Bumper spent a quiet, restful night after Dr. Crane had removed the
trouble that was causing his sickness; but he was very weak and faint, and
he slept long after the birds were up and singing. He was a little afraid
at first to eat anything when he finally crawled from his hole in the
decayed tree branch; but, recognizing some sweet birch trees, he ate
moderately of the leaves and bark.
This seemed to put new life in him, and by early noon he felt quite
himself again. Rusty the Blackbird, who had taken quite an interest in
him, brought him the cheering news that his country cousins were living in
a burrow a few miles back in the thick woods.
"Take this deer trail back about a mile, and you'll find them," he said.
"You can't miss their home. It's under a big rock which you'll come to."
Bumper thanked him, and decided to begin his journey at once. He was very
anxious to find a home with the wild rabbits, for his chance of getting
back to the garden where the red-headed girl lived was very slim. He had
no idea how far down the river he had floated, nor what direction to take
to find the garden.
"Is there any danger of meeting Mr. Fox on the trail?" he asked a little
anxiously.
"No," replied Rusty, "for Buster the Bear frequents the trail, and Mr. Fox
is dreadfully afraid of him."
"But how about Buster the Bear eating me up?"
"He might," admitted Rusty, "if he caught you, and was very hungry, but
you don't want to let him catch you."
"That's true," replied Bumper, "but I might not be able to avoid him. Is
he as quick as Mr. Fox?"
"Oh, dear, no! You can easily outrun him. He's so clumsy he falls over his
own big feet sometimes, and he makes such a noise you can hear him coming
a mile away."
"Then I don't believe I'm afraid of him," replied Bumper, in a voice of
relief.
When he started out on his travels he felt pretty good, and on the way he
stopped to eat every time he found something he knew was good for him. He
avoided all strange plants, and ate only those he recognized.
In a short time he came to such thick woods that if it hadn't been for the
deer trail he would have been lost, but he followed Rusty's directions,
and kept strictly to the well-worn path. When he grew tired, he rested by
the wayside, always hiding in the thick bushes, and keeping one eye and
both ears open. There were many strange and wonderful noises in the woods,
and more than once Bumper started up with fright.
But nothing happened to him until he was so far in the woods that he
thought the big rock must be near. He kept a sharp lookout for it. Just
then he heard a noise so different from anything that had startled him
before that he stopped to listen. It seemed as if some one was in great
pain, and needed help.
Now Bumper was very tender-hearted, and any one in distress made him very
sad. So instead of keeping on the trail, he wandered off to find out who
was moaning so loudly.
And what he beheld was enough to make any rabbit laugh! It was Buster the
Bear fast asleep, snoring as if he enjoyed it. Bumper was frightened at
first by the sight of the big, shaggy head and body, but when he recalled
Rusty's words, and saw that Buster was sleeping, he stopped and laughed.
It was a sight to make any one laugh.
Buster's big, shaggy body rose and fell with every breath, and each time a
loud snore came from his half open mouth. It sounded like a wheezy pair of
bellows trying to play a tune. Bumper had never heard anything like it in
his life.
While he stood off at a safe distance watching, a bumblebee lighted on
Buster's nose and tickled it. The bear brushed it off with a paw, and
rolled over to renew his sleep. But, unfortunately for Buster, he whacked
the bee so hard that he must have hurt it.
Anyway, the bumblebee resented it, and gave him a sharp sting on the nose.
The effect was startling. Buster came to life with a jump, and let out a
loud:
"B-r-r-r! Whoof!"
The ground seemed to tremble as he struggled to his feet, and swung his
huge paws at the bee. But the bumblebee, having accomplished its purpose,
calmly flew away. Buster rubbed his smarting nose, and growled angrily.
Suddenly he caught sight of Bumper grinning at him. He stopped rubbing his
nose to stare and blink at the white rabbit. Bumper, now that he was
discovered, ceased grinning, and began to feel afraid.
"You think it very funny, don't you?" growled Buster, his little eyes
flashing. "I wish he'd stung you instead of me. Drat the old bumblebees! I
wonder what they're made for!"
"I'm sure I couldn't tell you," replied Bumper, in an unsteady voice.
"What do you suppose you're made for?" continued Buster, eyeing him
queerly.
"Why--to--make little boys and girls happy, I suppose," Bumper stammered.
Buster grinned at this stammering remark. Then, with a leer, he added:
"No, that isn't the reason. It's something else. Want me to tell you?"
"Why, yes, I'd like to know."
"Well, then, it's to give Mr. Fox right back of you a good meal."
Bumper gave a jump of nearly three feet when he heard this. He didn't
suppose the fox was anywhere near, and the thought that he was right
behind, ready to spring upon him, sent the blood racing through his body.
But when he turned, expecting to see dripping jaws about to close upon his
neck, he was surprised and then puzzled. There was no fox in sight.
However, he wasn't to be deceived, if Mr. Fox was hiding, and he stood
ready to spring away, his body quivering with fright, and his pink eyes
dilated.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Buster the Bear in a deep rumble, rolling over on
his fat sides. "Ho! Ho! Ho! What a scare I gave you! Now we're quits. The
joke's on you!"
It took Bumper some time to realize that it was only a joke, and not a
near tragedy for him. Finally he turned a shamed, embarrassed face toward
Buster, and grinned good-naturedly.
"The next time I see any one in trouble," he said, "I won't laugh at him,
Mr. Bear. You've taught me a good lesson."
"Well, that's what I call taking a joke in the proper spirit," smiled
Buster. "I'm sorry I gave you such a shock."
"And I'm sorry I laughed when the bee stung your nose."
"Oh, as for that, I didn't mind the sting so much as the interruption of
my sleep." Buster rubbed his nose as he spoke. Then he added, addressing
the white rabbit:
"Where are you bound? You must be lost. I never saw a white rabbit out of
the city before."
"Were you ever in the city?" asked Bumper, eagerly.
"Sure! I was in the Zoo for a whole year until I escaped."
"Then you know something how I feel. The country's very strange to me, and
I feel a bit lonesome. Could you tell me where my country cousins
live--the wild rabbits?"
"Yes," replied Buster, "but I'm not sure they'll welcome your coming.
However, you can find them by following that trail a little further until
you come to a big rock. They live under it where Mr. Fox can't get them."
"Thank you," replied Bumper. "I think I'll be going, then. I must find
them before night."