It was very strange , very strange indeed ! It seemed as if the voices came right out of the Smiling Pool itself ! When Peter Rabbit made a little noise , as he hopped out on the bank where he could look all over the Smiling Pool , the singing stopped . After he had sat perfectly still for a little while , it began again . There was no doubt about it this time ; those voices came right out of the water . Johnny Chuck stared at Peter Rabbit , and Peter stared at Johnny Chuck . Nobody was to be seen in the Smiling Pool , and yet there were those voices -- oh , so many of them -- coming right out of the water . `` How can birds stay under water and still sing ? '' asked Johnny Chuck . `` Ho , ho , ho ! Ha , ha , ha ! '' Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck whirled around , to find Jerry Muskrat peeping up at them from a hole in the bank almost under their feet . -LSB- Illustration : `` Ho , ho , ho ! That 's the best joke this spring ! '' shouted Jerry Muskrat . -RSB- `` Ho , ho , ho ! That 's the best joke this spring ! '' shouted Jerry Muskrat , and laughed until he had to hold his sides . `` Birds under water ! Ho , ho , ho ! ''
IV JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS OUT WHO THE SWEET SINGERS ARE Johnny XXXXX could n't keep away from the Smiling Pool .
Chuck Ho Muskrat Nobody Rabbit joke right spring voices water