“I think it was Hooty the Owl,” Peter whispered back, “but he didn't see us.” After what seemed like a long, long time they heard Hooty's fierce hunting call, but it came from way back of them on the edge of the Old Pasture. Peter hopped to his feet. “Come on,” said he. “There's nothing to fear from him now.” So slowly and watchfully Peter led the way down across the Green Meadows while the little Stars looked down and twinkled in the most friendly way, and just as jolly, round, red Mr. Sun started to kick off his bedclothes behind the Purple Hills they reached the dear Old Briar-patch. “Here we are!” cried Peter. “Oh, I'm so glad!” cried little Miss Fuzzytail, hopping along one of Peter's private little paths. CHAPTER XXII SAMMY JAY BECOMES CURIOUS Learn all you can about others, but keep your own affairs to yourself. --Peter Rabbit. Of course it was Sammy Jay who first found out that Peter Rabbit was back in the dear Old Briar-patch. Sammy took it into his head to fly over there the very morning of Peter's home-coming. Indeed, little Miss Fuzzytail hadn't had time to half see the clear Old Briar-patch which, you know, was to be her new home, when Peter saw Sammy Jay coming. Now Peter was not quite ready to have all the world know that there was a Mrs. Peter, for of course that was what little Miss Fuzzytail was now that she had come to make her home with Peter. They wanted to keep by themselves for a little while and just be happy with each other. So as soon as Peter saw Sammy Jay headed towards the Old Briar-patch, he hid little Miss Fuzzytail under the thickest sweet-briar bush, and then hurried out to the nearest sweet-clover patch. Of course Sammy Jay saw him right away, and of course Sammy was very much surprised. “Hello, Peter Rabbit! Where'd you come from?” he shouted, as he settled himself comfortably in a little poplar-tree growing on the edge of the Old Briar-patch. “Oh,” said Peter with a very grand air, “I've been on a long journey to see the Great World.” “Which means,” said Sammy Jay with a chuckle, “that you've been in the Old Pasture all this time, and let me tell you, Peter Rabbit, the Old Pasture is a very small part of the Great World. By the way, Tommy Tit the Chickadee was down here the other day and told us all about you. He said that you had fallen in love with little Miss Fuzzytail, and he guessed that you were going to make your home up there. What's the matter? Did her father, Old Jed Thumper, drive you out?” “No, he didn't!” snapped Peter angrily, “It's none of your business what I came home for, Sammy Jay, but I'll tell you just the same. I came home because I wanted to.” Sammy chuckled, for he dearly loves to tease Peter and make him angry. Then the imp of mischief, who seems always to live just under that smart cap of Sammy's, prompted him to ask: “Did you come home alone?”