Silvertip pricked up his ears
“Don’t do it,” shouted all the others. “Keep away from Man! Keep away from Man! He’s more dangerous than Silvertip!”
CHAPTER VI
THE LITTLE BUNNY MEETS THE LITTLE BOY
“Whiskers!” Nibble started to his feet at the very idea.
“What if the Terrible Storm should be over and Silvertip comes sneaking back!” And immediately they all looked very serious. They seemed to feel in their hearts that something had gone wrong while they were having their fun. A moment more and they knew it!
Nibble started to scratch away the snow that had drifted the door of the cornstalk tent closed behind them, three days ago. He clawed and he thumped and he pushed and he squirmed but at last he had to sit back and confess, “My nails won’t take a hold. It’s all solid ice outside. We’re frozen in!”
“Frozen in!” exclaimed the partridge. They knew what that meant. It meant that you couldn’t breathe through ice as you can through snow, so you smother in the long run. It seemed that Nibble’s lovely party was going to have a sad ending indeed.
The partridge tried but soon tired out. Then Gimlet tried, but he only froze his bill.
Suddenly, Bump! Bump! sounded from outside.