"My goodness, how fat Johnny Chuck is getting!" thought Peter Rabbit. Then he shouted: "Come on and play hide and seek, Johnny Chuck!"
But Johnny Chuck shook his head. "Can't!" said he. "I've got to get ready for winter."
Peter Rabbit sat down and looked at Johnny Chuck curiously. He couldn't understand why anybody should take the trouble to get ready for winter. He didn't, excepting that he put on a warmer coat. So he couldn't imagine why Johnny Chuck should have to get ready for winter.
"How do you do it?" he asked.
"Do what?" Johnny Chuck looked up in surprise.
"Why, get ready for winter, of course," Peter replied, just a wee bit impatiently.
Johnny Chuck looked at Peter as if he thought Peter very stupid indeed.
"Why, I eat, of course," said he shortly, and began to stuff himself as if he hadn't had anything to eat for a week, when all the time he was so fat and roly-poly that he could hardly waddle.
Peter's eyes twinkled. "I should think you did!" he exclaimed. "I wouldn't mind getting ready for winter that way myself." You know Peter thinks a very great deal of his stomach. Then he added: "I should think you were trying to eat enough to last you all winter."
Johnny Chuck yawned sleepily and then once more began to eat. "I am," he said briefly, talking with his mouth full.