Of course, Flop Ear did not in the least know what was going to happen to him. But he knew, by this time, that the boy was good and kind, and would not hurt him.
“We will try an easy trick,” Jimmie said. “I will see if you know how to jump through a barrel hoop.”
The boy set Flop Ear down on the ground, outside the box. Of course the rabbit might have run away, but he thought he would not.
“There is time enough for that later on,” Flop Ear said to himself. “I will see what he means by tricks, and jumping through a hoop.”
The boy had with him a round hoop from a barrel. He held this up in front of the rabbit, but Flop Ear did not know what to do.
“Jump, Floppy! Jump!” cried the boy. “Jump through the hoop!”
But Flop Ear did not.
“I know how to make him,” said Jimmie. Then he took a carrot and put it on the ground. In front of it he held up the round hoop. Flop Ear saw the carrot and wanted to get it to eat. He started around one side of the hoop, but the boy gently pushed him back.
“You must jump through the hoop if you want the carrot,” said Jimmie.
Flop Ear tried to go around the other way, but the boy would not let him. Then [the rabbit saw that the easiest way to get the sweet carrot was to jump through the hoop], which he did, as nicely as you please. It was easy for him to jump, you know. To go through the hoop was the only new thing about it.