"Why, sir,
I, sir,
Just go tripping by, sir--
If you did but try, sir,
You could go with me.
Follow,
Follow,
Over hill and hollow--
Where the bluebirds call, O,
I am sure to be."
Well, everybody applauded that, of course; and Mr. 'Coon said that for
his part he was tired of cold weather, and that if to-morrow was a
bright day, and anybody'd go with him, he'd start out at sunrise and
follow Spring clear around the world. Then Mr. 'Possum said he'd go just
to see whether Mr. Man was right or not, and Mr. Crow said he'd go, too.
Mr. Rabbit wanted to go to prove some things in his poem, but he had to
make a garden if it was a good day, and Mr. Dog had an engagement to dig
moles for Mr. Man.
[Illustration: SET OUT IN HIGH SPIRITS.]
So the next morning, bright and early, the three Hollow Tree people got
up and started. They packed some lunch in a basket, so they wouldn't get
hungry, in case they were gone all day, and set out in high spirits; for
it was a beautiful morning in April, and they knew Spring had come at
last.
They saw a bluebird up in a tree not far away, and they remembered what
Mr. Rabbit's poem had said about following him over hill and hollow; so
they went along in that direction, talking and whistling and singing,
because they felt so good in the fresh morning sunlight.
And Mr. Bluebird hopped and whistled and flew along ahead, until,
by-and-by, they came to where Mr. Fox lived.
"Where are you fellows going, so early?" called Mr. Fox.
"We're following Spring around the world," called back Mr. Crow; and
then they told him all that Mr. Dog had said.
[Illustration]
Then Mr. Fox looked very wise, for he didn't know if Mr. Dog was playing
a trick on them, or if it were really true that the world was round and
he hadn't heard of it. Anyway, he wasn't going to let on, so he said,
"Why, of course! I knew that all the time. You just keep right on until
you come to that big elm over yonder, and turn to the right. Anybody
over there can show you the way." Then Mr. Fox coughed and went back
into the house, but he made up his mind he wouldn't laugh until he had
seen Mr. Dog and was sure it was all a joke. And the Hollow Tree people
kept on to the elm tree, and, sure enough, there was Mr. Bluebird,
hopping and whistling and flying on ahead, for he'd been listening to
what Mr. Fox had told them.
So they hurried right along after him till they came to Mr. Wolf's
place. Mr. Wolf was looking out of his door as they came by.
"Hello, you early birds!" he called. "Whose hen-roost you been after?"
Then they told him they weren't thinking of such things as that on a
beautiful morning like this, but that they were following Spring around
the world. And they told him all that Mr. Man had said to Mr. Dog, and
what Mr. Fox had said, and about Jack Rabbit's poem. Mr. Wolf thought
he'd better be wise, too, until he found out just how things were, so he
said:--"Sure enough! That's a good plan. I'd go along if I had time. I
know the way well. You just keep on till you come to that creek yonder,
then cross and turn to the right, and after that any one can show you
the way."
So away went the Hollow Tree people, and when they got to the creek, and
crossed, and turned to the right, there was the bluebird again, hopping
and whistling and dancing on ahead, just in the direction that Mr. Wolf
had said to go. Then, pretty soon, Mr. 'Possum said he was hungry, so
they sat down on some moss and ate their lunch, and Mr. Bluebird came up
close and sang to them till Mr. 'Possum went to sleep in the sun and
took a little nap, while the 'Coon and the Crow put what was left back
into the basket and got ready to go. Then Mr. 'Possum woke up and said
he was sure they must be nearly around the world, for he'd just had a
dream about catching a chicken with four legs and two heads, and he knew
that must mean something good. So then they went on and the bluebird
went ahead, until they came to a fine, big cave, where Mr. Bear lived.
[Illustration]
Now Mr. Bear is very big and wise--at least he thinks he is--and he knew
right away that Mr. Dog was just playing a joke on them, or at least he
thought he did, so he said:--"Well, well! I supposed you fellows knew
all that long ago. You don't mean to say, do you, that this is really
your first time round? Why, I go round the world every spring and fall,
and buy most of my things on the other side. You just follow this path
till you come to a big black rock, and then turn to the right and keep
straight ahead. You can't miss the way."
Then Mr. Bear went back in his cave, and laid down and rolled over and
laughed to think what a big joke everybody was playing on the Hollow
Tree people. But the Hollow Tree people kept right on, for they saw Mr.
Bluebird still whistling and dancing on ahead; and by-and-by they came
to the big black rock that Mr. Bear had mentioned, and turned to the
right again as he had told them, to do. Then they walked and walked, and
Mr. Bluebird hopped and skipped and whistled, until at last, just as
they were all getting very tired and it was most night, they came to a
big hollow tree in a deep woods; and Mr. 'Possum looked up and says,
"Why," he says, "this tree looks a good deal like our tree!"