Now old Mr. Brown took an interest in eggs; he opened one eye and shut it again. But still he did not speak. [Illustration] Nutkin became more and more impertinent-- "Old Mr. B! Old Mr. B! Hickamore, Hackamore, on the King's kitchen door; All the King's horses, and all the King's men, Couldn't drive Hickamore, Hackamore, Off the King's kitchen door." Nutkin danced up and down like a _sunbeam_; but still Old Brown said nothing at all. [Illustration] Nutkin began again-- "Arthur O'Bower has broken his band, He comes roaring up the land! The King of Scots with all his power, Cannot turn Arthur of the Bower!" Nutkin made a whirring noise to sound like the _wind_, and he took a running jump right onto the head of Old Brown!... Then all at once there was a flutterment and a scufflement and a loud "Squeak!" The other squirrels scuttered away into the bushes. [Illustration] When they came back very cautiously, peeping round the tree--there was Old Brown sitting on his door-step, quite still, with his eyes closed, as if nothing had happened. * * * * * _But Nutkin was in his waistcoat pocket!_ [Illustration] This looks like the end of the story; but it isn't. [Illustration] Old Brown carried Nutkin into his house, and held him up by the tail, intending to skin him; but Nutkin pulled so very hard that his tail broke in two, and he dashed up the staircase and escaped out of the attic window. [Illustration] And to this day, if you meet Nutkin up a tree and ask him a riddle, he will throw sticks at you, and stamp his feet and scold, and shout-- "Cuck-cuck-cuck-cur-r-r-cuck-k-k!" THE END End of Project Gutenberg's The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, by Beatrix Potter