IX
MR. TOAD'S OLD SUIT
Peter Rabbit was tired and very sleepy as he hopped along the Crooked Little Path down the hill. He could see Old Mother West Wind just emptying her Merry Little Breezes out of her big bag onto the Green Meadows to play all the bright summer day. Peter Rabbit yawned and yawned again as he watched them dance over to the Smiling Pool. Then he hopped on down the Crooked Little Path towards home.
Sammy Jay, sitting on a fence post, saw him coming.
"Peter Rabbit out all night!
Oh my goodness what a sight!
Peter Rabbit, reprobate!
No good end will be your fate!"
shouted Sammy Jay.
Peter Rabbit ran out his tongue at Sammy Jay.
"Who stole Happy Jack's nuts? Thief! Thief! Thief!" shouted Peter Rabbit at Sammy Jay, and kept on down the Crooked Little Path.
It was true—Peter Rabbit had been out all night playing in the moonlight, stealing a midnight feast in Farmer Brown's cabbage patch and getting into mischief with Bobby Coon. Now when most of the little meadow people were just waking up Peter Rabbit was thinking of bed.