So the bear had no rabbit, after all, and all he did was to stay stuck fast to the pine tree until a big fox came along and helped him to get loose, and the bear cried “Wouch!” because his fur was pulled.

So Uncle Wiggily was all right, you see, after all, and very thankful he was to the pine tree for holding fast to the bear.

And in the next story, if our cat doesn’t go hunting for the poll parrot’s cracker in the gold fish bowl and get his whiskers all wet, I’ll tell you about Uncle Wiggily and the green rushes.

STORY XV

UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE GREEN RUSHES

Once upon a time Uncle Wiggily Longears, the nice rabbit gentleman, was taking a walk in the woods, looking for an adventure, as he often did, when, as he happened to go past the hollow tree, where Billie and Johnnie Bushytail, the two squirrel boys lived, he saw them just poking their noses out of the front door, which was a knot-hole.

“Hello, boys!” called Uncle Wiggily.  “Why haven’t you gone to school today?  It is time, I’m sure.”

“Oh, we don’t have to go today,” answered Billie, as he looked at his tail to see if any chestnut burrs were sticking in it.  But none was, I am glad to say.

“Don’t have to go to school?  Why not?” Uncle Wiggily wanted to know.  “This isn’t Saturday, is it?”

“No,” spoke Johnnie.  “But you see, Sister Sallie, our little squirrel sister, has the measles, and we can’t go to school until she gets over them.”

“And we don’t know what to do to have some fun,” went on Billie, “for lots of the animal children are home from school with the measles, and they can’t be out to play with us.  We’ve had the measles, so we can’t get them the second time, but the animal boys and girls, who haven’t broken out, don’t want us to come and see them for fear we’ll bring the red spots to them.”

“I see,” said Uncle Wiggily, laughing until his pink nose twinkled like a jelly roll.  “So you can’t have any fun?  Well, suppose you come with me for a walk in the woods.”

“Fine!” cried Billie and Johnnie and soon they were walking in the woods with the rabbit gentleman.  They had not gone very far before, all of a sudden, they came to a place where a mud turtle gentleman had fallen on his back, and he could not turn over, right-side up again.  He tried and tried, but he could not right himself.

“Oh, that is too bad!” cried Uncle Wiggily, when he saw what had happened.  “I must help him to get right-side up again,” which he did.

“Oh, thank you for putting me on my legs once more, Uncle Wiggily,” said the mud turtle.  “I would like to do you a favor for helping me, but all I have to give you are these,” and in one claw he picked some green stalks growing near him, and handed them to the bunny uncle, afterward crawling away.

“Pooh!  Those are no good!” cried Billie, the boy squirrel.