PETER RABBIT sat in his secretest place in the dear Old Briar-patch with one of his long hind1 legs all swelled2 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.
“There are little loops of that queer stuff you've got hanging to your leg, Peter,” continued Danny Meadow Mouse.
“Just so!” said Peter Rabbit.
“And he's put cabbage leaves and pieces of apple all around,” said Danny.
“We must be careful!” said Peter Rabbit.
Peter's leg was in a very bad way, indeed, and Peter suffered a great deal of pain. The worst of it was, he didn't know how to get off the wire that was cutting into it so. He had tried to cut the wire with his big teeth, but he couldn't do it. Danny Meadow Mouse had tried and tried to gnaw3 the wire, but it wasn't the least bit of use. But Danny wasn't easily discouraged, and he kept working and working at it. Once he thought he felt it slip a littl............