Frisky Squirrel had a hard time pushing the wheelbarrow home with Jimmy
Rabbit on top of the load of vegetables. He puffed and groaned. And he
had to stop every little while to catch his breath.
"You see, you're not used to wheeling a wheelbarrow," Jimmy told him.
"For me, it's no trouble at all. But then, I'm stronger than you are."
Now, Frisky had been almost ready to tell Jimmy that he might trundle
the barrow the rest of the way. But when he heard that he made up his
mind that he would get that wheelbarrow up the hill to Jimmy's house if
he didn't do another thing that day.
So he started on again. And at last he stopped in front of Jimmy
Rabbit's door.
Jimmy hopped nimbly to the ground. But poor Frisky was so tired that he
lay right down and went to sleep. And the next day he never went near
Farmer Green's garden.
But Jimmy Rabbit didn't mind that at all. There were plenty of others
who wanted to trundle the wheelbarrow. And this time Jimmy told Billy
Woodchuck that _he_ might wheel the barrow home for him.
Once more Jimmy Rabbit stood by while the vegetables were gathered for
him. Once more he seated himself on top of the load. And once more he
had a free ride up the long hill. Jimmy had changed his mind about
Farmer Green's garden. He even asked his mother if he might not bring
home two loads of vegetables each day, instead of only one. And he was
disappointed when she said "No!"
There was one thing, however, that Jimmy had overlooked. As the days
went by, one by one his friends stayed away from the garden-patch. And
at last there was nobody left who wanted to push the wheelbarrow except
Fatty Coon. And Fatty Coon was really no friend of his at all. In fact,
Jimmy did not like him, because he never could feel sure that Fatty
would not get hungry all at once and try to eat him.
But Fatty teased so hard that at last Jimmy agreed to give him his turn
at the fun (Jimmy was always careful to speak of gathering vegetables
and wheeling them home as "fun").
When the barrow was full, Jimmy Rabbit again climbed on top of the load.
But he kept very close watch of Fatty. And he was ready, any moment, to
leap off the wheelbarrow in case Fatty should reach for his legs.
Fatty Coon was strong. He did not tire so easily as the others had. But
finally he let go the handles and straightened up.
"What's the matter?" asked Jimmy. "You're not tired, are you?"
"No!" said Fatty. "But it's harder work than I supposed. I declare, I'm
getting terribly hungry."
When Jimmy Rabbit heard him say that, his heart went _pitty-pat_. And he
almost ran away, then and there.
But what would become of his nice new wheelbarrow if he did that? He was
afraid that Fatty Coon would run off with it.
"My goodness! I'm growing hungrier every minute!" said Fatty Coon.
Then Jimmy Rabbit had a happy thought. He grabbed up a handful of green
peas and tossed them to Fatty.
"Here!" he said. "Eat those! Maybe they'll make you feel better."
Fatty Coon ate the peas greedily.
"More!" he said. As you see, he was not very polite.
Jimmy threw him two handfuls then.