The only ones who saw Tom hurry away with the Candy Rabbit were the little girls’ dolls.  The Sawdust Doll, a Celluloid Doll belonging to Mirabell, and an old snub-nosed Wooden Doll, that Madeline had brought down from the attic, were on the table when Tom took the Candy Rabbit away in his pocket.

“Oh-oo-o-oh!” exclaimed the Sawdust Doll.  “Look at him!”

“Isn’t he terrible!” said the Wooden Doll.

“If we could only do something to stop him!” sighed the Celluloid Doll.  But they could do nothing.

Watching his chance, Tom hurried out of Madeline’s house, carrying with him the Easter present.  And as for the poor Candy Rabbit, he did not know what to do.  He could not get out of that boy’s pocket, no matter how hard he tried.

“I’ll show this Candy Rabbit to Sam and Pete,” said Tom to himself, as he hurried down the street.  “We’ll have some fun with it.”

Sam and Pete were two boys with whom Tom played.  Tom looked for them as he ran down the street, the Candy Rabbit jiggling around among the things in his pocket.

“I hope my ears aren’t broken off,” sighed the poor Bunny.  “This is the most dreadful and cramped place I was ever in.”

Suddenly Tom spied his two chums.

“Hi there!” he called to them.  “Look what I got!”

“What?”

He took the Candy Rabbit from his pocket and held him up.

“That’s a dandy!” exclaimed Pete.

“Where’d you get him?” asked Sam.

“Oh, I borrowed him at a party,” Tom answered.

“Let’s see it closer,” begged Sam, and Tom handed over the Candy Rabbit.

“Why, he’s good to eat!” cried Sam, when he had the Rabbit in his hands.  “He’s made of sugar, and he’s good to eat!”

Tom looked at Sam and then at Pete.  Then all three of the boys looked at each other.

“I—­I’m sort of hungry for candy,” said Pete, in a low voice.

“So’m I,” admitted Sam.

“And I guess I am, too,” declared Tom.  “I didn’t know this Rabbit was good to eat.  But, as long as he is, we’ll divide him up and have a regular party.  Come on over on my porch, fellows, and we’ll eat the Candy Rabbit!”

Now, when the sweet chap heard this he was very much frightened.  Of all his adventures this seemed the very worst!

Over to Tom’s porch went the three boys, and they sat down.

“We’ll divide this Candy Rabbit into three pieces,” said Tom.  He was just going to break off one of the ears when some one came out of the house and up behind the boys as they sat on the steps.

“What have you there, Tom?” asked a voice suddenly.

The three chums turned around.  It was Tom’s mother who had spoken.

“Oh, it’s just a Candy Rabbit,” Tom answered.  “We’re going to eat him.”

“Where did you get him?” asked Tom’s mother.  “Let me see.”

And when she saw the Candy Rabbit Tom’s mother knew at once that it was no common Rabbit, such as you may buy in the five-and-ten-cent store.  The Candy Rabbit was a very fancy fellow indeed!