“That is very odd,” said the teacher, “both Sammie and Susie out! I hope they haven’t the epizootic, or the mumps, or carrot fever, or anything like that. Well, we’ll go on with our lessons, and perhaps they will come in later.”
So the first thing the pupils did was to sing a little song, and though I can’t make up very nice ones, I’ll do the best I can to give you an idea of it. This is how it went, to the tune, “Tum-Tum-Tum, Tiddle De-um!”
Good morning! How are you?
We hope you’re quite well.
We’re feeling most jolly,
So hark to us spell.
C-A and a T, with
A dot on the eye.
Makes cat, dog or rat,
Or a bird in the sky.
Take two and two more.
What have you? ’Tis five!
What? Four? Oh, of course,
See the B in the hive.
Now sing the last verse,
Ah, isn’t it pretty?
We’re glad that you like
Our dear little kittie.
Well, after the children had sung that they all looked around to see if Sammie or Susie had come in, but they hadn’t, and then the lessons began, and everyone got a perfect mark. Still the rabbit children didn’t come, and after school Bully No-Tail said:
“I think I’ll stop at Sammie’s house and see what is the matter.”
“I wish you would,” spoke the teacher, “and then you can tell us to-morrow. I hope he is not ill.”
But Sammie was worse than ill, as Bully very soon found out when he got to the house. He found Mr. and Mrs. Littletail very much excited. Mrs. Littletail was crying, and so was Susie, and as for Nurse Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy, the muskrat lady, she was washing up the dishes so fast that she broke a cup and saucer and dropped a knife and spoon. And Uncle Wiggily Longears was limping around on his crutch, striped red, white and blue like a barber pole, and saying: “Oh dear! Oh dear me! Oh hum suz dud.”
“Why, whatever has happened?” asked Bully. “Is Sammie dead?”
“Worse than that,” said Susie, wiping her eyes on her apron.
“Much worse,” chimed in Uncle Wiggily. “Just think, Bully, when Sammie was starting off for school this morning, he went off in the woods a little way to see if he could find a wild carrot, when a big boy rushed up, grabbed him, and put him in a bag before any of us could save him! And now he’s gone! Completely gone!”