Spotted Tail heard his groans with alarm. What had happened to Bumper? He called aloud, and received only groans in reply.
Now perhaps it would have been wiser for Spotted Tail to have run back to the burrow, and summon help; but he was so worried over the result of the accident that only one thing occurred to him. He deliberately leaped into the gravel pit after Bumper. This required a good deal of courage, for he knew the danger. He recalled stories of how more than one rabbit in the past had been caught in this natural trap and held there for days and weeks until nearly famished.
When he landed by the side of Bumper at the bottom of the pit, he found the king huddled up in a heap, groaning with pain.
“What is it, Bumper?” he asked anxiously.
“I’ve broken my leg or sprained it,” was the reply. “And it pains so that even a king cannot help moaning.”
“Let me see it,” replied Spotted Tail.
For a long time Spotted Tail rubbed it, and tried to ease the pain. After a while it grew better, but it was still too lame for Bumper to stand much weight on it.
“How am I ever going to get out of this hole?” he asked, looking up. “I can’t jump out of it with this sprained leg.”
“No,” replied Spotted Tail. “No rabbit has ever yet been able to hop out of the gravel pit. I’m afraid we’re trapped here until the others find us.”
“Is it so bad as that?”