And the more she heard the water running the more thirsty she became, until she said, right out loud: "I'm going to get a drink!"
You've no idea how funny it sounded to hear Brighteyes speak out loud that way, for it was so still and quiet in the woods, that it was just as if she had spoken out loud in church, after the minister has stopped praying. Then Brighteyes got up from the mossy log, and went toward the running water. And what do you s'pose is going to happen? Why, she's going to have an adventure in about a minute, or, maybe, less time.
Well, the little guinea pig girl found where a little brook ran through the woods, over the stones and under green banks where the long ferns grew, and she was more thirsty than ever, and when she got down to the edge of the brook, there was a little plank stretched across the water for a bridge.
Brighteyes walked out on the middle of the plank, looked down into the brook, which was just like a looking-glass, and she saw how well her dress fitted. Then she kneeled, dipped her paws in the water and scooped up some to drink, taking care not to splash any on her clothes.
"Oh!" exclaimed the little guinea pig girl, "that is very fine water!" Then she took another drink and stood up. She was just going to walk back to shore when she happened to hear a funny noise, and, lo! and behold, at either end of the plank bridge there was a funny brown, furry creature, about as big as a small dog. They stood up on their hind legs, one at one end of the plank and one at the other, and when they saw Brighteyes looking at them the larger creature cried out:
"Ha! Ha! Now we have you! You can't get ashore unless you give us all your money!"
"I haven't very much," said poor Brighteyes, beginning to tremble, and wondering if the brown creatures were burglars.
"Well, we want whatever money you have," declared the creature at the right-hand end of the plank.
"Yes, indeed!" cried the creature on the left end.
"Who—who are you?" stammered Brighteyes, thinking to make friends with the creatures.