mischiefmaker as Sammy Jay should be given such a wonderful blue coat
with white trimmings.

Peter Rabbit often had thought about it. He has a number of feathered
friends whom he likes ever so much better than he does Sammy Jay. In
fact, he and Sammy are forever falling out, because Sammy delights to
tease Peter. He sometimes makes up for it by warning Peter when Granny
or Reddy Fox happens to be about, and Peter is honest enough to
recognize this and put it to Sammy's credit. But in spite of this, it
never seemed to him quite right that Sammy Jay should be so handsomely
dressed.

"Of course," said Peter to Grandfather Frog, "Old Mother Nature knows
a great deal more than I do--"

"Really! You don't mean to say so! Chug-a-rum! You don't mean to say
so, Peter!" interrupted Grandfather Frog, pretending to be very much
surprised at what Peter said.

[Illustration: "You don't mean to say so, Peter," interrupted
Grandfather Frog.]

Peter grinned and wrinkled his nose at Grandfather Frog.

"Yes," said he, "Old Mother Nature knows a great deal more than I do,
but it seems to me as if she had made a mistake in giving Sammy Jay
such a handsome coat. There must be a reason, I suppose, but for the
life of me I cannot understand it. I should think that she would give
such a thief as Sammy Jay the very homeliest suit she could find. You
may depend I would, if I were in her place."