WIGGLE BORROWS THE AUTOMOBILE
The midsummer days were full of good times. Uncle Squeaky sometimes took
them for a sail upon Pond Lily Lake; they fished from Polly-Wog Bridge and
went splashing about in the water dressed in their bathing-suits. Then
there were merry parties of berry pickers who spent the day in the shady
woods picking blueberries and raspberries for Mother Graymouse and Aunt
Squeaky to preserve.
Buster loved the moonlight evenings when Uncle Squeaky's band, looking
very fine in the gay uniforms, marched along the Lake shore and played the
music which he had written. He was also delighted when they gathered in
the fire-glow around Uncle Squeaky's fireplace and nibbled roasted corn,
baked potatoes, toasted cheese, and other goodies. He could not decide
which was nicer.
Limpy-toes was generous with his automobile. He was busy, for
Grand-daddy's practice was growing larger, and as Limpy-toes was studying
medicine, he often went along with Grand-daddy. But he found time to give
the little mice many jolly rides along the pine-strewn paths and lanes.
Sometimes he allowed Wink or Wiggle to steer and they felt very proud
indeed.
One beautiful moonlit night when Limpy-toes had gone with Dr. Whiskers to
see Mrs. Hop Toad, a wild plan entered Wiggle's mischievous head.
"Let's borrow the automobile without asking Limpy," he whispered to Wink.
"It will be sport to run it all our own selves. This is a dandy evening."
"S'pose something breaks?" objected Wink.
"Huh, you can't hurt the old chug-chug! We'll take turns cranking it.
Let's ask Pete and Dickie to go with us."
Stealing quietly away while Scamper and Uncle Squeaky were busy, they
managed to start off without being seen.
"Come on for a joy ride, Pete, and fetch Dickie," invited Wiggle.
The Grasshopper brothers hopped briskly in and away they whizzed. Down
Grasshopper Lane, through a pine grove, along Skunk Avenue, past the Lake,
on and on, only stopping here and there to twist up the spring.
"I'm getting tired of so much twisting," declared Wiggle. "It would be
good sport to coast down Crooked Hill."
"Come on!" cried Wink gaily. "Guess we'll not need much twistity there."
"Can you steer straight?" asked Dickie doubtfully.
"Sure I can steer. I wouldn't be afraid in the dark, and this moonlight is
as bright as day," bragged Wiggle. "Hold your breath, now."
Crooked Hill was very steep and slippery with pine needles. On either side
there were jutting rocks and old pine stumps. At the foot of the hill ran
Beaver Brook.
[Illustration: "_Hold your breath, now_."]
Later that evening, Mr. Jack Rabbit was hopping homeward with a bag of
carrots and clover leaves slung over his shoulder.
"Hello, what's this?" he cried. "Limpy-toes Graymouse's automobile, sure
as I'm a Bunny! Hi, there, Limpy, are you underneath?"
"Ah, please help us, Mr. Rabbit," came a faint cry from under the wrecked
automobile. "It is Wink and Wiggle. Fetch Grand-daddy and Pa Squeaky. Go
quick!"
Jack Rabbit threw down his bag of carrots and leaped across the fields as
though a hound dog was on his track.
It seemed a long time to the four little fellows under the automobile, but
it was really surprising how soon Jack Rabbit returned with help.
Limpy-toes and Grand-daddy had medicines and bandages. Scamper and Uncle
Squeaky hauled the cart with its four stout spool wheels.
"Bless my stars!" cried Uncle Squeaky, when he had pulled poor battered
Wiggle out from under. "One broken paw, a smashed-in nose, and a black
eye! Is Wink much damaged, Grand-daddy?"
"Sprained ankle and a banged head," answered Grand-daddy. "Dickie and Pete
have only a few scratches. We'll plaster and bandage 'em up and they will
finish their joy ride in the cart. Reckon they'll go up hill some slower
than they came down."
Poor Limpy-toes stood and looked at his ruined automobile.
"Can you fix it, Limpy-toes?" asked Jack Rabbit.
"Maybe," sighed Limpy-toes, "but it will take all winter. I shall have to
haul it home in pieces. Well, I am glad the twinnies aren't killed."
"They ought to be walloped," growled Scamper. "It's a shame, Limpy-toes,
that's what it is!"
It was many weeks before Wink and Wiggle were able to leave their
pine-needle beds. Silvy, in her pretty nurse's cap and apron, was kept
busy waiting upon her mischievous cousins.
Debby Field-Mouse often ran over from her cottage, which she had named the
Cosy Retreat, bringing dainties for the poor bruised twinnies to eat.
Poor Granny Whiskers' nerves were badly shaken.
"Ah, Zenas," she moaned, "take us to our dear attic home before some one
is killed. You promised me that we should all go home safe and sound, and
there lay those precious twinnies, all bandages and plasters. Ah, dearie
me! What will happen next? Poor Debbie's house was burned; Wink and Wiggle
are all smashed up. Zenas Whiskers, I say we must pack up and go home
tomorrow."
"Ah, Granny," grinned Grand-daddy, "Wink and Wiggle are perfectly safe,
but I can't truthfully call 'em sound just yet. I must dose 'em awhile
before they will be sound enough to go back to the attic. Pine breezes,
fresh air and sunshine, Granny, that's what they need. I'm sure Debby
Field-Mouse isn't complaining because Pile of Rails burned. She is as
happy as a lark in her Cosy Retreat.
"I am having the time of my life. Never was so important and sought after
as I've been since Hezekiah stuck that Dr. Whiskers sign in front of my
cottage. Ah, no, Granny, we don't leave Pond Lily Lake until snow flies
and I'm hoping that it will be a long time from now."