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 Chuck could n't keep away from the Smiling Pool . No , Sir , Johnny Chuck could n't keep away from the Smiling Pool . Ever since he and Peter Rabbit had gone over there looking for the sweet singers , who every night and part of the day told all who would listen how glad they were that Mistress Spring had come to the Green Meadows and the Green Forest , Johnny Chuck had had something on his mind .
And this is why he could n't keep away XXXXX the Smiling Pool .
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