“And I that I met you,” said Tum Tum politely. “Good-by, and I hope you find your home again.”
So Flop Ear hopped to one side of the road where he would be safe.
The rabbit looked at the circus wagons moving along the road in the moonlight. There were many cages of wild animals, but the big elephants walked along by themselves, as did the camels and the horses. Pretty soon along came the cage of Dido, the dancing bear. Dido looked out and saw Flop Ear again.
“Well, little white rabbit, did you see Tum Tum?” asked the bear.
“Yes,” answered Flop Ear, “I did. And he saved me from being run over by lifting me up in his trunk.”
“Good!” cried Dido. “Tum Tum is always helping others. Once my wagon cage was held fast in the mud, and Tum Tum pushed it out with his big head. He is very strong.”
“He is indeed,” said Flop Ear. “Good-by, Dido.”
“Good-by, Flop Ear,” said the bear, and then his cage passed on.
“Well, that was quite an adventure,” said Flop Ear to himself, as he hopped back to the hollow tree where he had been sleeping. “It is not every rabbit who can see a circus in the middle of the night. I think I’ll eat some clover before I go back to bed.”
Flop Ear had to pass through a grassy field to get back to his hollow tree, and he stopped to nibble a few sweet heads of clover. Then he snuggled down in the soft leaves that made his bed, and was soon asleep again.