CHAPTER XX 



A FISHERMAN ROBBED 



JUST out of curiosity, and because he possesses 

 what is called the wandering foot, which means 

 that he delights to roam about, Peter Rabbit had 

 run over to the bank of the Big River. There 

 were plenty of bushes, clumps of tall grass, weeds 

 and tangles of vines along the bank of the Big 

 River, so that Peter felt quite safe there. He 

 liked to sit gazing out over the water and wonder 

 where it all came from and where it was going 

 and what kept it moving. 



He was doing this very thing on this particular 

 morning when he happened to glance up in the 

 blue, blue sky. There he saw a broad-winged 

 bird sailing in wide, graceful circles. Instantly 

 Peter crouched a little lower in his hiding-place, 

 for he knew this for a member of the Hawk family 

 and Peter has learned by experience that the only 

 way to keep perfectly safe when one of these hook- 

 clawed, hook-billed birds is about is to keep out 

 of sight. 



So now he crouched very close to the ground 

 and kept his eyes fixed on the big bird sailing so 

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