"Rich!" said the rabbit, rubbing his eyes and trying to stand up while all his friends gathered around him. "But I don't understand. The little old lady in the green dress said I would find my fortune here, but I don't see it."
"Let me explain," said Sammie Littletail. "Do you see that field of cabbage, Uncle Wiggily?" and the rabbit boy pointed to it.
"Yes," said the rabbit, "I see the field."
"There are seventeen million, two hundred and fifty-six thousand, nine hundred and three cabbages there," said Sammie, "and they are all yours. And do you see that field of turnips?"
"Yes," said Uncle Wiggily, as he looked down the hill, "I see them."
"There are nineteen million, four hundred and thirty-three thousand, eight hundred and sixty-six turnips," said Sammie, "and they are all yours. And do you see that field of carrots?"
"I do," said Uncle Wiggily, but he couldn't see so very far, as tears of joy were in his eyes.
"There are one hundred million, eight hundred and twenty-three thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine and a half carrots in that field," said Sammie. "Jillie Longtail, the mouse, had the half carrot because she was ill, but all the rest are yours, and you are the richest rabbit in the world--the very richest--there is your fortune. You can sell the turnips and carrots and cabbages and have forty-'leven barrels of gold."
"But--but I don't understand," said Uncle Wiggily, as he tried to hug all his friends at once.
"It was this way," said Sammie, "when you were gone we all planted things in your garden and fields for you, and we took care of them, hoeing and watering them, until they grew as never carrots or turnips or cabbages grew before. So now you have come back to us, and you are rich."