Several times Flop Ear had thought of going away. He might easily have done it, too, for the boy often let the rabbit come out of the box.
“But then,” said Flop Ear to himself, “if I ran away I would not get such nice things to eat as I get here. So I think I’ll stay for a while. I wonder what other trick that boy will teach me?”
Flop Ear soon found out. One day Jimmie came home from school, bringing another boy with him.
“I’ll show you my tame rabbit,” said Jimmie to his friend.
“Where did you get him?” the other boy asked. The boy’s name was Sam.
“I found him in the basket, when I brought it in filled with wood,” answered Jimmie. “He’s such a funny rabbit, with his one flop ear. Here he is in this box.”
Jimmie opened the box. Sam leaned over, and, before Jimmie could stop him, lifted the rabbit out of the box, raising him up by taking hold of his ears.
“Here! Don’t do that!” cried Jimmie.
“Don’t do what?”
“Lift my rabbit that way—by the ears.”