[Illustration: "You don't mean to say so, Peter," interrupted
Grandfather Frog.]
Peter grinned and wrinkled his nose at Grandfather Frog.
"Yes," said he, "Old Mother Nature knows a great deal more than I do,
but it seems to me as if she had made a mistake in giving Sammy Jay
such a handsome coat. There must be a reason, I suppose, but for the
life of me I cannot understand it. I should think that she would give
such a thief as Sammy Jay the very homeliest suit she could find. You
may depend I would, if I were in her place."
Grandfather Frog chuckled until he shook all over.
"It's lucky for some of us that you are not in her place!" said he.
"Chug-a-rum! It certainly is lucky!"
"If I were, I would give you a handsome coat, too, Grandfather Frog,"
replied Peter.
Grandfather Frog suddenly swelled out with indignation. "Chug-a-rum!
Chug-a-rum! What's the matter with the coat I have got, Peter Rabbit?
Tell me that! Who's got a handsomer one?" Grandfather Frog glared with
his great, goggly eyes at Peter.
"I didn't mean to say that you haven't got a handsome coat. Your coat
_is_ handsome, very handsome indeed, Grandfather Frog," Peter hastened
to say. "I always did like green. I just love it! And I should think
you would be ever so proud of your white and yellow waistcoat. I would
if it were mine. What I meant to say is, that if I were in Old Mother
Nature's place, I would give some plain folks handsome suits.
Certainly, I wouldn't give such a rascal as Sammy Jay one of the
handsomest coats in all the Green Forest.
Pages:
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44