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
Peter Rabbit sat in his secretest place in the dear Old Briar-patch with one of his long hind legs all swelled up and terribly sore because of the fine wire fast around it and cutting into it. 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.
So Danny Meadow Mouse crept out as near to Farmer Brown's boy as ever he dared, and studied and studied to make out what Farmer Brown's boy was doing. By and by he returned to Peter Rabbit.
“I don't know what he's doing, Peter, but he's putting something in every one of your private little paths leading into the Briar-patch from the Green Meadows.”
“Ha!” said Peter Rabbit.