly am ashamed of you ! " said mr toad . " what good would a long tail do you ? tell me that . " for a minute danny didn't know just what to say . " i i i 'd look so much better if i had a long tail , " he ventured . old mr toad just laughed . " you never saw a meadow mouse with a long tail , did you ? of course not . what a sight it would be ! why , everybody on the green meadows would laugh themselves sick at the sight ! you see you need to be slim and trim and handsome to carry a long tail well . and then what a nuisance it would be ! you would always have to be thinking of your tail and taking care to keep it out of harm 's way . look at me . i 'm homely . some folks call me ugly to look at . " perhaps you are right , " said danny meadow mouse after a little . " i 'll try . " iii danny meadow mouse plays hide and seek life is always a game of hide and seek to danny meadow mouse . danny liked the snow . yes , sir , danny meadow mouse liked the snow . he just loved to dig in it and make tunnels . through those tunnels in every direction he could go where he pleased and when he pleased without being seen by anybody . it was great fun ! every little way he made a little round doorway up beside a stiff stalk of grass . out of this he could peep at the white world , and he could get the fresh cold air . now reddy fox knew all about those doorways and who made them . reddy was having hard work to get enough to eat this cold weather , and he was hungry most of the time . reddy 's mouth watered , and he stole forward more softly than ever . when he got within jumping distance , he drew his stout hind legs under him and made ready to spring . presto ! danny meadow mouse had disappeared ! reddy fox jumped just the same and began to dig as fast as he could make his paws go . he could smell danny meadow mouse and that made him almost frantic . [ illustration : danny popped his head out of another little doorway and laughed at reddy . page @number@ ] of course reddy saw him , and of course reddy tried to catch him there , and dug frantically just as before . and of course danny meadow mouse wasn't there . after a while reddy fox grew tired of this kind of a game and tried another plan . the next time he saw danny meadow mouse stick his head out , reddy pretended not to see him . he stretched himself out on the ground and made believe that he was very tired and sleepy . he closed his eyes . then he opened them just the tiniest bit , so that he could see danny meadow mouse and yet seem to be asleep . danny watched him for a long time . then he chuckled to himself and dropped out of sight . no sooner was he gone than reddy fox stole over close to the little doorway and waited . " he 'll surely stick his head out again to see if i 'm asleep , and then i 'll have him , " said reddy to himself . so he waited and waited and waited . by and by he turned his head . there was danny meadow mouse at another little doorway laughing at him ! iv old granny fox tries for danny meadow mouse danny meadow mouse had not enjoyed anything so much for a long time as he did that game of hide and seek . he tickled and chuckled all the afternoon as he thought about it . of course reddy had been " it . " he had been " it " all the time , for never once had he caught danny meadow mouse . but danny never let himself think about this . he had enjoyed the game all the more because it had been such a dangerous game . finally reddy had given up in disgust and gone off muttering angrily to try to find something else for dinner . danny had sat up on the snow and watched him go . in his funny little squeaky voice danny shouted : " though reddy fox is smart and sly , hi-hum-diddle-de-o ! i 'm just as smart and twice as spry . hi-hum-diddle-de-o ! " that night reddy fox told old granny fox all about how he had tried to catch danny meadow mouse . granny listened with her head cocked on one side . when reddy told how fat danny meadow mouse was , her mouth watered . so , bright and early the next morning , old granny fox and reddy fox went down on the meadows where danny meadow mouse lives . then he peeped out of one of his little doorways hidden in a clump of tall grass . she knew that she could tell by the smell which one he had been at last . finally she came straight towards the tall bunch of grass . danny ducked down and scurried along one of his little tunnels . he heard granny fox sniff at the doorway he had just left . suddenly something plunged down through the snow right at his very heels . danny didn't have to look to know that it was granny fox herself , and he squeaked with fright . v what happened on the green meadows thick and fast things were happening to danny meadow mouse down on the snow-covered green meadows . rather , they were almost happening . he hadn't minded when reddy fox all alone tried to catch him . indeed , he had made a regular game of hide and seek of it and had enjoyed it immensely . but now it was different . granny fox wasn't so easily fooled as reddy fox . just granny alone would have made the game dangerous for danny meadow mouse . yes , sir , that is just how it seemed . but old granny fox knew all about those little tunnels , and she didn't waste any time digging at the doorways . instead she cocked her sharp little ears and listened with all her might . now granny fox has very keen ears , oh , very keen ears , and she heard just what she hoped she would hear . she heard danny meadow mouse running along one of his little tunnels under the snow . plunge ! old granny fox dived right into the snow and right through into the tunnel of danny meadow mouse . her two black paws actually touched danny 's tail . he was glad then that it was no longer . " ha ! " cried granny fox , " i almost got him that time ! " then she ran ahead a little way over the snow , listening as before . plunge ! into the snow she went again . it was lucky for him that danny had just turned into another tunnel , for otherwise she would surely have caught him . granny fox blew the snow out of her nose . " next time i 'll get him ! " said she . now reddy fox is quick to learn , especially when it is a way to get something to eat . perhaps that was because reddy is very selfish himself . but he didn't take the pains to make sure of just where danny was , and so of course he didn't come anywhere near him . but he frightened danny still more and made old granny fox lose her temper . poor danny meadow mouse ! he had never been so frightened in all his life . he didn't know which way to turn or where to run . and so he sat still , which , although he didn't know it , was the very best thing he could do . when he sat still he made no noise , and so of course granny and reddy fox could not tell where he was . old granny fox sat and listened and listened and listened , and wondered where danny meadow mouse was . and down under the snow danny meadow mouse sat and listened and listened and listened , and wondered where granny and reddy fox were . " pooh ! " said granny fox after a while , " that meadow mouse thinks he can fool me by sitting still . i 'll give him a scare . " vi danny meadow mouse remembers and reddy fox forgets " there he goes ! " cried old granny fox . " don't let him sit still again ! " " i hear him ! " shouted reddy fox , and plunged down into the snow just as granny fox had done a minute before . reddy fox grinned , then licked his chops and smacked his lips . then once more they took turns diving into the snow . and down underneath in the little tunnels he had made , danny meadow mouse was running for his life . he was getting tired , just as old granny fox had said he would . he was almost out of breath . " oh , dear ! oh , dear ! " i 've got to get somewhere ! i 've got to get somewhere where they can't get at me ! " he sobbed . and right that very instant he remembered the old fence-post ! the old fence-post lay on the ground and was hollow . fastened to it were long wires with sharp cruel barbs . why hadn't he thought of it before ? it must have been because he was too frightened to think . now old granny fox knew all about that old fence-post and she remembered all about those barbed wires fastened to it . reddy fox knew about those wires , too , but he was so excited that he forgot all about them . " stop ! " cried old granny fox sharply . but reddy fox didn't hear , or if he heard he didn't heed . his sharp ears could hear danny meadow mouse running almost underneath him . granny fox could stop if she wanted to , but he was going to have danny meadow mouse for his breakfast ! down into the snow he plunged as hard as ever he could . " oh ! oh ! wow ! wow ! oh , dear ! oh , dear ! " that wasn't the voice of danny meadow mouse . oh , my , no ! it was the voice of reddy fox . yes , sir , it was the voice of reddy fox . he had landed with one of his black paws right on one of those sharp wire barbs , and it did hurt dreadfully . " it serves you right for forgetting ! " " yes 'm , " said reddy meekly . vii old granny fox tries a new plan old granny fox kept thinking about danny meadow mouse . she knew that he was fat , and it made her mouth water every time she thought of him . she made up her mind that she must and would have him . old granny fox is very smart . " danny meadow mouse won't put his nose out of that old fence-post for a day or two . if nothing frightens him , he 'll keep going a little farther and a little farther from that old fence-post . i must see to it that danny meadow mouse isn't frightened for a few days . " so said old granny fox to herself , as she lay under a hemlock-tree , studying how she could best get the next meal . then she called reddy fox to her and forbade him to go down on the meadows until she should tell him he might . reddy grumbled and mumbled and didn't see why he shouldn't go where he pleased , but he didn't dare disobey . you see he had a sore foot . that meant that he must depend upon granny fox to help him get enough to eat . so reddy didn't dare to disobey . it all came out just as granny fox had thought it would . danny meadow mouse did get tired of staying in the old fence-post . hidden on the edge of the green forest , granny fox watched him . she looked up at the sky , and she knew that it was going to snow again . " that 's good , " said she . " to-morrow morning i 'll have fat meadow mouse for breakfast , " and she smiled a hungry smile . it had snowed again , and all of the little doorways of danny meadow mouse were covered up with soft , fleecy snow . behind granny fox limped reddy fox , grumbling to himself . when they reached the place where the old fence-post lay buried under the snow , old granny fox stretched out as flat as she could . then she told reddy to cover her up with the new soft snow . reddy did as he was told , but all the time he grumbled . " now you go off to the green forest and keep out of sight , " said granny fox . viii brother north wind proves a friend danny meadow mouse had seen nothing of old granny fox or reddy fox for several days . but every time he did this , danny used a different doorway . you see there is a great deal of wisdom in the little head that danny meadow mouse carries on his shoulders . but he hadn't forgotten , as granny fox had hoped he would . no , indeed , danny meadow mouse hadn't forgotten . he was too wise for that . one morning , when he started to climb up to one of his little doorways , he found that it was closed . yes , sir , it was closed . in fact , there wasn't any doorway . more snow had fallen from the clouds in the night and had covered up every one of the little round doorways of danny meadow mouse . " ha ! " said danny , " i shall have a busy day , a very busy day , opening all my doorways . i 'll eat my breakfast , and then i 'll go to work . " it really wasn't work at all , for you see the snow was soft and light , and danny dearly loved to dig in it . he looked this way and he looked that way . " i don't see anything or anybody to be afraid of , " said danny and poked his head out a little farther . then he sat and studied everything around him a long , long time . it was a beautiful white world , a very beautiful white world . everything was so white and pure and beautiful that it didn't seem possible that harm or danger for any one could even be thought of . just a little way off was a little heap of snow . " i don't remember that , " said danny . " and i don't remember anything that would make that . there isn't any little bush or old log or anything underneath it . perhaps rough brother north wind heaped it up , just for fun . " but all the time danny meadow mouse kept studying and studying that little heap of snow . pretty soon he saw rough brother north wind coming his way and tossing the snow about as he came . it was just the color of the cloak old granny fox wears . " granny fox , you can't fool me ! i see you plain as plain can be ! " ix danny meadow mouse is caught at last " tippy-toppy-tippy-toe , play and frolic in the snow ! now you see me ! now you don't ! think you 'll catch me , but you won't ! tippy-toppy-tippy-toe , oh , such fun to play in snow ! " he thought he was , though , and was enjoying it just as much as if he had the most beautiful voice in the world . you know singing is nothing in the world but happiness in the heart making itself heard . oh , yes , danny meadow mouse was happy ! why shouldn't he have been ? hadn't he proved himself smarter than old granny fox ? that is something to make any one happy . that is just what danny meadow mouse had done , and he felt very smart and of course he felt very happy . but with all his smartness , danny forgot . yes , sir , danny forgot one thing . he forgot to watch up in the sky . he knew that of course old roughleg the hawk was asleep , so he had nothing to fear from him . but he never once thought of hooty the owl . dear me , dear me ! forgetting is a dreadful habit . if nobody ever forgot , there wouldn't be nearly so much trouble in the world . no , indeed , there wouldn't be nearly so much trouble . and danny meadow mouse forgot . he skipped and sang and was happy as could be , and never once thought to watch up in the sky . over in the green forest hooty the owl had had poor hunting , and he was feeling cross . you see , hooty was hungry , and hunger is apt to make one feel cross . the longer he hunted , the hungrier and crosser he grew . suddenly he thought of danny meadow mouse . i believe i 'll go down on the meadows and see . " now hooty the owl can fly without making the teeniest , weeniest sound . it seems as if he just drifts along through the air like a great shadow . now he spread his great wings and floated out over the meadows . hooty 's great eyes grew brighter and fiercer . without a sound he floated through the moonlight until he was just over danny meadow mouse . too late danny looked up . his little song ended in a tiny squeak of fear , and he started for his nearest little round doorway . hooty the owl reached down with his long cruel claws and danny meadow mouse was caught at last ! x a strange ride and how it ended danny meadow mouse often had sat watching skimmer the swallow sailing around up in the blue , blue sky . it had seemed to him that it must be very wonderful and beautiful . sometimes he had wished that he had wings and could go up in the air and look down . and now here he was , he , danny meadow mouse , actually doing that very thing ! [ illustration : he was being carried . page @number@ ] but danny could see nothing wonderful or beautiful now . no , indeed ! everything was terrible , for you see danny meadow mouse wasn't flying himself . he was being carried . yes , sir , danny meadow mouse was being carried through the air in the cruel claws of hooty the owl ! and all because danny had forgotten forgotten to watch up in the sky for danger . poor , poor danny meadow mouse ! hooty 's great cruel claws hurt him dreadfully ! but it wasn't the pain that was the worst . no , indeed ! it wasn't the pain ! as he flew , hooty kept chuckling , and danny meadow mouse knew just what those chuckles meant . they meant that hooty was thinking of the good meal he was going to have . hanging there in hooty 's great cruel claws , danny looked down on the snow-covered green meadows he loved so well . they seemed a frightfully long way below him , though really they were not far at all , for hooty was flying very low . but he couldn't keep them shut . no , sir , he couldn't keep them shut ! he just had to keep opening them . there was the dear old green forest drawing nearer and nearer . just ahead of him was the old briar-patch where peter rabbit lives so safely . every old bramble in it was covered with snow and it was very , very beautiful . really everything was just as beautiful as ever the moonlight , the green forest , the snow-covered green meadows , the old briar-patch . the only change was in danny meadow mouse himself , and it was all because he had forgotten . suddenly danny began to wriggle and struggle . " keep still ! " snapped hooty the owl . but danny only struggled harder than ever . it seemed to him that hooty wasn't holding him as tightly as at first . he felt one of hooty 's claws slip . it tore his coat and hurt dreadfully , but it slipped ! danny kicked , squirmed and twisted , and twisted , squirmed , and kicked . hooty had started down now , so as to get a better hold . danny gave one more kick and then he felt himself falling ! danny meadow mouse shut his eyes and held his breath . down , down , down he fell . it seemed to him that he never would strike the snow-covered meadows ! really he fell only a very little distance . but it seemed a terrible distance to danny . xi peter rabbit gets a fright the night before he had had a narrow escape from old granny fox over in the green forest . peter was just dozing off when he heard the cheeriest little voice in the world . it was saying : " dee-dee-chickadee ! i see you ! can you see me ? " peter began to smile even before he could get his eyes open and look up . there , right over his head , was tommy tit hanging head down from a nodding old bramble . " dee-dee-chickadee ! i 'm as happy as can be ! find it much the better way to be happy all the day . dee-dee-chickadee ! everybody 's good to me ! " " hello , tommy ! " said peter rabbit . " where'd you come from ? " " from farmer brown 's new orchard up on the hill . it 's a fine orchard , peter rabbit , a fine orchard . i go there every morning for my breakfast . if the winter lasts long enough , i 'll have all the trees cleaned up for farmer brown . " peter looked puzzled . " what do you mean ? " he asked . " just what i say , " replied tommy tit , almost turning a somersault in the air . " there 's a million eggs of insects on those young peach-trees , but i 'm clearing them all off as fast as i can . they 're mighty fine eating , peter rabbit , mighty fine eating ! " and with that tommy tit had said good-by and flitted away . peter was thinking of that young orchard now , as he sat in the moonlight trying to make up his mind where to go . the thought of those young peach-trees made his mouth water . it startled peter so that he nearly tumbled over backward . and right at the same instant came the fierce , angry scream of hooty the owl . that almost made peter 's heart stop beating , although he knew that hooty couldn't get him down there in the old briar-patch . his big eyes grew bigger than ever , and he rubbed them to make quite sure that he really saw what he thought he saw . yes , there was no doubt about it there at his feet lay danny meadow mouse ! xii the old briar-patch has a new tenant danny meadow mouse slowly opened his eyes and then closed them again quickly , as if afraid to look around . he could hear some one talking . danny lay still a minute and listened . " why , danny meadow mouse , where in the world did you drop from ? " asked the voice . it sounded like why , very much like peter rabbit speaking . danny opened his eyes again . it was peter rabbit . " where where am i ? " asked danny meadow mouse in a very weak and small voice . " in the middle of the dear old briar-patch with me , " replied peter rabbit . " but how did you get here ? you seemed to drop right out of the sky . " danny meadow mouse shuddered . the very last thing he could remember was hooty 's fierce scream of rage and disappointment . danny shuddered again . then a new thought came to him . he must get out of sight ! hooty might catch him again ! danny tried to scramble to his feet . " ooch ! oh ! " groaned danny and lay still again . " there , there . keep still , danny meadow mouse . there 's nothing to be afraid of here , " said peter rabbit gently . " oh , dear , whatever shall i do now ? " he ended . peter rabbit looked thoughtful . " you can't do it , " said he . " you simply can't do it . it is such a long way for a little fellow like you that it wouldn't be safe to try . if you went at night , hooty the owl might catch you again . if you tried in daylight , old roughleg the hawk would be almost sure to see you . i tell you what , you stay right here ! the dear old briar-patch is the safest place in the world . you know i don't care for them myself . i 'm lonesome sometimes , living here all alone . you stay here , and we 'll have the old briar-patch to ourselves . " danny meadow mouse looked at peter gratefully . " i will , and thank you ever so much , peter rabbit , " he said . and this is how the dear old briar-patch happened to have another tenant . xiii peter rabbit visits the peach orchard " don't go , peter rabbit ! don't go ! " begged danny meadow mouse . peter hopped to the edge of the old briar-patch and looked over the moonlit , snow-covered meadows to the hill back of farmer brown 's house . " i think i will , danny , just this once , " said peter . " oh i 'm as bold as bold can be ! sing hoppy-hippy-hippy-hop-o ! i 'll hie me forth the world to see ! sing hoppy-hippy-hippy-hop-o ! my ears are long , my legs are strong , so now good day ; i 'll hie away ! sing hoppy-hippy-hippy-hop-o ! " danny meadow mouse watched him go and shook his head in disapproval . " foolish , foolish , foolish ! " he said over and over to himself . " why can't peter be content with the good things that he has ? " peter rabbit hurried along through the moonlight , stopping every few minutes to sit up to look and listen . all in good time peter came to the young orchard . it was just as tommy tit the chickadee had told him . peter hopped up to the nearest peach-tree and nibbled the bark . my , how good it tasted ! he went all around the tree , stripping off the bark . he stood up on his long hind legs and reached as high as he could . then he dug the snow away and ate down as far as he could . when he could get no more tender young bark , he went on to the next tree . now though peter didn't know it , he was in the very worst kind of mischief . oh , it was the very worst kind of mischief that peter rabbit was in . suddenly , just as he had begun on another tree , a great roar right behind him made him jump almost out of his skin . right at his heels , his great mouth wide open , was bowser the hound . xiv farmer brown sets a trap peter rabbit was in trouble . he had gotten into mischief and now , like every one who gets into mischief , he wished that he hadn't . where was he ? why , in the stone wall on one side of farmer brown 's young peach orchard . how peter blessed the old stone wall in which he had found a safe hiding-place ! bowser had hung around nearly all night , so that peter had not dared to try to go home . now it was daylight , and peter knew it would not be safe to put his nose outside . peter was worried , so worried that he couldn't go to sleep as he usually does in the daytime . so he sat hidden in the old wall and waited and watched . by and by he saw farmer brown and farmer brown 's boy come out into the orchard . peter grew so curious that he forgot all about his troubles and how far away from home he was . he could hardly wait for night to come so that he might see what they had been doing . farmer brown was smiling now . " i guess that that will fix him ! " he said . " now what does he mean by that ? " thought peter . " who will it fix ? can it be me ? i don't need any fixing . " he waited just as long as he could . so peter hurried over to the nearest tree . all around the trunk of the tree , from the ground clear up higher than peter could reach , was wrapped wire netting . peter couldn't get so much as a nibble of the delicious bark . peter looked around . everything was quiet . he would try the next tree , and then he would go home . but the next tree was wrapped with wire . it was protected just like the others . then peter forgot all about going home . he wanted some of that delicious bark , and he ran from one tree to another as fast as he could go . at last , way down at the end of the orchard , peter found a tree that had no wire around it . " they must have forgotten this one ! " he thought , and his eyes sparkled . all around on the snow were a lot of little , shiny wires , but peter didn't notice them . all he saw was that delicious bark on the young peach-tree . xv peter rabbit is caught in a snare instead of doing this , he fell flat on his face . the thing on his hind leg had tightened and held him fast . a great fear came to peter rabbit , and lying there in the snow , he kicked and struggled with all his might . but the more he kicked , the tighter grew that hateful thing on his leg ! finally he grew too tired to kick any more and lay still . the dreadful thing that held him hurt his leg , but it didn't pull when he lay still . when he had grown a little calmer , peter sat up to examine the thing which held him so fast . peter tried to bite off the shiny thing , but even his great , sharp front teeth couldn't cut it . then peter knew what it was . it was wire ! big tears rolled down peter 's cheeks . what should he do ? what could he do ? for a long time peter sat in the moonlight , trying to think of something to do . at last he thought of the stake to which that hateful wire was fastened . the stake was of wood , and peter 's teeth would cut wood . he looked up to see whom do you think ? why , bowser the hound ! poor peter rabbit ! there wasn't time to finish cutting off the stake . what could he do ? he made a frightened jump just as he had when he first felt the wire tugging at his leg . just as before , he was thrown flat on his face . he scrambled to his feet and jumped again , only to be thrown just as before . just then bowser the hound saw him and opening his mouth sent forth a great roar . peter made one more frantic jump . snap ! the stake had broken ! peter pitched forward on his head , turned a somersault , and scrambled to his feet . he was free at last ! that is , he could run , but after him dragged a piece of the stake . how peter did run ! it was hard work , for you know he had to drag that piece of stake after him . xvi peter rabbit's hard journey and peter also knew too that by this time hooty the owl would probably have caught his dinner . so would old granny fox and reddy fox . bowser the hound would be too sleepy to be on the watch . it would be the very safest time for peter to try to get to his home in the dear old briar-patch . so peter waited and waited . but the old wall kept peter safe , and bowser gave it up . and all the time peter sat waiting he was in great pain . it was on account of this that peter was waiting for mrs moon to put out her light . so he waited and waited , and by and by , sure enough , mrs moon put out her light . peter waited a little longer , listening with all his might . everything was still . then peter crept out of the old stone wall . right away trouble began . the stake dragging at the end of the wire fast to his leg caught among the stones and pulled peter up short . my , how it did hurt ! it made the tears come . but peter shut his teeth hard , and turning back , he worked until he got the stake free . then he started on once more , dragging the stake after him . he had to stop to rest very , very often , and then he would listen and listen . over and over again he said to himself : " oh , dear , whatever did i go up to the young peach orchard for when i knew i had no business there ? why couldn't i have been content with all the good things that were mine in the green forest and on the green meadows ? oh , dear ! oh , dear ! " just as jolly , round , red mr sun began to light up the green meadows , peter rabbit reached the dear old briar-patch . danny meadow mouse was sitting on the edge of it anxiously watching for him . peter crawled up and started to creep in along one of his little private paths . xvii danny meadow mouse becomes worried the seeds in these were very nice indeed , and danny always felt especially good after a meal of them . danny meadow mouse had grown very fond of peter rabbit , for peter had been very , very good to him . danny felt that he never , never could repay all of peter 's kindness . but peter had done more than that . he had taken care of danny , such good care , during the first few days after danny 's escape from hooty the owl . he had brought good things to eat while danny was too weak and sore to get things for himself . oh , peter had been very good indeed to him ! but now , as danny limped around , he was not happy . no , sir , he was not happy . the truth is , danny meadow mouse was worried . it was a different kind of worry from any he had known before . you see , for the first time in his life , danny was worrying about some one else . he was worrying about peter rabbit . peter had been gone from the old briar-patch a whole night and a whole day . he often was gone all night , but never all day too . danny was sure that something had happened to peter . he thought of how he had begged peter not to go up to farmer brown 's young peach orchard . he had felt in his bones that it was not safe , that something dreadful would happen to peter . how peter had laughed at him and bravely started off ! why hadn't he come home ? as he limped around , danny talked to himself : it was now the second night since peter rabbit had gone away . danny meadow mouse couldn't sleep at all . round and round through the old briar-patch he limped , and finally sat down at the edge of it to wait and watch . he rubbed his eyes and looked again . it was no , it couldn't be yes , it was peter rabbit ! but what was the matter with him ? always before peter had come home , but now he was crawling , actually crawling ! danny meadow mouse didn't know what to make of it . nearer and nearer came peter . something was following him . no , peter was dragging something after him . at last peter started to crawl along one of his little private paths into the old briar-patch . the thing dragging behind caught in the brambles , and peter fell headlong in the snow , too tired and worn out to move . then danny saw what the trouble was . peter had been caught in a snare ! danny hurried over to peter and tears stood in his eyes . " poor peter rabbit ! oh , i 'm so sorry , peter ! " he whispered . xviii danny meadow mouse returns a kindness there peter rabbit lay . he had dragged that piece of stake a long way , a very long way , indeed . but now he could drag it no farther , for it had caught in the bramble bushes . so peter just dropped on the snow and cried . yes , sir , he cried ! you see he was so tired and worn out and frightened , and his leg was so stiff and sore and hurt him so ! and then it was so dreadful to actually get home and be stopped right on your very own door-step . so peter just lay there and cried . just supposing old granny fox should come poking around and find peter caught that way ! do you wonder that peter cried ? by and by he became aware that some one was wiping away his tears . it was danny meadow mouse . and danny was singing in a funny little voice . pretty soon peter stopped crying and listened , and this is what he heard : " isn't any use to cry ! not a bit ! not a bit ! wipe your eyes and wipe ' em dry ! use your wit ! use your wit ! just remember that to-morrow never brings a single sorrow . yesterday has gone forever and to-morrow gets here never . chase your worries all away ; nothing 's worse than just to-day . " peter smiled in spite of himself . " that 's right ! that 's right ! smile away , peter rabbit . smile away ! your troubles , sir , are all to-day . and between you and me , i don't believe they are so bad as you think they are . now you lie still just where you are , while i go see what can be done . " [ illustration : peter knew that danny was doing something at the other end . page @number@ ] he was . danny meadow mouse had set out to gnaw that piece of stake all to splinters . so there he sat and gnawed and gnawed and gnawed . by and by , happening to look across the snow-covered green meadows , he saw something that made his heart jump . it was farmer brown 's boy coming straight over towards the dear old briar-patch . danny didn't say a word to peter rabbit , but gnawed faster than ever . farmer brown 's boy was almost there when danny stopped gnawing . while peter slowly dragged his way along , danny trotted behind to see that the wire did not catch on the bushes . they had safely reached peter rabbit 's secretest retreat when farmer brown 's boy came up to the edge of the dear old briar-patch . " so this is where that rabbit that killed our peach-tree lives ! " said he . " we 'll try a few snares and put you out of mischief . " and for the rest of the afternoon farmer brown 's boy was very busy around the edge of the old briar-patch . xix peter rabbit and danny meadow mouse live high he could hear farmer brown 's boy going around on the edge of the dear old briar-patch and stopping every little while to do something . in spite of his pain , peter was curious . finally he called danny meadow mouse . " danny , you are small and can keep out of sight easier than i can . go as near as ever you dare to farmer brown 's boy and find out what he is doing , " said peter rabbit . by and by he returned to peter rabbit . " ha ! " said peter rabbit . " there are little loops of that queer stuff you 've got hanging to your leg , peter , " continued danny meadow mouse . " just so ! " said peter rabbit . " and he 's put cabbage leaves and pieces of apple all around , " said danny . " we must be careful ! " said peter rabbit . peter 's leg was in a very bad way , indeed , and peter suffered a great deal of pain . the worst of it was , he didn't know how to get off the wire that was cutting into it so . he had tried to cut the wire with his big teeth , but he couldn't do it . danny meadow mouse had tried and tried to gnaw the wire , but it wasn't of the least bit of use . but danny wasn't easily discouraged , and he kept working and working at it . once he thought he felt it slip a little . he said nothing , but kept right on working . pretty soon he was sure that it slipped . he went right on working harder than ever . by and by he had it so loose that he slipped it right off of peter 's leg , and peter didn't know anything about it . my , how thankful peter was , and how he did thank danny meadow mouse ! it was a long time before peter could hop as he used to , but after the first day he managed to get around . he found that farmer brown 's boy had spread those miserable wire snares in every one of his private little paths . but peter knew what they were now . danny meadow mouse thought this great fun and a great joke on farmer brown 's boy . so every day he stole the bait , and he and peter rabbit lived high while peter 's leg was getting well . and all the time farmer brown 's boy wondered and wondered why he couldn't catch peter rabbit . xx timid danny meadow mouse danny meadow mouse is timid . everybody says so , and what everybody says ought to be so . but just as anybody can make a mistake sometimes , so can everybody . still , in this case , it is quite likely that everybody is right . danny meadow mouse is timid . ask peter rabbit . ask sammy jay . ask striped chipmunk . they will all tell you the same thing . of course this isn't true . sammy jay likes to say mean things . it isn't fair to danny meadow mouse to believe what sammy jay says . but the fact is danny certainly is timid . more than this , he isn't ashamed of it not the least little bit . there was an answering twinkle in danny 's own eyes as he continued . " no , sir , " said he , " i wouldn't stand a particle more chance than that foolish ant did . now , i don't know what it is . i mind my own business , and no one ever bothers me . i should think it would be a very uncomfortable feeling . " now there 's mr blacksnake and " danny turned his head to hide a smile . if old mr toad wasn't showing fear , no one ever did . " oh , " said he , " i didn't mean that he is anywhere around here now . do you wonder that i am afraid most of the time ? " " no , " replied old mr toad . " no , i don't wonder that you are afraid . it must be dreadful to feel hungry eyes are watching for you every minute of the day and night , too . " " oh , it 's not so bad , " replied danny . " it 's rather exciting . besides , it keeps my wits sharp all the time . i am afraid i should find life very dull indeed if , like you , i feared nothing and nobody . by the way , see how queerly that grass is moving over there . it looks as if mr blacksnake why , mr toad , where are you going in such a hurry ? " danny chuckled as he sat alone on his door-step . " oh , no , old mr toad doesn't know what fear is ! " said he . " funny how some people won't admit what everybody can see for themselves . now , i am afraid , and i 'm willing to say so . " xxi an exciting day for danny meadow mouse danny meadow mouse started along one of his private little paths very early one morning . he was on his way to get a supply of a certain kind of grass-seed of which he is very fond . he had been thinking about that seed for some time and waiting for it to get ripe . now it was just right , as he had found out the day before by a visit to the place where this particular grass grew . " i suppose that if i were really wise , i would stay nearer home and do without that nice seed . he had gone only a little way when he thought he heard a queer rustling behind him . he stopped to listen . there it was again , and it certainly was right in the path behind him ! he didn't need to be told who was making it . there was only one who could make such a sound as that mr blacksnake . now danny can run very fast along his private little paths , but he knew that mr blacksnake could run faster . " i must reach that fallen old hollow fence-post . " he was almost out of breath when he reached the post and scurried into the open end . he knew by the sound of the rustling that mr blacksnake was right at his heels . now the old post was hollow its whole length , but half-way there was an old knot-hole just big enough for danny to squeeze through . danny ran back along the top of the log and was just in time to see the tip of mr blacksnake 's tail disappear inside . then what do you think danny did ? why , he followed mr blacksnake right into the old post , but in doing it he didn't make the least little bit of noise . he kept right on along the little path . so danny waited only long enough to get his breath and then ran back along the path to where another little path branched off . for just a minute he paused . and danny was right . " brains are better far than speed as wise men long ago agreed , " said danny , as he trotted on his way for the grass-seed he liked so well . " i felt it in my bones that this would be an exciting day . i wonder what next . " xxii what happened next to danny meadow mouse danny is so used to narrow escapes that he doesn't waste any time thinking about them . he didn't this time . he had got to cross this , and all the way he would be in plain sight of any one who happened to be near . very cautiously he peeped out and looked this way and looked that way , not forgetting to look up in the sky . he could see no one anywhere . drawing a long breath , danny started across the open place as fast as his short legs could take him . [ illustration : with another frightened squeak , danny dived into the opening just in time . page @number@ ] that is why danny hadn't seen him . with a satisfied chuckle , he spread his broad wings and started after danny . danny gave a frightened squeak , for he thought that surely this time he would be caught . but he didn't mean to give up without trying to escape . three jumps ahead of him was a queer looking thing . he didn't know what it was , but if there was a hole in it he might yet fool redtail . one jump ! would he be able to reach it ? two jumps ! there was a hole in it ! three jumps ! with another frightened squeak , danny dived into the opening just in time . and what do you think he was in ? why , an old tomato can farmer brown 's boy had once used to carry bait in when he went fishing at the smiling pool . he had dropped it there on his way home . redtail screamed with rage and disappointment as he struck the old can with his great claws . he had been sure , very sure of danny meadow mouse this time ! he tried to pick the can up , but he couldn't get hold of it . it just rolled away from him every time , try as he would . finally , in disgust , he gave up and flew back to the tree from which he had first seen danny . but he wisely decided that the best thing he could do was to stay there for a while . and it was very fortunate that he did so , as he was very soon to find out . xxiii reddy fox grows curious " if i stay here long enough , he 'll get tired and go away , if he hasn't already , " thought danny . " this has been a pretty exciting morning so far , and i find that i am a little tired . i may as well take a nap while i am waiting to make sure that the way is clear . " with that danny curled up in the old tomato can . but it wasn't meant that danny should have that nap . he had closed his eyes , but his ears were still open , and presently he heard soft footsteps drawing near . his eyes flew open , and he forgot all about sleep , you may be sure , for those footsteps sounded familiar . they sounded to danny very , very much like the footsteps of whom do you think ? why , reddy fox ! danny 's heart began to beat faster as he listened . could it be ? he didn't dare peep out . presently a little whiff of scent blew into the old tomato can . then danny knew it was reddy fox . " oh , dear ! i hope he doesn't find that i am in here ! " thought danny . " i wonder what under the sun has brought him up here just now . " if the truth were to be known , it was curiosity that had brought reddy up there . he had seen redtail strike and strike again at something on the ground , and finally fly off in disgust with empty claws . " now , i wonder what it was redtail was after and why he didn't get it , " thought reddy . " he acts terribly put out and disappointed . i believe i 'll go over there and find out . " as he drew near , he crept very softly until he reached the very edge of the open patch . there he stopped and looked sharply all over it . there was nothing to be seen but an old tomato can . reddy had seen it many times before . " now what under the sun could redtail have been after here ? " thought reddy . " the grass isn't long enough for a grasshopper to hide in , and yet redtail didn't get what he was after . it 's very queer . it certainly is very queer . " back and forth , back and forth he ran , and then suddenly he stopped . " ha ! " exclaimed reddy . he had found the scent left by danny meadow mouse when he ran across towards the old tomato can . right up to the old can reddy 's nose led him . he hopped over the old can , but on the other side he could find no scent of danny meadow mouse . in a flash he understood , and a gleam of satisfaction shone in his yellow eyes as he turned back to the old can . he knew that danny must be hiding in there . " i 've got you this time ! " he snarled , as he sniffed at the opening in the end of the can . xxiv reddy fox loses his temper reddy fox had caught danny meadow mouse , and yet he hadn't caught him . he was in no hurry . he had had a pretty good breakfast of grasshoppers , and so he thought he would torment danny a while before gobbling him up . reddy grinned until he showed all his long teeth . reddy always is a bully , especially when his victim is a great deal smaller and weaker than himself . " i 've got you this time , mr smarty , haven't i ? " taunted reddy . danny didn't say anything . " you think you 've been very clever because you have fooled me two or three times , don't you ? danny didn't answer . the fact is , he was too frightened to answer . besides , he didn't know what he could do . so he just kept still , but his bright eyes never once left reddy 's cruel face . for all his fright , danny was doing some hard thinking . he had been in tight places before and had learned never to give up hope . something might happen to frighten reddy away . anyway , reddy had got to get him out of that old can before he would admit that he was really caught . for a long time reddy lay there licking his chops and saying all the things he could think of to frighten poor danny meadow mouse . " i 'll pull you out , " said reddy and thrust in one black paw . danny promptly bit it so hard that reddy yelped with pain and pulled it out in a hurry . presently he tried again with the other paw . danny bit this one harder still , and reddy danced with pain and anger . then he lost his temper completely , a very foolish thing to do , as it always is . he hit the old can , and away it rolled with danny meadow mouse inside . this seemed to make reddy angrier than ever . he sprang after it and hit it again . then he batted it first this way and then that way , growing angrier and angrier . and all the time danny meadow mouse managed to keep inside , although he got a terrible shaking up . like a flash danny was out and scurrying along the little path . under this he was safe . " phew ! " exclaimed danny , breathing very hard . " that was the narrowest escape yet ! but i guess i 'll get that special grass-seed i started out for , after all . " and he did , while to this day reddy fox wonders how danny got out of the old tomato can without him knowing it . danny has had many more adventures , but there isn't room to tell about them here . besides grandfather frog is anxious that you should hear about the queer things that have happened to him . they are told in the next book . the end transcriber 's note : obvious punctuation errors repaired . end of the project gutenberg ebook of the adventures of danny meadow mouse , by thornton w burgess