Bumper was more nettled than ever at this reply, but still he controlled himself. “You’d better listen to me, Sleepy,” he said. “It’s true that Loup the Lynx is hunting in these woods, and if he passed here he could see you easily. Why not find a good hiding place if you must sleep outdoors?”
“Because I prefer this warm place in the sun. Now go on and leave me alone.”
And Bumper hopped along, feeling that his offer of kindness was not wanted. He hopped for some distance until suddenly he heard a noise in the tree overhead. He stopped and glanced up.
There was Loup the Lynx crouched in the tree, looking for some small animal he could pounce upon. Bumper was concealed from view by the bushes, and unless Loup saw him he was safe. It would be an easy matter to hide there until Loup passed on.
But as he crouched he thought of Sleepy a short distance away. If Loup hunted in his direction he would surely see him, and that would be the last of Sleepy. Now the desire to hide, and save his own skin, made him crouch still lower in the bushes.
“It’s none of my affair,” he said to himself. “I warned Sleepy, and he wouldn’t listen to me. I don’t need to do anything more.”
Of course, Bumper was right in a way, and he couldn’t be blamed for thinking of his own skin first; but all the time his conscience kept troubling him. What if Loup should spring upon Sleepy and kill him! How would he feel! He would never feel that he had done all of his duty.
“No,” he said finally, “I can’t hide here and let Sleepy be caught. I must warn him once more.”
Having made this decision, he crept out of his hiding place, and keeping the trees and bushes between him and the Loup, he made his way slowly back to where Sleepy was sunning himself.
“Sleepy,” he called softly when he got under the tree. “Sleepy, wake up!”