“I can’t very well swim with a broken leg,” said Stripe the Chipmunk, “but if you’ll put me on a chip I can float down the river.”
Bumper had forgotten his little charges, and for a moment he was distressed. Then he said to Fuzzy Wuzz: “Find a chip for Stripe so he can float on it, and then swim along by White Foot to see that he doesn’t get exhausted. I’ll get Pink Nose to carry Spotty across on his back. He’ll do it.”
He hopped away, and soon brought Pink Nose back with him, who promised to look out for the Chameleon. Lazy said good-bye, and began burrowing into the soft mud. Fuzzy Wuzz put Stripe the Chipmunk on a big chip, and then started to swim across with White Foot the Deer Mouse.
“Now all of you get across,” Bumper commanded, “and I’ll go back to see if I can do anything for Bobby Gray Squirrel.”
“Oh, Bumper, do be careful, and return soon,” pleaded Fuzzy Wuzz.
Bumper promised, and then dashed back into the woods. In a very short time he found the smoke growing so dense that it made him gasp. But he raced on directly toward the approaching fire. Pretty soon hot, scorching cinders fell about him, and he could hear the roar of the flames.
The bright light ahead told him he was nearly upon the fire, but he loped along, making straight for Bobby’s tree. When he reached it he began calling frantically.
“Bobby! Bobby!”
A weak little voice responded, and Bumper jumped to where it came from. There curled up in the leaves at the bottom of the big tree was Bobby Gray Squirrel too sick to care whether the fire was near or not.
“What’d you come back for, Bumper?” he asked.