For just a little minute an ugly look crept into Reddy's face, for now he knew that once more Peter Rabbit had fooled him. But he kept his temper and managed to smile, as he said:
"Oh, don't mention it, Peter Rabbit, don't mention it. But tell me, didn't you meet the monster?"
"No," replied Peter Rabbit. And then, do what he would, he couldn't keep sober another minute, but began to laugh just as he had before.
"What's the joke, Peter Rabbit? Tell me so that I can laugh too," begged Reddy Fox.
"Why," said Peter Rabbit, when he could get his breath, "the joke is that the monster that frightened you so was the old straw hat of Farmer Brown's boy, and I was underneath it. Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho!"
Then Reddy Fox knew just how badly Peter Rabbit had fooled him. With a snarl he sprang right over the bramble bush at Peter Rabbit, but Peter was watching and darted away along one of his own special little paths through the Old Briar-patch. Reddy tried to follow, but the brambles tore his clothes and scratched his face and stuck in his feet. Finally he had to give it up. Tom and bleeding and angry, he tinned back home, and as he left the Old Briar-patch, he could still hear Peter Rabbit laughing.
XI. SHADOW THE WEASEL GETS LOST
ALL the Green Meadows had heard how Peter Rabbit had frightened Reddy Fox with an old straw hat, and everywhere that Reddy went some one was sure to shout after him: