see it clearly

Peter Rabbit And Jumper The Hare Have An Adventure

By Thornton W. Burgess

By sitting perfectly still in their white coats, Jumper the Hare and Peter Rabbit had fooled Jimmy Skunk into thinking that they were two little mounds of snow.

"Now you see how easy it is to hide and still be in plain sight?" said Jumper the Hare.

"Yes, I see," replied Peter Rabbit. "We fooled Jimmy Skunk but Jimmy isn't as sharp eyed as some folks. Besides, we weren't afraid of Jimmy Skunk. Would you dare sit that way if old Granny Fox came along, Cousin Jumper?"

Now Jumper the Hare is naturally very timid, oh, very timid, indeed. He is so timid that some folks say that he is afraid of his own shadow, but of course that isn't quite true. But when Peter Rabbit asked him that question he drew himself up and swelled himself out to look as brave as possible and said; "I'll show you, cousin Peter! I'll show you!"

Peter said nothing more but in great admiration he followed at the heels of his big cousin, lipperty, lipperty-lip, through the Green Forest which was no longer green but white. Pretty soon they came to the edge of the forest and whom should they see coming along the Lone Little Path but old Granny Fox and Reddy Fox. Peter's heart grave a great jump of fright, but Jumper the Hare didn't seem at all frightened. Right close at hand was a hollow log just about big enough for Peter to crawl into.

"You get in there and then you watch me," said Jumper the Hare. "I'll show you that it is just as easy to fool old Granny Fox as any one else." So Peter crawled into the hollow log, where he felt perfectly safe, and then he watched Jumper the Hare squat down on the snow a little to one side of the Lone Little Path, right in plain sight in the moonlight. He laid his long ears flat back on his shoulders and drew his head in close and then sat perfectly still. Peter had to admit to himself that if he hadn't known that it was Jumper he would never have thought of it being anything but a heap of snow.

Down the Lone Little Path came old Granny Fox and Reddy Fox right past where Peter Rabbit was hiding. Their eyes looked yellow and hungry and made Peter shiver, for they looked so sharp that it seemed to him as if they must see right into the hollow log. Would they see Jumper the Hare? Peter held his breath. Down the Lone LIttle Path they trotted, stepping softly, oh, so softly, and peering under every bush and tree. Suddenly Reddy stopped and began to sniff. "I thought I smelled Hare," said he.

Old Granny Fox stopped and sniffed, too, but just then tough Brother North Wind flung a handful of snow in their faces and when he had passed there was no small of Hare. Nevertheless Granny Fox looked more sharply than ever under every bush, and once she looked straight at Jumper the Hare sitting in the moonlight. Peter caught his breath with a little gulp. But all she saw was a little heap of snow, so on she went behind Reddy down onto the meadows.

When they were out of sight Jumper the Hare stretched and yawned and then hopped over to where Peter RAbbit was waiting.

"My, how brave you are, cousin Jumper!" cried Peter.

"Pooh! That's nothing! That's what I've got a white coat for -- to keep me safe as well as warm," replied Jumper the Hare. "And it is to keep you safe as well as warm that you've got a white coat, too," he added.

And before he got home that night Peter was to find out that that was true.