The Making of the Camp
IV
They traveled on for several days up into the mountains, and finally they came to a lovely glade surrounded by shady trees, with a pretty little brook close by.
“This is just the place to camp out for the rest of the summer,” said Mr. Bunnikins-Bunny.
“See the nut-trees and clover-blossoms,” said Mr. Gray-Squirrel, who was fond of good things to eat.
Mrs. Bunnikins and Mrs. Gray-Squirrel were pleased to have the brook so near, where they could wash both the children and the clothes.
Not far away they found an old deserted shed, which made an excellent stable for Neddy; and in the hollow of a tree, they made a cosy nest for cold or rainy weather.
The hollow was so near the ground, that, by making a little ladder, the Bunny family could easily climb in.
Bobtail tried very hard to jump from branch to branch like Ruddy Squirrel, but after several bad falls, he gave it up, and contented himself with scampering about on the ground.
The little Bunnies and Gray-Squirrels loved to play in the brook, and not far away they discovered a large pond. There, however, they were forbidden to go unless Neddy, the donkey, and the life-preserver went with them.
The Heroism of Mr. Bunnikins-Bunny
V
One afternoon, Mr. Bunnikins was taking half a dozen winks in his hammock, when he was suddenly awakened by the loud squealing of Bobtail in the distance.
He sprang up wide awake in a moment, remembering that the children had all gone to play at the pond. Calling to Mr. Gray-Squirrel to follow him, Mr. Bunnikins scampered through the woods as fast as his four fat and somewhat gouty paws could carry him. When he reached the pond, he saw Neddy and Bobtail trying vainly to throw the life-preserver to a brown furry object which was struggling in the water, some little distance from shore.
“Come here, Neddy,” called Mr. Bunnikins-Bunny, “and let me get on your back; then you can swim to whatever that is in the water, and I can throw it the life-preserver, when we get near enough.”
“Hee-haw!” said Neddy, which meant, “All right, sir”; and Mr. Bunnikins scrambled up on his back, with the life-preserver held tightly in his fore paws, and off they swam.
As soon as they came near the struggling object, with all his might and main, Mr. Bunnikins-Bunny threw the life-preserver.
It landed close to the Furry One, who at once pulled himself on top of it, and was safe, but alas for poor Mr. Bunnikins-Bunny! He had thrown the life-preserver so hard, that he lost his footing on Neddy’s back, which was wet and slippery, and splish! splash! splosh! into the water he fell.
Neddy grabbed him quickly by his long ears, and swam toward shore with him, towing the life-preserver, with the furry object on it, by a rope.
Such a wet, unhappy Bunnikins as he was when Neddy put him gently down on dry land! He hated water anyhow, and never even wet the ends of his pink toes if he could help it. He kept his beautiful soft fur as white as snow, but paddling in the water he despised. His dignity, besides, had been very much hurt by his having been carried out of the pond by his ears.
Meanwhile the brown furry object had crawled off the life-preserver, and waded ashore. Bobtail and Ruddy Squirrel, very much excited, rushed up to him, and asked who he was, and how he happened to be in the water so far from the land.
The Furry One tried to tell them how he had fallen off from a high rock into deep water, and how he had tried to swim to shore, but could not. He was, however, so frightened and confused that Ruddy and Bobtail could not understand much that he said.