He hurried to where Mrs. Peter was hiding under a sweet-
briar bush.
"Do you hear what that mischief-maker, Sammy Jay, is screaming?" asked
Peter.
Mrs. Peter nodded. "Don't--don't you think it sounds kind of--well, kind
of NICE, Peter?" she asked in a bashful sort of way.
Peter chuckled. "It sounds more than KIND of nice to me," said he. "Do
you know, I used to think that Sammy Jay never did and never could say
anything nice, but I've just changed my mind. Though he isn't saying it
to be nice, it really is the nicest thing I've ever heard him say. We
haven't been able to keep our secret, so I think the very best thing we
can do is to invite everybody to call. Then we can get it over with and
have a little time to ourselves. Here come the Merry Little Breezes, and
I know that they will be glad to take the invitations for us."
Mrs. Peter agreed, for she thought that anything Peter did or suggested
was just about right. So the Merry Little Breezes were soon skipping and
dancing over the Green Meadows and through the Green Forest with this
message:
"Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rabbit will be at home in the Old Briar-patch to
their friends to-morrow after-noon at shadow-time."
"Why did you make it at shadow-time?" asked Mrs. Peter.
"Because that will give all our friends a chance to come," replied
Peter. "Those who sleep through the day will have waked up, and those
who sleep through the night will not have gone to bed. Besides, it will
be safer for some of the smallest of them if the Black Shadows are about
for them to hide in on their way here.
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