little heads bobbed out of water close together. They were Billy
Mink and Little Joe Otter. A moment later Jerry Muskrat bobbed up
beside them.

You see, they had swum clear across the Smiling Pool and of course
they could swim no farther.

So Billy Mink's swimming party was a great success.



CHAPTER IX PETER RABBIT PLAYS A JOKE

One morning when big round Mr. Sun was climbing up in the sky and
Old Mother West Wind had sent all her Merry Little Breezes to
play in the Green Meadows, Johnny Chuck started out for a walk.
First he sat up very straight and looked and looked all around to
see if Reddy Fox was anywhere about, for you know Reddy Fox liked
to tease Johnny Chuck.

But Reddy Fox was nowhere to be seen, so Johnny Chuck trotted down
the Lone Little Path to the wood. Mr. Sun was shining as brightly
as ever he could and Johnny Chuck, who was very, very fat, grew
very, very warm. By and by he sat down on the end of a log under
a big tree to rest.

Thump! Something hit Johnny Chuck right on the top of his round
little head. It made Johnny Chuck jump.

"Hello, Johnny Chuck!" said a voice that seemed to come right out