When Peter Rabbit said that his curiosity was satisfied he really meant it. He had found out what he so wanted to know. He had found out where Mrs. Buzzard had laid her eggs. He had found out that it was true that Ol’ Mistah and Mrs. Buzzard do not build a nest. He had found out that in this particular case the eggs had been laid in a great hollow log. So for the time being his curiosity was satisfied.

He promised Ol’ Mrs. Buzzard that he would keep her secret. He laughed with her and with Sammy Jay at the way he had been frightened when Ol’ Mrs. Buzzard had hissed right in his face, and then he bade them farewell and started for home in the dear Old Briar-patch. Of course he was full of the strange discovery about the ways of Ol’ Mistah and Mrs. Buzzard and could think of nothing else.

“It certainly is queer that such big birds shouldn’t have a nest,” thought Peter, as he sat chewing a leaf of sweet clover. “I never would have thought of looking in a hollow log for their home, never in the world. I wonder what they would do if there wasn’t a hollow log big enough. Hollow logs like that one are not to be found everywhere.”

This thought was enough to awaken Peter’s ever-ready curiosity once more. As he thought it over and wondered, his curiosity grew. So the next day he scampered back to the Green Forest and headed straight for the tall dead tree where Ol’ Mistah Buzzard delights to sit. Ol’ Mistah Buzzard was there, and his eyes twinkled as he saw Peter coming.

“I know your secret now, Mistah Buzzard,” cried Peter, as soon as he reached the foot of the tree.

“Then Ah hopes yo’ll keep it,” replied Ol’ Mistah Buzzard gravely.

“I will,” promised Peter. “But Mistah Buzzard, there is one thing more I want to know.”

“Only one thing? Yo’ surprise me, Brer Rabbit,” replied Ol’ Mistah Buzzard.

Peter grinned, for he knew that Ol’ Mistah Buzzard was joking him about his curiosity. “There is only one thing now,” said he, “but there may be more things later.”

“Well,” replied Ol’ Mistah Buzzard, “what is that one thing? Get it off your mind, and perhaps Ah can help yo’ out.”

“It is this: What do you and Mrs. Buzzard do for a place for your eggs when there isn’t a big hollow log handy?” Peter replied promptly.

“Why, that’s simple, ve’y simple indeed, Brer Rabbit,” said Ol’ Mistah Buzzard. “Mrs. Buzzard just naturally lays her aiggs on top of a big stump if there happens to be one handy. If there isn’t she just lays her aiggs on the ground. Yo’ know, Brer Rabbit, the ground is always handy.”

Ol’ Mistah Buzzard looked down and grinned, and Peter grinned back. “Do you mean that she doesn’t put any grass or sticks or anything under them?” asked Peter.

Ol’ Mistah Buzzard nodded. “Of course,” said he, “she picks out a place where she reckons she isn’t going to be disturbed. Ol’ Mrs. Buzzard is a little bit peevish when she done be sitting on her aiggs. She don’ like to be disturbed. So she picks out a place where she can be quite by herself, lays her aiggs and then takes care of them until they hatch, and that is all there is to it.”