Bert had no weapon—he could not even pick up a stone, for they were all covered from sight by the mass of white. But the boy had an idea that he could catch the rabbit alive.
Bert was not a cruel boy, and under other circumstances he never would have dreamed of trying to hurt or catch a bunny. But now he felt that the lives of his sister and Mrs. Bimby might depend on this game.
“I’ll get you! I’ll run you down!” muttered Bert.
Now a rabbit is a very fast-moving animal. Out West there is a kind called jackrabbits, and they can go faster than the average dog. Only a greyhound or other long-legged dog can beat a jackrabbit running. But though this bunny was not a jackrabbit, being the common wild rabbit of the woods and fields, still it could go faster than could Bert—and in the snow at that.
Every now and again Bert would get so near the bunny that he felt sure that the next moment he would be able to get hold of the long ears. But every time the rabbit would give a desperate jump and get beyond the boy’s reach.
“Whew!” exclaimed Bert, as he was forced to stop, because his legs were so tired and because his breath was so short. “I don’t wonder hunters have to use guns! They never could get much game just by chasing after it. It wouldn’t be any use to set a trap, for I haven’t time and I haven’t anything to bait it with. Besides, I guess you’re so smart you’d never be caught in it.”
As Bert came to a stop on top of another little hill where the snow was partly blown away, the rabbit also halted. It looked back at the boy. Probably the bunny was as tired as was Bert.
“If I only had something to throw at you!” murmured the boy. “I can’t find any stones, but I can take a stick.”
There were trees near at hand, and from the low branches of one of these Bert broke off a number of pieces of dead wood. They cracked like pistol shots, and, turning around to look at the rabbit, Bert saw it scooting away over the snow. Probably the little furry creature thought some hunter was shooting at it.
“Well, I guess I’ll have to give up,” said the boy, half aloud. “I’ll only get lost chasing after you. As it is, I guess I’ve come ’most a mile out of my way.”