and sweet. Out in a patch of bright moonlight he saw Peter Rabbit jumping
and dancing and having the greatest kind of a time all by himself. Pretty
soon Peter was joined by his cousin, Jumper the Hare. Such antics as they
did cut up! Sammy Jay almost laughed aloud as he watched. It was less
lonely with them there, and he did want to call to them dreadfully. But
that would never, never do, for no one must know that he was sitting up
awake all night.

By and by along came Jimmy Skunk, walking out into the patch of bright
moonlight. He touched noses with Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare, which is
one way of saying "good evening" in the Green Forest.

"Isn't it most time for Sammy Jay to scream in his sleep?" asked Peter
Rabbit.

Sammy pricked up his ears. "Scream in his sleep! Nonsense! Sammy Jay isn't
any more asleep than I am. He just screams out of pure meanness to wake up
and frighten good honest folks who want to sleep. For my part, I don't see
what any one wants to sleep for on such a fine night as this, anyway. It
serves 'em right if they do get waked up," replied Jimmy Skunk.

"But Sammy Jay says that he doesn't do it and doesn't know anything about
it," said Peter Rabbit. "Have you ever seen him scream in the night, Jimmy
Skunk?"

"No, I don't have to," replied Jimmy Skunk. "I guess I know his voice when
I hear it, and I've heard it enough times the last few nights, goodness
knows! Tell me this, Peter Rabbit: who else is there that cries 'Thief!
thief! thief!' and screams like Sammy Jay?"