CHAPTER III
When old Grizzly came next evening he had a book tucked under his arm.
"What have you there?" asked Bunny and Susan together.
It was some time before old Grizzly would tell. Then he coughed and said he had one story that every one liked so well that he had written it down, and drawn pictures for it.
The two rabbits begged so hard to see the pictures that old Grizzly opened the book and showed them all the pictures before he began to read. And this is the story he read:
Once there was a gentleman who wrote stories. He had a fine large cat called Whiskers.
One day Whiskers thought he would see the man write his story, so he sat up on the desk beside him.
The man started to write a story about an elephant. It was to be a long story with big words in it.
Whiskers wanted to be petted just then, and as the man did not notice him, he gave the pen a little slap, and it made a funny mark down the page.
"Never mind," said the man, "that will do for the path along which the elephant walked."
The man's pen was a lovely thing to play with, but Whiskers had a nicer plaything himself. He began to go round and round after his own tail. Round and round he went, until he upset the ink. Then he was so scared that he ran and hid.
The man only laughed, and said he would draw funny little figures where the blots of ink were.
He called Whiskers back and went on with his story. He was just wondering how he would draw the seats inside the circus tent, when Whiskers put his paw down on the wet page, and the man said:
"Why, Whiskers, you certainly are an artist."
Then he began to wonder how he could show what a big space the elephant covered when he walked, and just then the cat walked over the paper, to show him!
The man was so pleased then, that he laid down his pen and gave
Whiskers a big hug.
"Pooh!" said Whiskers, "that was nothing. I could write a better story than you can, any day!"
You see, Whiskers was not a polite cat.
"Did Whiskers write the story?" asked Bunny.
Susan winked at Bunny and said:
"Old Grizzly, that is the best story of all, and I believe you made it up yourself!"
Then old Grizzly blushed under the fur on his cheeks, and Bunny ran and got a big bouquet and stuck it in his paw!
Old Grizzly went home feeling very happy indeed.