Crane had inserted his bill in the throat, he withdrew it.

But Dr. Crane had accomplished his purpose. The tickling in the throat had started b.u.mper to vomiting, and all his dinner, including the poisonous plant, came up with a rush. It made him weak and faint, but the pain in his stomach was relieved, and when he was through he looked up and said faintly: "Thank you, Dr. Crane, I feel much better."

And Rusty the Blackbird, flapping his wings, crowed with delight: "What did I tell you! Dr. Crane carries an antidote for every poison in his bill! But it's a bitter medicine sometimes."

STORY XIV

b.u.mPER MEETS MR. BEAR

b.u.mper spent a quiet, restful night after Dr. Crane had removed the trouble that was causing his sickness; but he was very weak and faint, and he slept long after the birds were up and singing. He was a little afraid at first to eat anything when he finally crawled from his hole in the decayed tree branch; but, recognizing some sweet birch trees, he ate moderately of the leaves and bark.

This seemed to put new life in him, and by early noon he felt quite himself again. Rusty the Blackbird, who had taken quite an interest in him, brought him the cheering news that his country cousins were living in a burrow a few miles back in the thick woods.

"Take this deer trail back about a mile, and you'll find them," he said.

"You can't miss their home. It's under a big rock which you'll come to."

b.u.mper thanked him, and decided to begin his journey at once. He was very anxious to find a home with the wild rabbits, for his chance of getting back to the garden where the red-headed girl lived was very slim. He had no idea how far down the river he had floated, nor what direction to take to find the garden.

"Is there any danger of meeting Mr. Fox on the trail?" he asked a little anxiously.

"No," replied Rusty, "for Buster the Bear frequents the trail, and Mr. Fox is dreadfully afraid of him."

"But how about Buster the Bear eating me up?"

"He might," admitted Rusty, "if he caught you, and was very hungry, but you don't want to let him catch you."

"That's true," replied b.u.mper, "but I might not be able to avoid him. Is he as quick as Mr. Fox?"

"Oh, dear, no! You can easily outrun him. He's so clumsy he falls over his own big feet sometimes, and he makes such a noise you can hear him coming a mile away."

"Then I don't believe I'm afraid of him," replied b.u.mper, in a voice of relief.

When he started out on his travels he felt pretty good, and on the way he stopped to eat every time he found something he knew was good for him. He avoided all strange plants, and ate only those he recognized.

In a short time he came to such thick woods that if it hadn't been for the deer trail he would have been lost, but he followed Rusty's directions, and kept strictly to the well-worn path. When he grew tired, he rested by the wayside, always hiding in the thick bushes, and keeping one eye and both ears open. There were many strange and wonderful noises in the woods, and more than once b.u.mper started up with fright.

But nothing happened to him until he was so far in the woods that he thought the big rock must be near. He kept a sharp lookout for it. Just then he heard a noise so different from anything that had startled him before that he stopped to listen. It seemed as if some one was in great pain, and needed help.

Now b.u.mper was very tender-hearted, and any one in distress made him very sad. So instead of keeping on the trail, he wandered off to find out who was moaning so loudly.

And what he beheld was enough to make any rabbit laugh! It was Buster the Bear fast asleep, snoring as if he enjoyed it. b.u.mper was frightened at first by the sight of the big, s.h.a.ggy head and body, but when he recalled Rusty's words, and saw that Buster was sleeping, he stopped and laughed.

It was a sight to make any one laugh.

Buster's big, s.h.a.ggy body rose and fell with every breath, and each time a loud snore came from his half open mouth. It sounded like a wheezy pair of bellows trying to play a tune. b.u.mper had never heard anything like it in his life.

While he stood off at a safe distance watching, a b.u.mblebee lighted on Buster's nose and tickled it. The bear brushed it off with a paw, and rolled over to renew his sleep. But, unfortunately for Buster, he whacked the bee so hard that he must have hurt it.

Anyway, the b.u.mblebee resented it, and gave him a sharp sting on the nose.

The effect was startling. Buster came to life with a jump, and let out a loud:

"B-r-r-r! Whoof!"

The ground seemed to tremble as he struggled to his feet, and swung his huge paws at the bee. But the b.u.mblebee, having accomplished its purpose, calmly flew away. Buster rubbed his smarting nose, and growled angrily.

Suddenly he caught sight of b.u.mper grinning at him. He stopped rubbing his nose to stare and blink at the white rabbit. b.u.mper, now that he was discovered, ceased grinning, and began to feel afraid.

"You think it very funny, don't you?" growled Buster, his little eyes flashing. "I wish he'd stung you instead of me. Drat the old b.u.mblebees! I wonder what they're made for!"

"I'm sure I couldn't tell you," replied b.u.mper, in an unsteady voice.

"What do you suppose you're made for?" continued Buster, eyeing him queerly.

"Why--to--make little boys and girls happy, I suppose," b.u.mper stammered.

Buster grinned at this stammering remark. Then, with a leer, he added: "No, that isn't the reason. It's something else. Want me to tell you?"

"Why, yes, I'd like to know."

"Well, then, it's to give Mr. Fox right back of you a good meal."

b.u.mper gave a jump of nearly three feet when he heard this. He didn't suppose the fox was anywhere near, and the thought that he was right behind, ready to spring upon him, sent the blood racing through his body.

But when he turned, expecting to see dripping jaws about to close upon his neck, he was surprised and then puzzled. There was no fox in sight.

However, he wasn't to be deceived, if Mr. Fox was hiding, and he stood ready to spring away, his body quivering with fright, and his pink eyes dilated.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Buster the Bear in a deep rumble, rolling over on his fat sides. "Ho! Ho! Ho! What a scare I gave you! Now we're quits. The joke's on you!"

It took b.u.mper some time to realize that it was only a joke, and not a near tragedy for him. Finally he turned a shamed, embarra.s.sed face toward Buster, and grinned good-naturedly.

"The next time I see any one in trouble," he said, "I won't laugh at him, Mr. Bear. You've taught me a good lesson."

"Well, that's what I call taking a joke in the proper spirit," smiled Buster. "I'm sorry I gave you such a shock."

"And I'm sorry I laughed when the bee stung your nose."

"Oh, as for that, I didn't mind the sting so much as the interruption of my sleep." Buster rubbed his nose as he spoke. Then he added, addressing the white rabbit:

"Where are you bound? You must be lost. I never saw a white rabbit out of the city before."

"Were you ever in the city?" asked b.u.mper, eagerly.

"Sure! I was in the Zoo for a whole year until I escaped."

"Then you know something how I feel. The country's very strange to me, and I feel a bit lonesome. Could you tell me where my country cousins live--the wild rabbits?"

"Yes," replied Buster, "but I'm not sure they'll welcome your coming.