Pop! goes the Weasel.”
At the word “Pop!” the weasel was tossed high in the air; and as he sailed skyward he half awoke and made a sound like a cork coming out of a bottle. Before he began to descend he was sound asleep again.
Round and round they skipped and sang, until every one was tired and out of breath.
“If I could only sleep like that!” sighed the Great Huge Bear, as he rolled the Weasel back into the bushes.
The next event was an exhibition of bear-back riding by the Stork. The Great Huge Bear raced around the clearing as fast as he could go, and tried in various ways to shake the Stork off; but the bird finished the trip in triumph, and caused a great sensation by balancing, part of the time, on one leg. Buddie was especially delighted by this unexpected feat; for it was she that had suggested the idea to the Stork. Next to the pleasure of being able to do a thing oneself comes the pleasure of suggesting it to some one else that can, and thereby sharing in his success.
“Playing ’Possum” was the next game on the program.
“Choose partners!” called out the Donkey, and the company, pairing off, formed a ring around the ’Possum. “Change partners!” called the Donkey, and a scramble followed. “’Possum!” was the next call, and there was another scramble, followed by a laugh at Buddie’s expense. The ’Possum had seized a partner, and Buddie was left without one. She had been forced into the ’Possum’s place in the center of the ring. It was something like “Old Dan Tucker,” with the music and dancing omitted.
Next came a bowling contest, open to all members of the Club large enough to take part. Ten chipmunks, sitting up straight and stiff, served as pins, and the Fretless Porcupine curled himself up for the ball. In the ordinary bowling alley the ball must be rolled back in a trough; but the Porcupine simply uncurled himself after each throw, and trotted back for another. He seemed to enjoy the game as much as the others, and the chipmunks didn’t mind being pins, for they were seldom knocked over, and when they were it didn’t hurt them a bit.
While these sports were going on two teams of bats were playing cricket, and the still smaller members of the Club were playing Leapfrog, Worm i’ the Bud, Who Killed Cock Robin?, Beetle, Beetle, Who’s Got the Beetle? and other games; and everybody was having such a good time that very few heard the Donkey announce that Doctor Goose’s lecture was about to begin.