He found Peter in some sweet clover just outside the Old Briar-patch, and it struck Jimmy that Peter looked uncommonly happy.  He said as much.

“I am,” replied Peter, before he thought.  Then he added hastily, “You see, I’ve been uncommonly happy ever since I returned with Mrs. Peter from the Old Pasture.”

“But I hear there’s great news over here in the Old Briar-patch,” persisted Jimmy Skunk.  “What is it, Peter?”

Peter pretended to be very much surprised.  “Great news!” he repeated.  “Great news!  Why, what news can there be over here?  Who told you that?”

“A little bird told me,” replied Jimmy slyly.

“It must have been Jenny Wren!” said Peter, once more speaking before he thought.

“Then there is news over here!” cried Jimmy triumphantly.  “What is it, Peter?”

But Peter shook his head as if he hadn’t the slightest idea and couldn’t imagine.  Jimmy coaxed and teased, but all in vain.  Finally he started for home no wiser than before.

“Just the same, I believe that Jenny Wren told the truth and that there is news over in the Old Briar-patch,” he muttered to himself.  “Something has happened over there, and Peter won’t tell.  I wonder what it can be.”

CHAPTER XXX

REDDY FOX LEARNS THE SECRET

Nothing that you ever do,
Nothing good or nothing bad,
But has effect on other folks—­
Gives them pain or makes them glad. 
Peter Rabbit.

Of course Jenny Wren didn’t mean to tell the secret of the Old Briar-patch, because she had promised Peter Rabbit that she wouldn’t.  But she didn’t see any harm in telling every one she met that there was a secret there, at least that there was great news there, and so, because Jenny Wren is a great gossip, it wasn’t long before all the little people on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest and around the Smiling Pool had heard it and were wondering what the news could be.

After Jimmy Skunk’s visit came a whole string of visitors to the Old Briar-patch.  One would hardly have left before another would appear.  Each one tried to act as if he had just happened around that way and didn’t want to pass Peter’s home without making a call, but each one asked so many questions that Peter knew what had really brought him there was the desire to find out what the news in the Old Briar-patch could be.  But Peter was too smart for them, and they all went away no wiser than they came, that is, all but one, and that one was Reddy Fox.

There isn’t much going on in the Green Forest or on the Green Meadows that Reddy doesn’t know about.  He is sly, is Reddy Fox, and his eyes are sharp and his ears are keen, so little happens that he doesn’t see or hear about.  Of course he heard the foolish gossip of Jenny Wren and he pricked up his ears.

“So there’s news down in the Old Briar-patch, is there?  A secret that Jenny Wren won’t tell?  I think I’ll trot down there and make Peter a call.  Of course he’ll be glad to see me.”