nothing to be seen there, but up at the top of the hill she saw
something that made a fierce, angry gleam come into her yellow eyes.
Then she smiled grimly. "The last laugh always is the best laugh, and
this time I guess it is going to be mine," she said to herself. Very
slowly and carefully, so as not to so much as rustle a leaf, she began
to crawl around so as to come up on the back side of the hill.

Now what old Granny Fox had seen was Peter Rabbit and Jimmy Skunk and
Unc' Billy Possum rolling over and over in the dried leaves, turning
somersaults, and shouting and laughing, while Prickly Porky sat
looking on and smiling. Granny knew well enough what was tickling them
so, and she knew too that they didn't dream but that she was still
running away in fright. At last they were so tired with their good
time that they just had to stop for a rest.

"Oh, dear, I'm all out of breath," panted Peter, as he threw himself
flat on the ground. "That was the funniest thing I ever saw. I wonder
who we--"

Peter didn't finish. No, Sir, Peter didn't finish. Instead, he gave a
frightened shriek as something red flashed out from under a
low-growing hemlock-tree close behind him, and two black paws pinned
him down, and sharp teeth caught him by the back of the neck. Old
Granny Fox had caught Peter Rabbit at last!




XVIII