"Oh, what a funny rabbit!" cried the little girl as she looked at the bunny gentleman all dressed, as he always was when he went to look for an adventure. "He looks just like a picture on an Easter card!" laughed the little girl. "I wish I had him at my party!"
"Well, I wish she'd take this trap off my paw!" thought Uncle Wiggily, though of course he could say nothing, however much he could hear.
Then the little girl looked down among the leaves and saw where the trap pinched Uncle Wiggily.
"Oh, you poor bunny rabbit!" she cried. "I'll set you loose."
Very gently she pressed her foot on the spring of the trap, to open it. And when the jaws were opened Uncle Wiggily could lift out his paw, which he did. He hopped a little way over the dried leaves, limping a bit, for the pinching trap had pained him. Then, coming to a stop on a smooth, grassy place, the bunny leaned on his red, white and blue striped rheumatism crutch and, taking off his tall silk hat, he made a low and polite bow to the little girl.
"Thank you for having done me a great favor!" said Uncle Wiggily in animal talk. "I wish I could do one for you!"
But of course the little girl could not understand this bunny language, so she only laughed and said:
"Oh, what a dear, funny bunny! With a tall hat and everything! I wish you would come to my birthday party! I'm going to have a cake with ten lighted candles on!"
"Thank you, I'd like to come, but it is out of the question," answered Uncle Wiggily in his own talk. Then, with another low and polite bow, he hopped away.
The little girl picked up the things she had bought at the store and went home.