He went back the way he came, towards the toolshed. Suddenly, quite close to him, he heard the noise of a hoe -- scr-r-ritch, scr-r-ratch. Peter dove under the bushes, shaking with fear. He waited and waited, but nothing happened. He poked his nose out, then his front paws, then his back paws. He climbed on top of a wheelbarrow and peeped over. The first thing he saw was Mr. McGregor hoeing onions. His back was turned towards Peter and beyond him was the gate! Oh, how wonderful!
Peter got down very quietly off the wheelbarrow. He started running as fast as he could go, along a straight walk behind some berry bushes.
Mr. McGregor caught sight of him at the corner, but Peter did not care.
