Chapter 3

"Perhaps that will do until we can go back to our home in the sunny field," said Mrs. Mouse.

Then she shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Oh, dear!" she said. "I know I shall be very lonely here."

"But we could not stay in the field," said Mr. Mouse. "A man was cutting the grass, and I am afraid of that big cutter."

"That is so," said Mrs. Mouse, as she wiped another tear out of her eye. "But I shall be glad when we can move back."

"I think this hole will do," said Mr. Mouse. "I will go in and see."

II

Sammy sat on the wall and watched the mice.

He saw them stop in front of the hole and peep into it.

Then he saw Mr. Mouse go in--head, tail and all.

"That house belongs to some one else," said Sammy.

But Mr. Mouse was in the hole and did not hear what he said.

Mrs. Mouse and the little mice were peeping into the hole and they did not hear what he said.

In a minute Sammy heard Mr. Mouse call to his family to follow him.

Mrs. Mouse picked up the bag and started into the hole.

All the little mice followed her.

Sammy sat on the wall watching them.

All at once he heard a noise.

Mrs. Mouse heard the noise and jumped back.

She dropped the bag, and it flew open. Everything spilled out on the ground.

The next minute Mr. Mouse came scrambling out of the hole.

He had lost off his glasses, and his cap was gone.

"Oh, oh, oh! That is no home for us. Some one lives there, now," he said.

"Who, who, who?" asked all the little mice at once.

Mr. Toad came out to the edge of the hole, winking and blinking.

"I do," he said. "This is my home. Who came to visit me?"

"I told you that some one lived there," chattered Sammy Red Squirrel.

"I told you, but you would not listen to me."

"Well, there is no harm done," said Mr. Mouse. "I just paid Mr. Toad a visit."

"We must find a home any way," said Mrs. Mouse. "If we stay here the cat will catch us."

"There comes the cat now," said Sammy. "She heard Mr. Mouse squeal when he came out of the hole."

When the mice heard that the cat was coming, what a scampering there was.

It did not take the whole family of mice long to find a home under a big stone.

Sammy jumped off the wall and ran up into the pine tree.

The cat came along the path very slowly.

"Meow, meow!" she said to herself. "I must find something for breakfast."

But she did not find the little mice. They were hiding away under the big stone.

And she did not find Sammy. He was safe in the pine tree.

Of course she knew where the mice were hiding.

She saw them when they ran into the hole.

But the stone was too heavy for her to move.

She sat down beside the hole and waited and waited, but not one little mouse put out his nose.

At last the cat grew tired of waiting, and walked back along the path to the house.

She found a saucer of milk on the kitchen floor.

And the best of it was that it could not run away and hide like the mice and squirrels.

A SUMMER SHOWER

I

"Rain, rain, rain!" called Robin Redbreast.

"Rain, rain, rain! I wish it would rain."

The pretty flowers heard the robin calling for rain.

They lifted up their heads and listened.

They were wishing it would rain, too. The ground was so dry they could not find a drop of water to drink.

Mr. Green Frog wished it would rain.

The brook was almost dry, and he did not like that very well.

"Rain, rain, rain!" Robin Redbreast called again.

"Don't call for rain," said Bunny Rabbit. "I like to have the sun shine all the time."

"So do I," said Sammy Red Squirrel. "I do not like to have it rain on my fur coat."

"See how the flowers hang down their heads," said the robin.

"I am sure they would like to have a drink of fresh water."

"The flowers are sleepy," said Bunny. "That is why they hang their heads."

"Quack, quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "Come, children, we will go down to the brook."

The duck and all the little ducks waddled across the road and into the meadow.

Bunny saw them coming and hopped over to meet them.

"Good-morning, Mrs. Duck," he said. "Where are you going?"

"We are going to the brook to have a swim," said the duck. "Will you come with us??

"No, no!" answered Bunny. "I can not swim. You did not teach me."

"Perhaps I could teach you this morning," said the duck. "There is not much water in the brook to-day."

"I don't want to learn to swim," answered Bunny, and he hopped off to find Bobtail.

But he could not find Bobtail, and he could not find Billy.

So at last Bunny sat down under the oak tree to take a nap.

Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks waddled along the path until they came to the brook.

It was just a very tiny brook, now. It was really nothing but mud.

"Oh, dear me!" said Mrs. Duck "I wish it would rain to-day."

"Rain, rain, rain!" called Robin Redbreast. "I wish it would rain."

"I think it will rain," said Mr. Green Frog. "And I think it will rain to-day."

Mrs. Duck let the little ducks play in the muddy brook.

They pushed their flat bills into the mud to find something to eat.

Their little yellow feet were black with mud, but they liked it.

Mr. Sun looked down and smiled at them. He smiled his brightest smile.

Then a cloud came and hid the sun.

A gentle wind began to blow over the tall grass in the field.

"Bow your heads!" the wind said to the flowers and grass.

Then the wind puffed out its cheeks and blew harder.

It rushed along to the woods.

"Bow your heads!" it said to the pine trees and the oak trees.

They bowed their heads and waved their branches to and fro.

The wind blew harder, and the clouds sailed faster and faster across the sky.

"It is going to rain," said Mrs. Duck.

"Yes," called Robin Redbreast. "It is going to rain. I know it is. I must fly to the woods until the shower is over.

"Come, little ducks," said their mother.

"We must so back to the barn until the shower is over. I think the wind will blow very hard, and I do not like the wind."

So the robin flew to the woods, and the ducks went back to the barn.

Sammy Red Squirrel saw the shower coming, and he scampered home as fast as he could go.

Billy and Bobtail were playing in their yard, when the wind rushed by and called to them.

"Run in, little rabbits," said the wind. "I am bringing a shower. Run in or you will get your fur coats wet."

So Billy and Bobtail hopped into the house and curled up to take a nap until the shower was over.

II

The wind puffed out his cheeks and blew harder and harder.

The clouds sailed across the sky faster and faster.

It was almost as dark as night.

And Bunny slept on, under the big oak tree.

Patter, patter, patter! the rain drops fell on the oak leaves.

Easter and faster they fell. In a few minutes the leaves were wet.

Then the water began to fall down on the ground at the foot of the tree.

One great big drop fell on Bunny's nose. Then another fell on his ear.

He waked up with a start.

"What is the matter?" he said. "What is the matter?"

He opened his eyes wide and then he knew what was the matter.

"Oh, dear me!" he said to himself. "Robin Redbreast has her wish at last. It is raining hard."

Faster and faster the rain drops fell from the black clouds.

The ground was soon wet under the oak tree.

And Bunny was wet, too.

But he could not go home. He knew better than to leave the oak tree and skip out into the field.

So he curled himself up in a very tiny ball and waited for the shower to be over.

It grew lighter and lighter.

The wind stopped blowing, and at last Mr. Sun peeped out from behind the cloud.

He looked right down on Bunny, and laughed to see how he was rolled up in such a tiny ball.

"Cheer up, cheer up!" sang Robin Redbreast. "That was a fine rain. I am going to take a bath in that puddle of water."

Mr. Green Frog came out of his hole.

"Croak, croak!" he said. "That was a fine rain. I like to see the water running in the brook again."

Bunny jumped up and shook himself.

He was just as wet as he could be.

His feet were wet. His back was wet. And his nice long ears were wet.

He jumped up and shook himself. Then he started off toward home.

On his way he met Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks.

They were going to the brook to have a swim.

"That was a fine rain," Mrs. Duck called to Bunny.

"Just see how the flowers hold up their heads."

But Bunny did not look at the flowers. He could not see why anything liked to be wet.

"That was a fine rain," said Mrs. Duck, again. "That was a fine rain."

"Perhaps it was," said Bunny. "But I like best to have the sun shine."

And then, without saying another word, Bunny hopped off home.

Mrs. Duck and the little ducks went to the brook to have a swim in the fresh water.

And Robin Redbreast took a bath in the puddle under the oak tree.

SAMMY'S FLYING MACHINE

I

Sammy Red Squirrel was sitting on the stone wall eating a nut.

"Caw, caw!" called Blacky Crow, as he flew over the field.

"Caw, caw, caw!" he called. "What are you doing, Sammy?"

Sammy stopped eating the nut, and looked up to see who was talking to him.

He saw Blacky Crow sailing round and round over his head.

"I am eating my breakfast," he answered. "Would you like to have a nut to eat, too?"

"Oh, no," answered Blacky Crow. "I can find something better than that.

"I am going to the pasture now to get my breakfast."

Then Blacky Crow flapped his big wings and flew far, far away.

Sammy watched the crow fly over the tallest tree and out of sight.

"I wish I could fly," he said to himself. "I know I could if I had some wings."

Just then a flock of sparrows flew over head.

"Twitter, twitter!" they said.

"Twitter, twitter, twitter!"

Sammy watched the sparrows flying until they were out of sight.

"I know I could fly," he said to himself again, "if I had some wings.

"Perhaps I could make some wings," he thought.

Just then something hit Sammy on the head.

He looked up to see what it was, and there at his feet lay an oak leaf.

He looked up in the top of the tree.

West Wind flew by and shook the branches of the tree very gently.

And another leaf floated softly down to the ground beside its brother.

Sammy sat there watching the leaves for a few minutes.

Then he jumped up and clapped his hands.

"I know what I can do," he said. "I can make some wings for myself out of those oak leaves.

"I will ask all the other squirrels to come and watch me fly."

Sammy hunted on the ground until he found two very large oak leaves.

"I can hold them out with my front paws," he said. "I think they will look just like wings."

Sammy put the two leaves on the ground and covered them with a stone.

He was not going to let West Wind carry them away.

Then he scampered off to tell all the other squirrels what he was going to do.

He told all the red squirrels first.

He told them he was going to fly from the big oak tree.

"If you wish to see me fly," he said, "you must be at the tree in a few minutes."

All the red squirrels scampered off to get the best seats among the branches of the oak tree.

Sammy saw Bobby Gray Squirrel and told him to ask all the gray squirrels to come and see him fly.

Then Sammy found Bunny Rabbit.

When Bunny heard what Sammy was going to do, he wanted to try to fly, too.

"You are much too large for my wings," said Sammy.

"You would have to go to Mr. Man's garden and ask him for some of the leaves from the rhubarb plants."

Blacky Crow was flying over the field. He heard Sammy tell Bunny that he was going to fly.

"Ho, ho!" he laughed, "I should like to see Sammy fly with those oak-leaf wings.

"I will fly to the oak tree this very minute."

As he flew over the meadow he saw the sparrows and told them where he was going.

They wanted to go, too.

Every one wanted to go and watch Sammy fly.

II

When they were all seated, Sammy picked up the two leaves he had found and skipped gaily up the tree.

He ran up the tree and out on one of the longest branches.

"Now, watch me!" he called to all his friends.

"See me fly just like a bird."

Sammy took one leaf in each of his front paws and held them out as far as he could.

He stood on the very end of the branch for just one minute.

He saw that every one was watching him.

"You must flap your wings," called Blacky Crow.

"Hop off the branch," called one of the sparrows.

So Sammy flapped his wings, and then he hopped off the branch.

But, oh, dear me! The wings would not hold Sammy up in the air.

Sammy forgot to hold his wings out straight and they hung down at his side without a flutter.

And down to the ground Sammy fell.

Bump! he came down at the foot of the oak tree.

He almost fell on top of Bunny Rabbit.

But Bunny saw him coming and jumped out of the way just in time.

Sammy lay very still where he had fallen.

All the squirrels ran down to see if he had hurt himself.

Bobby Gray Squirrel ran to pick the fallen bird up from the ground.

Sammy had given his nose such a bump that it was all black and blue.

He had hurt his paw. And his make-believe wings were all crushed and broken.

Sammy rubbed his nose and then he looked at his friends.

"I don't believe oak leaves make good wings," he said.

"No," said the tiniest sparrow, "the best wings are made of feathers."

"Caw, caw!" said Blacky Crow. "My wings are made of feathers. See how I can fly."

Then Blacky Crow flapped his big wings and flew away.

The sparrows flew away, too.

All the squirrels scampered off to hunt for nuts.

And the rabbits went back to their home to take a nap.

Sammy was left sitting alone on the old stone wall.

Every few minutes he rubbed his poor little nose.

And as he rubbed his nose he thought:

"Flying may be fun for birds, and swimming may be fun for ducks.

"But running and jumping among the branches of the big oak tree is more fun for squirrels."

THE CABBAGE PATCH

I

"Oh, dear me!" said Billy. "I am so hungry. I wish I could find something good to eat."

"I know where there is a big cabbage patch," said Bunny.

"Where, where?" asked Billy.

"Where, where?" asked Bobtail.

"Follow me," said Bunny, "and I will show you."

"Is it far?" asked Billy.

"No," said Bunny. "It is not very far,--just down in Mr. Man's garden."

"I think I will stay here," said Billy. "This clover is very good."

So Billy stayed and ate the clover, but Bobtail and Bunny hopped off down the road.

They hopped along the road until they came to Mr. Man's barn.

Then they stopped to listen.

Bunny sat up straight and held up his long ears.

Bobtail sat up straight and held up his long ears.

They listened and listened, but they did not hear a sound.

"I think Jip is asleep in the house," said Bunny.

"I think Mr. Man is eating his dinner," said Bobtail.

"Let's hurry," said Bunny. "We can reach the garden without any one seeing us, I am sure."

So the two little rabbits laid their ears down on their heads and hopped away.

They hopped behind the barn.

Mr. Rooster saw them coming.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he said. "Who are you? Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"We are going to the garden to get our dinner," said Bunny.

"Mr. Man never lets me go to the garden," said Mr. Rooster.

"Mr. Man never lets me go to the garden if he knows about it," laughed Bunny.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" said the rooster, as he flapped his wings and flew up on the fence.

"Please do not make so much noise," begged Bobtail. "Mr. Man will hear you and come out to see what is the matter."

But the rooster just flapped his big wings and crowed again.

"Come," said Bunny. "This is no place for us.

"Let's hop into the garden and get some cabbage."

II

The two rabbits hopped off across the yard and into the garden.

There they found the biggest cabbages they had ever seen.

There were rows and rows of them.

They were great big green cabbages. How good they did look to the hungry little rabbits!

"I aim going to eat this one," said Bunny. And he stopped at a big, big cabbage at the end of one long row.

Bobtail picked out a big one for himself and began to nibble the sweet leaves.

Nibble, nibble, nibble! Not a word did the little rabbits speak.

They could not talk. They were so busy eating that they could not say a word.

Nibble, nibble, nibble! How still it was in the garden!

Bunny heard the bees humming as they flew among the flowers.

Once Blacky Crow flew over and called to the rabbits.

But he did not fly down to the garden. There was nothing there for him to eat, now.

He liked the corn when it had just peeped out of the ground.

Then it was tender and sweet, and he often pulled it up for his dinner.

Nibble, nibble, nibble! How still it was everywhere.

Then all at once there was a noise.

It was a noise the rabbits knew too well.

"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip, as he bounded across the field.

"Bow-wow-wow! I think some one is in my master's garden."

Bunny and Bobtail knew who was coming. They did not have to wait and see.

Off through the garden they hopped.

They hopped so fast that they were soon out of sight.

But Jip knew where they had gone, and he ran after them, barking louder and louder at every step.

"Oh, dear me!" cried Bobtail. "What shall we do? Jip will catch us before we reach home."

"Follow me," said Bunny, "I know where there is a hole big enough for both of us to hide."

So Bobtail followed Bunny.

They hopped across the field and into the woods.

"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip. "I am going to catch you this time."

And then, all at once, Jip could not see the rabbits anywhere.

They had hopped into a hole under the big rock at the foot of the oak tree.

They hopped into the hole and then they were safe.

Jip could not reach them.

He sat down beside the hole to wait until they came out, but they were too wise to come out.

III

Jip waited and waited, and the rabbits waited and waited, too.

At last Jip grew tired of watching the hole and ran off home.

Then the two rabbits knew it was safe for them to go home, too.

Bunny put his nose out and looked around.

There was no one in sight.

"I am going now," he said to Bobtail. "Jip has gone away."

And then Bunny started to get out of the hole.

He put out his head, but he could not get any farther.

"What is the matter? What are you waiting for? Is Jip coming back?" asked Bobtail.

But Bunny did not answer. He just kept on wiggling and twisting.

He twisted and wiggled, twisted and wiggled. But he could not get out of that hole.

At last he pulled his head back through the hole. Then he sat down and looked at Bobtail.

"What shall we do?" he said. "The hole has grown small since we came through it."

"Perhaps I can get out," said Bobtail. "Let me try."

So Bobtail put his head out and then he hopped out the rest of the way.

"I'm out," he called to Bunny. "You can get out, I am sure."

Bobtail hopped off home leaving Bunny to get out the best way he could.

Of course Bunny got out; but he scratched his poor little nose and he scratched his back.

He hurt his long ears and he hurt his foot.

But he did get out at last.

And when he was safe on the outside of the hole he turned around and looked at it.

"I'll never go in there again," he said as he rubbed his nose.

"I thought it was a big hole, but I must be bigger than the hole."

Then Bunny hopped off home.

Mother Rabbit was standing at the door watching for him.

Bobtail and Billy were watching, too.

"How did you get out of the hole?" they asked.

"This is the way I got out," said Bunny, and he pointed to his poor little scratched nose.

When Mother Rabbit saw that Bunny had hurt himself she took him into the house.

She gave him some hot cabbage soup.

Then she wrapped his nose up in flannel and made him stay in bed a whole day until he was all well again.

THE WHITE RABBIT

I

It was a warm summer day.

Bunny and Billy were over in the meadow eating clover.

Mother Rabbit and Bobtail were in the garden eating cabbage.

Billy was fond of cabbage, too. But the garden was far away, across the field and over the other side of the road.

So Billy ate clover in the meadow.

Bunny had eaten cabbage the day before. So he ate clover in the meadow with Billy.

The two little rabbits nibbled at the tender leaves.

"I have had enough to last me all day," said Bunny. "Now let's go and play."

"Oh, no!" said Billy. "I am going home and take a nap."

"Oh, do come and play with me," said Bunny.

But Billy only shook his head and hopped off toward home.

Bunny looked around to see if there was any one to play with.

He could not see any of his friends.

"I think I will go over to the garden and find mother and Bobtail," he said to himself.

Now when Bunny thought of anything he always did it the very next minute.

So he hopped off as fast he could go.

He hopped across the field and across the road.

When he came to the barn he stopped to see if Mr. Man or Jip were anywhere in sight.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" called the rooster, who was sitting on the fence.

"Where are you going so fast this bright day?"

"I am going to the garden again," said Bunny. "Mother and Bobtail are there eating cabbage."

Bunny hopped along past the hen-yard fence, and into the orchard.

All at once he stopped. He saw something in the grass ahead of him.

It was white and round and furry. And it had two long ears just like his own.

Bunny stood very still and looked and looked.

"That must be a snow rabbit," he said to himself.

"But I never saw a snow rabbit in the summer. I am sure this hot sun would melt the snow."

Just then the white rabbit saw Bunny.

"Who are you?" he asked. "I never saw you before."

"I never saw you," said Bunny. "Where did you come from?"

"I live in a little house near the barn," said the white rabbit.

"Jack left the gate open this morning when he fed me, and so I thought I would take a walk."

"Do you like to live in a little house?" asked Bunny.

"Oh, yes," answered the white rabbit. "I always have something to eat and I am never cold.

"And when Jack forgets to close the gate, I have a good play in the field."

"I live in the woods," said Bunny. "My door is never closed, and I can run out any time I wish.

"But sometimes I am hungry, and sometimes I am cold."

"Come and live with me," said the white rabbit. "There is room enough in my house for two."

Now Bunny knew he would not like to live in a house all the time, but he thought he might go and visit the white rabbit.

So Bunny and Whitie, as Bunny called him, hopped off toward the barn.

"That is my home," said the white rabbit, and he pointed to a little house under the apple tree.

There was a yard in front of the house. And there was a fence around the yard,--a fence with a gate that could be shut and locked.

Bunny saw the house and he hopped along after Whitie.

But he was frightened. He had never been so near the barn before.

What if Mr. Man or Jip should see him.

II

At last they reached Whitie's house and the two little rabbits hopped through the gate.

"Oh, see these cabbage leaves," said Whitie. "Jack left them here for my dinner."

But Bunny did not look at the cabbage leaves, for just at that moment he heard Jip barking.

And then he heard Jack talking to the dog.

Poor Bunny's heart began to beat very fast.

"What shall I do? What shall I do?" he said.

"Jack and Jip will not hurt you," said Whitie. "I think Jack is coming to close the gate."

Bunny hid himself in one corner of the house and held his breath for fear Jack would see him.

"Why, Whitie!" Bunny heard Jack say, "I left your gate open this morning. I must close it now or you will be taking a walk in the garden."

Jack closed the gate, and Bunny was caught.

When Jack had gone away, Whitie called to Bunny to come out in the yard.