"Now you must come in the house," Edith said after he had eaten so much that he was in danger of exploding like an over ripe tomato. "I'm going to keep you right in my bedroom to-night. Then daddy will make a house for you in the morning."
He couldn't believe it was anything but a magic carrot
Bumper spent the night in a box lined with fresh, green grass at the foot of the little girl's bed, but not until after he had met another person whom he feared and disliked almost as much as the bad boy called Toby. She was a cross old nurse, who looked after Edith, and she didn't like rabbits—not live ones. She admired Bumper's soft, white hair, and remarked:
"Wouldn't it make a handsome fur neck scarf? I wonder how much it would cost."
Edith snatched the rabbit from her hands. "You wicked old thing!" she exclaimed. "I believe you'd kill Bumper just for his fur."
"What a funny little girl you are," the nurse laughed. "What are rabbits for if you can't use their skins for furs."
With that Edith clapped Bumper in the box, and sat on the lid. "I'm going to sit there until you go," she said.
The nurse laughed, and when she finally left the room the red-haired girl jumped up and locked the door. Then she patted Bumper again before slipping in bed for the night.