II
The two rabbits hopped off across the yard and into the garden.
There they found the biggest cabbages they had ever seen.
There were rows and rows of them.
They were great big green cabbages. How good they did look to the hungry little rabbits!
"I aim going to eat this one," said Bunny. And he stopped at a big, big cabbage at the end of one long row.
Bobtail picked out a big one for himself and began to nibble the sweet leaves.
Nibble, nibble, nibble! Not a word did the little rabbits speak.
They could not talk. They were so busy eating that they could not say a word.
Nibble, nibble, nibble! How still it was in the garden!
Bunny heard the bees humming as they flew among the flowers.
Once Blacky Crow flew over and called to the rabbits.
But he did not fly down to the garden. There was nothing there for him to eat, now.
He liked the corn when it had just peeped out of the ground.
Then it was tender and sweet, and he often pulled it up for his dinner.
Nibble, nibble, nibble! How still it was everywhere.
Then all at once there was a noise.
It was a noise the rabbits knew too well.
"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip, as he bounded across the field.
"Bow-wow-wow! I think some one is in my master's garden."
Bunny and Bobtail knew who was coming. They did not have to wait and see.
Off through the garden they hopped.
They hopped so fast that they were soon out of sight.
But Jip knew where they had gone, and he ran after them, barking louder and louder at every step.
"Oh, dear me!" cried Bobtail. "What shall we do? Jip will catch us before we reach home."
"Follow me," said Bunny, "I know where there is a hole big enough for both of us to hide."
So Bobtail followed Bunny.
They hopped across the field and into the woods.
"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip. "I am going to catch you this time."
And then, all at once, Jip could not see the rabbits anywhere.
They had hopped into a hole under the big rock at the foot of the oak tree.
They hopped into the hole and then they were safe.
Jip could not reach them.
He sat down beside the hole to wait until they came out, but they were too wise to come out.