"That's good!" spoke Mr. Longears. Then he went on through the woods, meeting Toddle and Noodle Flat-Tail the beaver boys, Joie, Tommie and Kittie Kat the kittens, Nannie and Billie Wagtail the goats, and many other animal boys and girls. All of them called:
"Hello, Uncle Wiggily! Happy Fourth of July!"
And the bunny answered back:
"Thank you! I wish you the same!"
Thus hopping through the woods, meeting the animal children, and learning of the fun they were to have next day, the bunny rabbit gentleman at length came to the end of the forest. A little farther on were the houses and homes of real boys and girls, some of whom had been helped by Mr. Longears.
"I think this is as far as I had better go, seeing it's so close to the Fourth of July," thought Uncle Wiggily. "If the real children are anything like those of my animal friends who live in the woods, they'll be shooting off their crackers and torpedoes ahead of time."
And, just as he said that, Uncle Wiggily heard a loud:
"Bang! Bang!"
The bunny jumped to one side, and hid under the broad leaf of a burdock plant. Then he laughed.