She had a tiny mite of a shop, in the front part of her house, where Ruddy Squirrel, Frisky Bushy-Tail, and Bobtail and Rosamund Bunnikins-Bunny spent all their pennies on cakes and goodies.
It made Nibbles very unhappy to have his mother work so hard, although he did his best to help her; so at last he decided to go out into the world and seek his fortune.
One fine morning, bright and early, he kissed the family good-bye, and away he went, after making Sniffy, Snuffy, and Gobble promise to be good children and mind their mother.
Mrs. Poppelty-Poppett, shedding many tears, had made a little bundle of his clothes, neatly tied up in a red bandanna handkerchief, which Nibbles easily carried over his shoulder, at the end of a stick.
At first he felt very sad and lonely, but the sun was so warm, and the crickets and birds were singing so gayly, that he soon cheered up, and trotted briskly along.
Towards noon Nibbles began to feel so very hungry that he decided it must be about dinner time. Not far off he saw, beneath a shady elm tree, a neat, cosy-looking house. From a branch of the tree there hung a sign, on which was written in large gold letters:
The Guinea Pigs’ Rest.
“That is just the place for me,” thought Nibbles, “for I am fond of guinea pigs.”
