Now that was a signal . When he stopped singing , his nearest neighbor stopped singing , then the next one and the next , and in a minute there was n't a sound from the Smiling Pool save the squeak of Jerry Muskrat hidden among the bulrushes . That great chorus stopped as abruptly as the electric lights go out when you press a button . Back and forth over the Smiling Pool , this way and that way , floated the shadow , but there was no sign of any living thing in the Smiling Pool . After awhile the shadow floated away over the Green Meadows without a sound . `` Hooty the Owl did n't get one of us that time , '' said Old Mr. Toad to his nearest neighbor with a chuckle of satisfaction . Then he swelled out his music bag and began to sing again . And at once , as abruptly as it had stopped , the great chorus began again as joyous as before , for nothing had happened to bring sadness as might have but for the watchfulness of Old Mr. Toad . VIII OLD MR. TOAD 'S BABIES The Smiling Pool 's a nursery Where all the sunny day A thousand funny babies Are taught while at their play . Really the Smiling Pool is a sort of kindergarten , one of the most interesting kindergartens in the world . Little Joe Otter 's children learn to swim there . So do Jerry Muskrat 's babies and those of Billy Mink , the Trout and Minnow babies , and a lot more . And there you will find the children and grandchildren of Grandfather Frog and Old Mr. Toad . Peter Rabbit had known for a long time about the Frog babies , but though he knew that Old Mr. Toad was own cousin to Grandfather Frog , he had n't known anything about Toad babies , except that at a certain time in the year he was forever running across tiny Toads , especially on rainy days , and each little Toad was just like Old Mr. Toad , except for his size . Peter had heard it said that Toads rain down from the sky , and sometimes it seems as if this must be so . Of course he knew it could n't be , but it puzzled him a great deal . There would n't be a Toad in sight . Then it would begin to rain , and right away there would be so many tiny Toads that it was hard work to jump without stepping on some . He remembered this as he went to pay his daily call on Old Mr. Toad in the Smiling Pool and listen to his sweet song . He had n't seen any little Toads this year , but he remembered his experiences with them in other years , and he meant to ask about them .
Old Mr. XXXXX was sitting in his usual place , but he was n't singing .
Hooty Otter Rabbit Toad Toads VIII bulrushes kindergartens right years