The Old Orchard Bully 



No sooner was she discovered than everything 

 else was forgotten. With Bully in the lead, and 

 Jenny and Mr. Wren close behind him, all the 

 birds turned their attention to Black Pussy. 

 She was the enemy of all, and they straightway 

 forgot their own quarrel. Only Mrs. Bully re- 

 mained where she was, in the little round door- 

 way of her house. She intended to take no 

 chances, but she added her voice to the general 

 racket. How those birds did shriek and scream ! 

 They darted down almost into the face of Black 

 Pussy, and none went nearer than Bully the 

 English Sparrow and Jenny Wren. 



Now Black Pussy hates to be the center of so 

 much attention. She knew that, now she had 

 been discovered, there wasn't a chance in the 

 world for her to catch one of those Old Orchard 

 folks. So, with tail still twitching angrily, she 

 turned and, with such dignity as she could, left 

 the Old Orchard. Clear to the edge of it the 

 birds followed, shrieking, screaming, calling her 

 bad names, and threatening to do all sorts of 

 dreadful things to her, quite as if they really could. 



When finally she disappeared towards Farmer 

 Brown's barn, those angry voices changed. It 

 was such a funny change that Peter Rabbit 

 laughed right out. Instead of anger there was 

 triumph in every note as everybody returned to 

 [13] 



