During all this time, Bumper had looked around for his own safety. Loup had not spied him, and he kept well under the green leaves of the bushes. Then just as Loup made the final spring for Sleepy, the white rabbit slipped under a big log where he could not be seen.
He lay there panting and palpitating with fear. Would Loup come sniffing around and discover him? Or would he finally leave the place to hunt elsewhere? It was a terrible moment of uncertainty.
But luck was with him. Loup, never suspecting the presence of a rabbit below, finally leaped to a higher branch of the tree, and looked around. This was his favorite method of spying out any helpless animal below. Then he jumped to the next tree, and so made his way to another part of the woods.
Bumper waited a long time before he crept from his hiding place to renew his trip. When he finally did so all was quiet in the woods. But just as he hopped away a voice from the hole in the tree called to him.
“You saved my life, Bumper,” Sleepy said, peeking his head out. “I’m sorry I spoke so crossly to you. Won’t you forgive me?”
“Certainly, Sleepy,” replied Bumper. “And I’m mighty glad Loup wasn’t a minute sooner. Good-bye!”
Hopping away this time, he felt much better than before. He had done a good service to Sleepy, and won his friendship for all time. Next he had a chance to help Browny the Muskrat in a very peculiar way, which will be the subject of the following story.