when I was fast asleep something pounced upon me. I managed to
get away and fly up in the top of the Great Pine. In the morning
I found all my eggs broken, just as you see them here."

Peter Rabbit looked the ground over very carefully. He hunted
around behind the Great Pine, he looked under the bushes, he
studied the ground with a very wise air. Then he hopped off down
the Lone Little Path to the Green Meadows. He stopped at the
house of Johnny Chuck.

"What makes your eyes so big and round?" asked Johnny Chuck.

Peter Rabbit came very close so as to whisper in Johnny Chuck's
ear, and told him all that he had seen. Together they went to
Jimmy Skunk's house. Jimmy Skunk was in bed. He was very sleepy
and very cross when he came to the door. Peter Rabbit told him
what he had seen.

"Too bad! Too bad!" said Jimmy Skunk, and yawned sleepily.

"Won't you join us in trying to find out who did it?" asked
Johnny Chuck.

Jimmy Skunk said he would be delighted to come but that he had
some other business that morning and that he would join them in
the afternoon. Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck went on. Pretty soon
they met the Merry Little Breezes and told them the dreadful
story.

"What shall we do?" asked Johnny Chuck.