“Aren’t you going to ask Mr. Hedgehog to dinner, Nurse Jane?” said Uncle Wiggily. “Of course,” spoke the muskrat lady. “But I’m worried about that bear, and I haven’t my breakfast dishes washed yet, on account of helping Mrs. Wibblewobble, the duck lady, can some corn.” Mr. Hedgehog laughed. “Don’t worry about that bear. I’ll fix him. As for your breakfast things, I’ll help you. I’m one of the best dish drainers that ever was.” So Nurse Jane washed the dishes, drained them between Mr. Hedgehog’s quills, and then dried them.
After the dishes had been drained and dried Nurse Jane got dinner for Mr. Hedgehog, who was Uncle Wiggily’s company. But still the muskrat lady was quite fussed. “Though, to be sure, Mr. Hedgehog did help a lot with the dishes,” she said to herself. After dinner Uncle Wiggily said: “Please shoot me one of your quills for a toothpick, Mr. Hedgehog.” The porcupine said: “That is all a mistake. I can not shoot my quills, but I can make them loose in my skin, so they come out easily. Please help yourself to a toothpick.”
After dinner Uncle Wiggily sat down to read the paper, and Nurse Jane took her sewing basket to mend a hole in one of the bunny’s socks. “Oh, but dear me!” suddenly cried the muskrat lady. “There isn’t a sewing needle in the bungalow! I forgot to get some.” Mr. Hedgehog gave a low and polite bow and made his quills stick out all sorts of ways. “Please help yourself to one of my quills. You I can use it as a needle,” he said, and Nurse Jane did. Meanwhile the bad old bear softly raised the window to get Uncle Wiggily.
All of a sudden, after Nurse Jane had finished mending the hole in Uncle Wiggily’s sock, with one of Mr. Hedgehog’s quill needles, the bear began to climb in. “Oh my!” screamed Nurse Jane. “I knew something would happen!” Uncle Wiggily’s pink nose twinkled. “Quick!” cried Mr. Hedgehog. “You and Nurse Jane hide in the closet, Uncle Wiggily. The bear isn’t looking just now. I’ll lock the door.” The bunny and Miss Fuzzy Wuzzy quickly hid. Nurse Jane was worried about Mr. Hedgehog. “I’ll fix the bear,” said he.
The bad old bear walked over toward the closet door, behind which Uncle Wiggily and Nurse Jane had hidden. “This is the time I catch Uncle Wiggily,” growled the shaggy, furry chap. Then he looked down to the floor where Mr. Hedgehog had rolled himself up in a lump, with all his quills stickin’ out. “Hello!” growled the bear, “Nurse Jane must have put this croquet ball here so I’d stumble over it and not catch Uncle Wiggily. But she can’t fool me! I’ll knock that ball out of the way with my paw!”
