“When you make a friend of your enemy, you have made a friend indeed. Watch Spotted Tail’s enthusiasm.”
Bumper had already been watching him, and a little glow of pleasure was in his heart. Even greater than being made king, he thought, was the winning of Spotted Tail’s loyalty.
“All’s well that ends well,” he murmured.
Of course, Rusty the Blackbird might have doubted the genuineness of Spotted Tail’s friendship, and so would have Shrike the Butcher Bird, but that was because they didn’t understand the nature and habits of the rabbits as Bumper and Old Blind Rabbit did. They knew that Spotted Tail had changed, and all the envy and hatred had left his heart.
As if to prove this, something happened in the woods a few days later, which dispelled any doubts that either may have had. Bumper and Spotted Tail had gone off together in the thickest part of the woods when they came to an old gravel pit.
This was a deep hole in the ground which had nearly been covered up with thick weeds and briers. Bumper and Spotted Tail had been hopping along without thought of danger. Around and over the gravel pit a thick clump of bushes was growing.
“I think I can take that clump with a big hop,” Bumper remarked, preparing for a spring.
Spotted Tail glanced up to follow, and then shouted in alarm: “Don’t do it, Bumper! The gravel pit!”
Spotted Tail had recognized the danger if Bumper should fall short of his jump, but his warning was too late. Bumper had sprung into the air, and, just as Spotted Tail had feared, the tops of the bushes interfered with his leap. Instead of clearing the place, Bumper fell plump through the mass of weeds into the deep pit.
Down, down he went, scratching his face and body as he fell. Instead of landing on all four feet as he expected to do, he dropped heavily on one foot and wrenched his leg.