LIGHTFOOT THE DEER

BY

THORNTON W. BURGESS

CONTENTS

I: [Peter Rabbit Meets Lightfoot]
II: [Lightfoot's New Antlers]
III: [Lightfoot Tells How His Antlers Grew]
IV: [The Spirit Of Fear]
V: [Sammy Jay Brings Lightfoot Word]
VI: [A Game Of Hide And Seek]
VII: [The Merry Little Breezes Help Lightfoot]
VIII: [Wit Against Wit]
IX: [Lightfoot Becomes Uncertain]
X: [Lightfoot's Clever Trick]
XI: [The Hunted Watches The Hunter]
XII: [Lightfoot Visits Paddy The Beaver]
XIII: [Lightfoot And Paddy Become Partners]
XIV: [How Paddy Warned Lightfoot]
XV: [The Three Watchers]
XVI: [Visitors To Paddy's Pond]
XVII: [Sammy Jay Arrives]
XVIII: [The Hunter Loses His Temper]
XIX: [Sammy Jay Is Modest]
XX: [Lightfoot Hears A Dreadful Sound]
XXI: [How Lightfoot Got Rid Of The Hounds]
XXII: [Lightfoot's Long Swim]
XXIII: [Lightfoot Finds A Friend]
XXIV: [The Hunter Is Disappointed]
XXV: [The Hunter Lies In Wait]
XXVI: [Lightfoot Does The Wise Thing]
XXVII: [Sammy Jay Worries]
XXVIII: [The Hunting Season Ends]
XXIX: [Mr. And Mrs. Quack Are Startled]
XXX: [The Mystery Is Solved]
XXXI: [A Surprising Discovery]
XXXII: [Lightfoot Sees The Stranger]
XXXIII: [A Different Game Of Hide And Seek]
XXXIV: [A Startling New Footprint]
XXXV: [Lightfoot Is Reckless]
XXXVI: [Sammy Jay Takes A Hand]
XXXVII: [The Great Fight]
XXXVIII: [An Unseen Watcher]
XXXIX: [Lightfoot Discovers Love]
XL: [Happy Days In The Green Forest]

CHAPTER I: Peter Rabbit Meets Lightfoot

Peter Rabbit was on his way back from the pond of Paddy the Beaver deep in the Green Forest. He had just seen Mr. and Mrs. Quack start toward the Big River for a brief visit before leaving on their long, difficult journey to the far-away Southland. Farewells are always rather sad, and this particular farewell had left Peter with a lump in his throat,—a queer, choky feeling.

"If I were sure that they would return next spring, it wouldn't be so bad," he muttered. "It's those terrible guns. I know what it is to have to watch out for them. Farmer Brown's boy used to hunt me with one of them, but he doesn't any more. But even when he did hunt me it wasn't anything like what the Ducks have to go through. If I kept my eyes and ears open, I could tell when a hunter was coming and could hide in a hole if I wanted to. I never had to worry about my meals. But with the Ducks it is a thousand times worse. They've got to eat while making that long journey, and they can eat only where there is the right kind of food. Hunters with terrible guns know where those places are and hide there until the Ducks come, and the Ducks have no way of knowing whether the hunters are waiting for them or not. That isn't hunting. It's—it's—"

"Well, what is it? What are you talking to yourself about, Peter Rabbit?"