Peter Rabbit’s curiosity was so aroused by what Sammy Jay had told him that he scampered through the Green Forest as fast as he could make his legs go, and that is very fast indeed. Lipperty-lipperty-lip, lipperty-lipperty-lip, lipperty-lipperty-lip scampered Peter, and didn’t once look behind. If he had he might have seen Sammy Jay following, though it is doubtful, for Sammy was taking great care to keep out of sight.

But Peter didn’t look behind. His thoughts were all on that mysterious and interesting thing that he was to find in the big hollow log behind the thicket of young hemlock-trees. When he reached the tall dead tree on which Ol’ Mistah Buzzard delights to sit, he glanced up. Ol’ Mistah Buzzard wasn’t there, and Peter kept on without a pause. Presently he came to the thicket of young hemlock-trees and quickly slipped through this.

Right on the other side lay the great hollow log. As soon as he reached this Peter stopped running. Mindful of what Sammy Jay had said, he crept forward on tiptoe as it were, taking the greatest care not to make a sound. He even held his breath. He put his feet down so as not to snap a single dry twig or rustle a single dry leaf. It was very exciting. It was the most exciting thing Peter had done for a long time. Every step or two he stopped to listen. Not a sound was to be heard, not even the sighing of the pine-trees, for there wasn’t even one of the Merry Little Breezes about to make them sigh. It was a lonely spot, a very lonely spot. The very silence made the mystery all the greater.

Little by little Peter crept along beside the great hollow log. It was one of the biggest logs in all the Green Forest. On many a stormy winter night it had sheltered him. He knew all about that old log, inside and out. At least, he thought he did. Now as he reached the end of it he stopped. He was eager to peep around and look inside, yet somehow he dreaded to. Just why he didn’t know. Probably it was because Sammy Jay had made such a mystery of what was inside. You know how all of us are apt to be a little afraid of things that are mysterious.

Half a dozen times Peter started to peep around, and each time he drew back. At last he mustered up his courage. His curiosity overcame all his fears. Sammy Jay had said that there was nothing in there to harm him, and if that was the case, it was foolish to be so timid. So Peter poked his head around the end of the old log, his eyes very big with wonder and anticipation. Before he could really see what was inside there came a sharp, angry hiss almost in his very face. It was one of the loudest hisses Peter ever had heard.

Poor Peter! He was so frightened that he jumped nearly out of his skin. In fact he turned two back somersaults and then without waiting to see who had frightened him so, away he went, lipperty-lipperty-lip, until he was quite out of breath. Then a sound reached him that made him pause. It was very like the voice of Sammy Jay laughing.