`` I just thought there was . You see , I did n't know you were under that piece of bark . I hope you will excuse me , Mr. Toad . Have you seen any fat beetles this morning ? '' `` No , '' said Old Mr. Toad grumpily , and yawned and rubbed his eyes . `` Why , '' exclaimed Jimmy Skunk , `` I believe you have just waked up ! '' `` What if I have ? '' demanded Old Mr. Toad . `` Oh , nothing , nothing at all , Mr. Toad , '' replied Jimmy Skunk , `` only you are the second one I 've met this morning who had just waked up . '' `` Who was the other ? '' asked Old Mr. Toad . `` Mr. Blacksnake , '' replied Jimmy . `` He inquired for you . '' Old Mr. Toad turned quite pale . `` I -- I think I 'll be moving along , '' said he . XVII OLD MR. TOAD 'S MISTAKE If is a very little word to look at , but the biggest word you have ever seen does n't begin to have so much meaning as little `` if . '' If Jimmy Skunk had n't ambled down the Crooked Little Path just when he did ; if he had n't been looking for fat beetles ; if he had n't seen that big piece of bark at one side and decided to pull it over ; if it had n't been for all these `` ifs , '' why Old Mr. Toad would n't have made the mistake he did , and you would n't have had this story . But Jimmy Skunk did amble down the Crooked Little Path , he did look for beetles , and he did pull over that big piece of bark . And when he had pulled it over , he found Old Mr. Toad there . Old Mr. Toad had crept under that piece of bark because he wanted to take a nap .
But when Jimmy Skunk told him that he had XXXXX Mr. Blacksnake that very morning , and that Mr. Blacksnake had asked after Old Mr. Toad , the very last bit of sleepiness left Old Mr. Toad .
ambled begin believe found inquired moving replied said seen waked