“Over the field they ran, and under the stone wall went Short Ears and over it went Mr. Dog. Down the road they ran lickety split, and into his house ran Short Ears just as Mr. Dog came into the yard.
“Short Ears had no time to lose, I can tell you. He slammed the door, and what do you suppose happened?”
Bunny Rabbit was so interested in his grandfather’s story he only started; he did not answer at all. So his grandfather went on.
“Why, Short Ears slammed that door right on his long tail, and there he was held fast, with his tail hanging outside.”
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” cried Bunny Rabbit, feeling of his stubby little tail, to be sure it was safe behind him.
“What did poor Short Ears do then?” he asked.
“He could not do a thing, for there was Mr. Dog right in the yard and running straight for the door,” said Grandfather Rabbit.
Bunny Rabbit sat closer to his grandfather and his ears grew longer as he listened.
“Yes,” said Grandfather Rabbit, “Short Ears was in a bad fix, as you can see. He could not open the door to get his tail out, because Mr. Dog would come in and catch him.
“He did not have long to think about it, for the very next thing he knew Mr. Dog grabbed at his tail and off it came right up to the door. And off he ran. For, you see, he thought he had Short Ears on the end of the tail, and he did not stop to look. He just ran.