Then, with his last breath, and giving a spring and a hop that was so big that it took him close to Buddy, Sammie stretched out his paw with the ball in and tried to touch Buddy. But do you s'pose he did? No, sir, he didn't, and Buddy got home safe, and wasn't put out after all.
"Well," said Sammie, after he had gotten his breath, "if you had had a tail sticking out behind you I would have touched that, and you'd have been out."
"I'm glad I haven't a tail," said Buddy, as he sat down on the grass to rest, and then, after a while the game went on, and lasted until dark, everybody having a fine time.
Now, I'm going to tell you in the story after this one about Brighteyes, Buddy and the turnip—that is, in case I hear a potato bug sing a song that puts the rag doll to sleep, so she won't cry and wake up the pussy cat.
STORY XVIII
BRIGHTEYES, BUDDY AND THE TURNIP
One day when Buddy and Brighteyes Pigg were out walking in the fields, they saw, close beside a big stone, a fine, large turnip. Oh, it was the nicest, ripest, juiciest turnip that ever a guinea pig boy or girl smelled of, and it just made their mouths water, and water even came into their eyes.
"Oh, what a lovely turnip!" exclaimed Brighteyes. "I wonder who it belongs to?"
"Let's look and see if it has any one's name on it," suggested Buddy.