So Danny waited, and
when all the rest of the callers had left he called Peter to one side
where little Mrs. Peter couldn't hear. Danny stood up on his hind legs
so as to whisper in one of Peter's ears.
"Do you know that Old Man Coyote is the most dangerous enemy we have,
Peter Rabbit? Do you know that?" he asked.
Peter Rabbit shook his head. "I don't believe that, Danny," said he.
"His terrible voice has frightened you so that you just think him as bad
as he sounds. Why, Old Man Coyote is a friend of mine."
Then he told Danny how Old Man Coyote had done him a good turn In the
Old Pasture in return for a good turn Peter had once done him, and how
he said that he always paid his debts.
Danny Meadow Mouse looked doubtful. "What else did he say?" he demanded.
"Nothing, excepting that we were even now," replied Peter.
"Ha!" said Danny Meadow Mouse.
The way he said it made Peter turn to look at him sharply.
"Ha!" said Danny again. "If you are even, why you don't owe him
anything, and he doesn't owe you anything. Watch out, Peter Rabbit!
Watch out! I would stick pretty close to the Old Briar-patch with Mrs.
Peter if I were you. I would indeed. You used to think old Granny Fox
pretty smart, but Old Man Coyote is smarter. Yes, Sir, he is smarter!
And every one of the rest of us has got to be smarter than ever before
to keep out of his clutches. Watch out, Peter Rabbit, if you and Old Man
Coyote are even. Now, if you don't mind, I'll curl up in my old hiding-
place for the night.
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