He felt that it was his business
to see to it that no harm came to her, and that is just the way Danny
Meadow Mouse felt about Grandfather Frog.
You see, Danny knew that if Grandfather Frog was going to jump like that
every time he was frightened, he wouldn't get very far in the Great
World. It might be the right thing to do in the Smiling Pool, where the
friendly water would hide him from his enemies, but it was just the
wrong thing to do on the Green Meadows or in the Green Forest. Danny had
learned, when a very tiny fellow, that there the only safe thing to do
when danger was near was to sit perfectly still and hardly breathe.
Now Danny Meadow Mouse is fond of Grandfather Frog, and he couldn't bear
to think that something dreadful might happen to him. So when he found
that he couldn't get Grandfather Frog to go back to the Smiling Pool, he
made up his mind that he just _had_ to go along with Grandfather Frog to
try to keep him out of danger. Yes, Sir, he just _had_ to do it. He felt
re-spon-sible for Grandfather Frog's safety. So here they were, Danny
Meadow Mouse running ahead, anxious and worried and watching sharply for
signs of danger, and Grandfather Frog puffing along behind, bound to see
the Great World which his cousin, old Mr. Toad, said was a better place
to live in than the Smiling Pool.
Now Danny has a great many private little paths under the grass all over
the Green Meadows, and along these he can scamper ever so fast without
once showing himself to those who may be looking for him.
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