Well, the Tailor Bird didn't sew up the bottoms of my pantaloons so that
I couldn't get on my collar, as I told you I was afraid he would in the
last story.
But he did something else. He sent in his bill--I mean he pushed his
bill in through the open window--and asked me if I was ready to try on
my new spring suit. But I told him I didn't have time because I had to
write a Billy Bunny story. So he flew away with his bill without another
twitter.
And after he had flown for three hundred thousand short flutters he came
to where Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky were fishing.
"There's no use to fish any more, my friends," said the Tailor Bird,
"for the trout have gone to a dance and they don't bite when they
dance."
"That's very kind of you to tell us that," said Uncle Lucky, and he
pulled his hook out of the water. But would you believe it, he had a
ten-dollar bill on the end of it! Yes, sir! He did.
And if I thought there were any more ten-dollar bills in that trout
stream I'd go right off now without finishing this story and fish there
for the rest of my life.
"Hip, hurray!" cried Billy Bunny, and then he pulled in his hook and
line, and would you believe me again, even if I don't believe it myself,
he had a twenty-dollar bill on his hook! Well, the little rabbit was so
excited that he said "Hip, hurray!" three times and a half without
stopping, and then he put the money in his pocket, and so did Uncle
Lucky, and after that they said good-by to the Tailor Bird and went back
to the hotel and told the Squirrel Innkeeper all about it. But he only
laughed and said that was the best fish story he had ever heard.
"Well, then," said Uncle Lucky, "as long as you don't believe us, we'll
be going." So he and Billy Bunny got into the Luckymobile and drove
away, and by and by they came to a poor little mouse who had on a ragged
skirt and a torn sunbonnet.
And what do you think dear, kind Uncle Lucky did? Why, he stopped the
automobile and gave her his ten-dollar bill.
"Now run home to your mother," said the generous old gentleman rabbit,
"and tell her to buy you a new dress and something for herself." And
didn't she run!
That is, after she got over her surprise, for at first she could hardly
believe her eyes, for I guess she'd never seen a ten-dollar bill before.
"The next poor person I see I'm going to give my twenty-dollar bill to,"
said Billy Bunny.
"Well, you'll have plenty of chances," said his Uncle, who of course had
seen a good deal of the world and knew there were a few poor people
left, although there were lots of money in banks and old stockings in
farm-houses.
Now, I haven't room to-night to tell you who Billy Bunny gave his money
to, but if you'll wait until to-morrow night you shall hear all about
it--that is, unless some poor person sees Billy Bunny before I do.