Mrs. Bunny's Dinner Party

"Are you ready, my dear?" said Mr. Bobtail, looking at his large watch. "Mrs. Bunny will expect us to come in good time to her dinner party."

"I shall be ready in a few minutes, Mr. Bobtail. I wonder how many are invited. We always meet fine people at Mrs. Bunny's house."

Mrs. Bobtail brought out her little gray silk bonnet, and Mr. Bobtail's best birch cane.

"Come," she said, "it is a good half hour's walk to Bramble Hollow. Shall we go around by the way of Cabbage-Patch Lane?"

"Oh, no, my dear, let us take a short cut through the meadow."

Off they started arm in arm across the sunlit fields.

"See, there are Mr. and Mrs. Frisk gathering nuts," said Mr. Bobtail. "Jack Frost shook the trees last night. There are plenty lying on the ground."

"Good morning. How are all the little Friskies?" called Mrs. Bobtail.

"Oh, how do you do! They are quite well, thank you," said Mrs. Frisk.

"The nuts are fine this fall, Mr. Frisk," said Mr. Bobtail, shaking hands with his friend.

"Yes, indeed. We have gathered a great many for our winter store. But you see we dare not stop long in this open field." Mr. Frisk dropped his voice and glanced about in all directions. Then he added, "This is hunting season, you know."

"What! Do you mean you are afraid of hunters?" asked Mr. Bobtail in surprise.

"Indeed, we are," said Mrs. Frisk, coming a little nearer. "From our cosy home up in the hollow of this tree we saw two hunters crossing the field this morning. When their dogs sniffed about the ground and barked up the tree, we held our breath in fear."

"Yes," added Mr. Frisk, "and in a short time we heard 'bang! bang!' I tell you we didn't venture down to gather nuts for several hours."

"How dreadful! And we are on our way to Mrs. Bunny's dinner party," said Mrs. Bobtail, looking in all directions; "do you think we had better go on, my dear?"

"Of course! Of course! I've never had the least fear of a gun! Let hunters bang away as much as they please, they will never frighten me." Mr. Bobtail straightened up as he spoke, and tossed back his head. "Come, Mrs. Bobtail. Good day, my friends."

"Good day. We hope you will have a pleasant time," said Mr. Frisk.

"Isn't Mr. Bobtail wonderfully brave?" said Mrs. Frisk, looking after her friends.

When they came. near Bramble Hollow, Mr. and Mrs. Bobtail met some of their friends. There were Mr. and Mrs. Pinkeye, Mr. and Mrs. Longears, Mr. and Mrs. Cottontail,—all on their way to the dinner party.

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny were waiting for their guests. The little Bunnies had been told how to behave.

"Now, my dears," their mother had said, "you may play out-of-doors while we are at dinner. When we have finished I'll call you. Now no matter how hungry you are don't dare peep in at the windows. And if anything happens to frighten you slip into the kitchen and wait there quietly until I come."

Away scampered four happy little Bunnies.

At noon all the guests had reached Bramble Hollow. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny welcomed them, and in a little while all were seated around the table laughing and talking merrily.

"What fine salad this is, Mrs. Bunny," said Mrs. Longears. "The cabbage hearts are very sweet this fall."

Mrs. Bunny nodded pleasantly and said, "Do have some lettuce, Mr. Bobtail. I'm sure your long walk must have made you hungry."

"I hope you will like our carrots," said Mr. Bunny, helping himself to another. "Come, Mrs. Cottontail, let me help you to another serving of turnip tops."

"Thank you, Mr. Bunny. What a pleasant home you have here in Bramble Hollow. Do hunters ever wander into this quiet corner?"

"Well, yes. They stroll through the hollow sometimes."

"Dear me," said Mrs. Cottontail.

"Our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Frisk, were telling us that they saw two hunters crossing the fields this morning," said Mrs. Bobtail.

"This morning!" cried some of the guests, pricking up their ears.

"Come, come, my friends," said Mr. Bobtail, laughing, "I see I shall have to quiet you. I never could see why so many rabbits are afraid of a gun! I have often stayed quietly under a hedge while a hunter fired shots as near to me as——"

"Bang! bang! bang!"

Four little Bunnies leaped through the window, and jumped right over the table, upsetting many of the dishes.

Mr. Bobtail darted off his chair at the same time, and rushed to a corner of the kitchen, where he stayed, shaking with fear.

The other guests did not move or speak for several minutes. Then Mrs. Bunny caught sight of Mr. Bobtail in the corner. "Come out, Mr. Bobtail," she called, "I'm sure the hunters have gone into the next field."