Some Homes in the Green Forest 



can build. Oh, Peter, watch your step ! Watch 

 your step ! " Teacher fairly shrieked this warning. 



Peter, who had just started to hop off to his 

 right, stopped short in sheer astonishment. Just 

 in front of him was a tiny mound of dead leaves, 

 and a few feet beyond Mrs. Teacher was flutter- 

 ing about on the ground as if badly hurt. Peter 

 simply didn't know what to make of it. Once 

 more he made a movement as if to hop. Teacher 

 flew right down in front of him. "You'll step 

 on my nest !" he cried. 



Peter stared, for he didn't see any nest. He 

 said as much. 



"It's under that little mound of leaves right in 

 front of your feet!" cried Teacher. "I wasn't 

 going to tell you, but I just had to or you cer- 

 tainly would have stepped on it." 



Very carefully Peter walked around the little 

 bunch of leaves and peered under them from 

 the other side. There, sure enough, was a nest 

 beneath them, and in it four speckled eggs. "I 

 won't tell a soul, Teacher. I promise you I won't 

 tell a soul," declared Peter very earnestly. "I 

 understand now why you are called Oven Bird, 

 but I still like the name Teacher best." 



Feeling that Mr. and Mrs. Teacher would feel 

 easier in their minds if he left them, Peter said 

 good-by and started on for the lonesome place in 

 [133] 



