live there are great gossips. So it was not surprising that Striped
Chipmunk heard all about Old Mother Nature's school. The next
morning, just as the daily lesson was beginning, Striped Chipmunk
came hurrying up, quite our of breath.

"Well, well! See who's here!" exclaimed Old Mother Nature. "What
have you come for, Striped Chipmunk?"

"I've come to try to learn. Will you let me stay, Mother Nature?"
replied Striped Chipmunk.

"Of course I'll let you stay," cried Old Mother Nature heartily.
"I am glad you have come, especially glad you have come today,
because to-day's lesson is to be about you and your cousins. Now,
Peter Rabbit, what are the differences between Striped Chipmunk
and his cousins, the Tree Squirrels?"

Peter looked very hard at Striped Chipmunk as if he had never really
seen him before. "He is smaller than they are," began Peter. "In
fact, he is the smallest Squirrel I know." Peter paused.

Old Mother Nature nodded encouragingly. "Go on," said she.

"He wears a striped coat," continued Peter. "The stripes are black
and yellowish-white and run along his sides, a black stripe running
down the middle of his back. The rest of his coat is reddish-brown
above and light underneath. His tail is rather thin and flat. I
never see him in the trees, so I guess he can't climb."

"Oh, yes, I can," interrupted Striped Chipmunk. "I can climb if I