Nature rather sharply. "I'm surprised at the ignorance of you
two." She looked first at Chatterer, than at Happy Jack. "It is
high time you came to school to me for a while. You've got a lot
to learn. For that matter, so have Peter and Jumper. Now which
of you can tell me what order you all belong to?"

Happy Jack looked at Chatterer, Chatterer looked at Peter Rabbit,
and Peter looked at Jumper the Hare. On the face of each was such
a funny, puzzled expression that Old Mother Nature almost laughed
right out. Finally Peter Rabbit found his tongue. "If you please,"
said he, "I guess we don't know what you mean by an order."

"I thought as much," said Old Mother Nature. "I thought as much.
In the first place, the animals of the Great World are divided
into big groups or divisions, and then these groups are divided
into smaller groups, and these in turn into still smaller groups.
Happy Jack and Chatterer belong to a group called the Squirrel
family, and Peter and Jumper to a group called the Hare family.
Both of these families and several other families belong to a
bigger group called an order, and this order is the order of
Gnawers, or Rodents."

Peter Rabbit fairly jumped up in the air, he was so excited. "Then
Jumper and I must be related to Happy Jack and Chatterer," he cried.

"In a way you are," replied Old Mother Nature. "It isn't a very
close relationship, still you are related. All of you are Rodents.
So are all the members of the Rat and Mouse family, the Beaver
family, the Porcupine family, the Pocket Gopher family, the Pika
family, and the Sewellel family."