STORY VII
UNCLE WIGGILY IN A PARADE
Arabella Chick's party seemed to break up very suddenly when the guests saw that soldier-dog with the gun waiting outside the door. Buddy Pigg slipped out of a back window, and ran home with his tail behind him. Oh, excuse me, guinea pigs don't have a tail, do they? Anyhow he ran home, and so did Sammie and Susie Littletail, and Johnnie and Billie Bushytail, and the Wibblewobble children, and Peetie and Jackie Bow Wow too.
But, of course, Arabella Chick couldn't run home because she was at home already, so she just looked out of the window once more, and there the dog-soldier stood, and he was looking in his gun to see if it was loaded.
"Well, is Uncle Wiggily coming out?" called the dog again.
"I guess I am—that is—are you sure you want me?" asked the poor old gentleman rabbit, puzzled like.
"Yes, of course I want you," replied the dog.
"Then I guess I've got to go!" exclaimed Uncle Wiggily, as he looked for his crutch and valise. "I guess this is the end of my fortune-hunting. Goodbye everybody!" And he felt so badly that two big tears rolled down his ears—I mean his eyes.
Well, he bravely walked out of the door, and as he did so the dog-soldier, with the gun, exclaimed: