Peter came to himself with a start. "No," said he. "I was just listening
and wishing that I could sing, too. Don't you ever wish you could sing,
Jimmy?"

"No," replied Jimmy. "I never waste time wishing I could do things it was
never meant I should do. It's funny where Old Mr. Toad is. He said that he
was coming down here to sing, and Redwing the Blackbird seemed to be
expecting him. I've looked everywhere I can think of without finding him,
but I don't believe in giving up without another try. Stop your dreaming
and come help us hunt."

So Peter stopped his dreaming and joined in the search. Now there was one
place where neither Peter nor Jimmy nor Unc' Billy had thought of looking.
That was in the Smiling Pool itself. They just took it for granted that Old
Mr. Toad was somewhere on the bank. Presently Peter came to a place where
the bank was very low and the water was shallow for quite a little distance
out in the Smiling Pool. From out of that shallow water came the piping
voice of a hyla, and Peter stopped to stare, trying to see the tiny singer.

Suddenly he jumped right up in the air with surprise. There was a
familiar-looking head sticking out of the water. Peter had found Old Mr.
Toad!




V


OLD MR. TOAD'S MUSIC BAG