“Oh, keep quiet, will you?” snapped the Old Weasel.
“Why should he?” asked the big Circus Elephant. “He speaks the truth. Can’t say that about you!”
“Ha, ha!” laughed Little Jack Rabbit. “Won’t Uncle Lucky smile when I tell him what has happened?”
“I’ve a good mind to bite you,” cried Old Man Weasel, glaring at Sammy Skunk.
“You’d better not,” replied Sammy Skunk. “You know what I’ll do to you.”
Of course Old Man Weasel did, and so did all the Shady Forest Folk. But if they don’t meddle with Sammy Skunk he treats them very politely. Yes, indeed.
“Well, so long,” sang out the big Circus Elephant. “We’ve no more time to talk,” and off he went at a rapid pace, and by and by, after a while, not nearly a mile, with a bump and a smile, he stopped at the gate in the old Rail Fence.
“I’ll take down the bars,” he said. “I guess Mrs. Cow won’t try to get out while we’re walking in.”
“Oh, no,” answered Little Jack Rabbit. “She likes the Sunny Meadow. Besides, she is way over there,” pointing toward the Old Duck Pond. “She won’t bother us.”
After the big Circus Elephant had put back the bars he followed the Old Cow Path through the Sunny Meadow to the Old Bramble Patch in the far corner of the Old Rail Fence. Setting the little rabbit down, he wiped his forehead with a big blue silk handkerchief nearly as large as a sheet.