"Well, well, Nurse Jane! This is a gold wolf, surely enough! But it cannot hurt us!"
"Why not?" asked the muskrat lady, who was getting ready to run.
"Because it is only a wolf carved out of wood, and painted like gold," answered the bunny gentleman. "I see what this is—it is one of the gilded wolves that were on the Little Red Riding Hood chariot from the circus. This golden, wooden wolf fell off the wagon and the circus people did not stop to pick it up."
"Well, I'm glad it's a wooden wolf," spoke the muskrat lady. "Then it can't nibble your ears; can it?"
"Not in the least," laughed Uncle Wiggily. "But if I had a wheelbarrow, or something, I'd take this wolf home to my bungalow."
"What for?" Nurse Jane wanted to know.
"Oh, I'd set it in the hall, near the umbrella rack," said Uncle Wiggily. "Just think! A golden, wooden wolf would be quite an ornament."
"Yes," agreed Nurse Jane, "it might look nice. But how can you get it home? It is too heavy to drag, and it has no wheels on as the animals have in the Noah's arks."
"Hum! Let me see, now," said Uncle Wiggily, walking around the golden, wooden wolf. "If I only had some wheels!"
And just then, along through the woods came Billie and Nannie Wagtail, the goat boy and girl, each with roller skates dangling by a strap over their shoulders.