Do you know , I think you are one of the most interesting and wonderful of all my neighbors , and I 'll never laugh at or tease you again , Mr. Toad . '' `` Hump ! '' grunted Old Mr. Toad again , but it was very clear that he was a little flattered by Peter 's interest in him and was rapidly recovering his good nature . `` There is one thing I do n't understand yet , '' said Peter , `` and that is where you go to to sleep all winter . Do you go down into the mud at the bottom of the Smiling Pool the way Grandfather Frog does ? '' `` Certainly not ! '' retorted Old Mr. Toad . `` Use your common sense , Peter Rabbit . If I had spent the winter in the Smiling Pool , do you suppose I would have left it to come way up here and then have turned right around and gone back there to sing ? I 'm not so fond of long journeys as all that . '' `` That 's so . '' Peter looked foolish . `` I did n't think of that when I spoke . '' `` The trouble with you , and with a lot of other people , is that you speak first and do your thinking afterward , when you do any thinking at all , '' grunted Old Mr. Toad . `` Now if I wanted to , I could disappear right here . '' `` You mean that you would hide under that old board just as you did before , '' said Peter , with a very wise look . `` Nothing of the sort ! '' snapped Old Mr. Toad . `` I could disappear and not go near that old board , not a step nearer than I am now . '' Peter looked in all directions carefully , but not a thing could he see under which Old Mr. Toad could possibly hide except the old board , and he had said he would n't hide under that .
`` I do n't like to doubt your word , Mr. Toad , '' said he , `` but you 'll have to show me before I can believe XXXXX . ''
as at by except if into that to under with