As if in response to his words, a nose appeared out of the water, and Billy the Mink swam ashore. Bumper eyed him suspiciously at first, and stood ready to run; but Billy spoke to relieve his mind.
“Don’t go, Bumper!” he called. “Wait a minute!”
Swimming quickly ashore, Billy climbed up on the embankment. “That was a narrow squeak for me,” he added, panting a little from his exertions. “If it hadn’t been for you, Sneaky would surely have had me. Why did you warn me after I’d treated you so?”
“Because,” stammered Bumper, “I didn’t want to see you killed, Billy, even if you had spattered me with mud. But how am I ever going to get clean again? This mud is all caked on me.”
“I’ll clean you, Bumper. It’s the least I can do to repay you. Now stand by the river while I splash water over you. That will soon wash the mud off.”
It was a strange sight, Billy the Mink cleaning Bumper the White Rabbit by the edge of the river, each laughing and enjoying the work as if it was a new game, and if any one had seen them it would have caused no end of surprise. They were now as close friends as before they were enemies.
And if Bumper gets clean in time, and Billy doesn’t spatter more mud on him, you will hear in the next story of how Bumper met Mr. Beaver.