“But not without moving?” asked the Rabbit, with an air of disbelief. “Without stirring an eighth of an inch,” the Sentry said.
“I don’t believe it,” replied the Rabbit. “I challenge you to keep perfectly still for any length of time. I bet you a gold piece you won’t stand motionless whilst I run home and back again.”
“Done!” said the Sentry, and straightway stepped into his box.
“This sentry-box gets slimy and dirty,” he said, without the least idea of what the Rabbit had done. “It is quite sticky with dirt. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if you were to clean it out for me some day.”
“I’ll see,” answered the other carelessly, fearing to be either too polite or too rude lest he should arouse any suspicions in the Sentry’s mind. “I don’t generally care to do other people’s dirty work, but I may do that some day when I am not busy. You serve your country, so you deserve a little help.”
“If you don’t do it willingly, you shall do it unwillingly,” he blustered. “If I serve my country, you must serve me.”
“There’s plenty of time to think it over,” answered the Rabbit. “In the meanwhile, you can’t stir even to have it cleaned or you lose your bet. I’m off. But wait, I must call the Owl to be a witness that you keep strictly to the terms we have agreed upon.”
Then, having called the Owl and stated the terms of the bet, the Rabbit went home.
Here he awaited the arrival of the Mouse, who presently returned, full of pretended sympathy for the dulness of the Sentry’s life.
“He told me to-day,” said the little rascal, “that the dulness of his life was killing him. It struck me that it would be really an act of charity on our part to give him a little performance, and let him fully understand we expect no money for it. I hinted at something of the sort to him, and the poor fellow’s face lighted up in a way that was quite touching. Suppose we go his way now as we have a little spare time.”