<h2><SPAN name="XV" id="XV"></SPAN>XV</h2>
<h3>PETER RABBIT'S BIG COUSIN</h3>
<p>Jumper the Hare had come down out of the Great Woods to the Green
Meadows. He is first cousin to Peter Rabbit, you know, and he looks just
like Peter, only he is twice as big. His legs are twice as long and he
can jump twice as far.</p>
<p>All the little meadow people were very polite to Jumper the Hare, all
but Reddy Fox, who is never polite to any one unless he has a favor to
ask. Peter Rabbit was very proud of his big cousin, very proud indeed.
He showed Jumper the Hare all the secret paths in the Green Forest and
across the Green Meadows. He took him to the Smiling Pool and the
Laughing Brook, and everywhere Jumper the Hare was met with the greatest
politeness.</p>
<p>But Jumper the Hare was timid, oh, very timid indeed. Every few jumps he
sat up very straight to look this way and look that way, and to listen
with his long ears. He jumped nervously at the least little noise. Yes,
Sir, Jumper the Hare certainly was very timid.</p>
<p>"He's a coward!" sneered Reddy Fox.</p>
<p>And Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter and Jimmy Skunk, even Johnny Chuck,
seeing Jumper the Hare duck and dodge at the shadow of Blacky the Crow,
agreed with Reddy Fox. Still, they were polite to him for the sake of
Peter Rabbit and because Jumper really was such a big, handsome fellow.
But behind his back they laughed at him. Even little Danny Meadow Mouse
laughed.</p>
<p>Now it happens that Jumper the Hare had lived all his life in the Great
Woods, where Mr. Panther and Tufty the Lynx and fierce Mr. Fisher were
always hunting him, but where the shadows were deep and where there were
plenty of places to hide. Indeed, his whole life had been a game of hide
and seek, and always he had been the one sought. So on the Green
Meadows, where hiding places were few and far between, Jumper the Hare
was nervous.</p>
<p>But the little meadow people, not knowing this, thought him a coward,
and while they were polite to him they had little to do with him, for no
one really likes a coward. Peter Rabbit, however, could see no fault in
his big cousin. He showed him where Farmer Brown's tender young carrots
grow, and the shortest way to the cabbage patch. He made him acquainted
with all his own secret hiding places in the old brier patch.</p>
<p>Then one bright sunny morning something happened. Johnny Chuck saw it.
Jimmy Skunk saw it. Happy Jack Squirrel saw it. Sammy Jay saw it. And
they told all the others.</p>
<p>Very early that morning Reddy Fox had started out to hunt for his
breakfast. He was tiptoeing softly along the edge of the Green Forest
looking for wood mice when whom should he see but Peter Rabbit. Peter
was getting his breakfast in the sweet-clover bed, just beyond the old
brier patch.</p>
<p>Reddy Fox squatted down behind a bush to watch. Peter Rabbit looked
plump and fat. Reddy Fox licked his chops. "Peter Rabbit would make a
better breakfast than wood mice, a very much better breakfast," said
Reddy Fox to himself. Beside, he owed Peter Rabbit a grudge. He had not
forgotten how Peter had tried to save his little brother from Reddy by
bringing up Bowser the Hound.</p>
<p>Reddy Fox licked his chops again. He looked this way and he looked that
way, but he could see no one watching. Old Mother West Wind had gone
about her business. The Merry Little Breezes were over at the Smiling
Pool to pay their respects to Grandfather Frog. Even jolly, round, red
Mr. Sun was behind a cloud. From his hiding place Reddy could not see
Johnny Chuck or Jimmy Skunk or Happy Jack Squirrel or Sammy Jay. "No one
will know what becomes of Peter Rabbit," thought Reddy Fox.</p>
<p>Very cautiously Reddy Fox crept out from behind the bush into the tall
meadow grass. Flat on his stomach he crawled inch by inch. Every few
minutes he stopped to listen and to peep over at the sweet-clover bed.
There sat Peter Rabbit, eating, eating, eating the tender young clover
as if he hadn't a care in the world but to fill his little round
stomach.</p>
<p>Nearer and nearer crawled Reddy Fox. Now he was almost near enough to
spring. "Thump, thump, thump!" The sound came from the brier patch.</p>
<p>"Thump, thump!"</p>
<p>This was Peter Rabbit hitting the ground with one of his hind feet. He
had stopped eating and was sitting up very straight.</p>
<p>"Thump, thump, thump!" came the signal from the brier patch.</p>
<p>"Thump, thump!" responded Peter Rabbit, and started to run.</p>
<p>With a snarl Reddy Fox sprang after him. Then the thing happened. Reddy
Fox caught a glimpse of something going over him and at the same time
he received a blow that rolled him over and over in the grass.</p>
<p>In an instant he was on his feet and had whirled about, his eyes yellow
with anger. There right in front of him sat Jumper the Hare. Reddy Fox
could hardly believe his own eyes! Could it be that Jumper the Hare, the
coward, had dared to strike him such a blow? Reddy forgot all about
Peter Rabbit. With a snarl he rushed at Jumper the Hare.</p>
<p>Then it happened again. As light as a feather Jumper leaped over him,
and as he passed, those big hind legs, at which Reddy Fox had laughed,
came back with a kick that knocked all the breath out of Reddy Fox.</p>
<p>Reddy Fox was furious. Twice more he sprang, and twice more he was sent
sprawling, with the breath knocked out of his body. That was enough.
Tucking his tail between his legs, Reddy Fox sneaked away towards the
Green Forest. As he ran he heard Peter Rabbit thumping in the old brier
patch.</p>
<p>"I'm safe," signaled Peter Rabbit.</p>
<p>"Thump, thump, thump, thump! The coast is clear," replied Jumper the
Hare.</p>
<p>Reddy Fox looked back from the edge of the Green Forest and gnashed his
teeth. Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare were rubbing noses and
contentedly eating tender young clover leaves.</p>
<p>"Now who's the coward?" jeered Sammy Jay from the top of the Lone Pine.</p>
<p>Reddy Fox said nothing, but slunk out of sight. Late that afternoon he
sat on the hill at the top of the Crooked Little Path, and looked down
on the Green Meadows. Over near the Smiling Pool were gathered all the
little meadow people having the jolliest time in the world. While he
watched they joined hands in a big circle and began to dance, Johnny
Chuck, Jimmy Skunk, Bobby Coon, Little Joe Otter, Billy Mink, Happy Jack
Squirrel, Striped Chipmunk, Danny Meadow Mouse, Peter Rabbit, Spotty the
Turtle, even Grandfather Frog and old Mr. Toad. And in the middle,
sitting very straight, was Jumper the Hare.</p>
<p>And since that day Peter Rabbit has been prouder than ever of his big
cousin, Jumper the Hare, for now no one calls him a coward.</p>
<h3>THE END</h3>
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