They got supper and waited, and waited, for Mother Cotton-Tail. At exactly six o'clock she came in. She was an hour late.

She came on the stroke of the clock. She said, "I have been shopping all day."

Mother Cotton-Tail took a wonderful lamp from her basket. It had a pink shade and a tall chimney.

Papa Cotton-Tail said, "If you send the lamp to Bunny I must send something to Susan. I will go to town to-morrow and get Susan a pair of spectacles."

Tippy Toes said, "Oh Pa, may I go with you to town to-morrow?"

Papa Cotton-Tail said, "Who will roll out the cookies for Mother Cotton-Tail? Who will run her little errands all day?"

Then Tippy Toes danced this way, and he danced that way, and sang,

"Who will do errands? Whom do you suppose?

Who will roll cookies? Little Tippy Toes."

So, they had a merry time at supper that evening and lighted the new lamp, and Papa Cotton-Tail read fairy tales.

Tippy Toes did not tell what the mirror had answered him. He kept that as a secret. He said to himself, "I do wonder _who_ Snubby Nose is!"

CHAPTER III

Next day Tippy Toes woke up early and cried out, "Oh, Mother Cotton-Tail, it is time to wake up! Oh, Papa Cotton-Tail, it is time to wake up!"

Sure enough it was time for Bunnies to wake up because it was sunrise.

Tippy Toes helped to get breakfast. He went to the well to draw water.

He began to sing a little fairy song,

"Ding, dong bell, p.u.s.s.y's in the well."

"Poor p.u.s.s.y, I wonder if she is still in the well," he said. He peeped down to look into the well.

Papa Cotton-Tail called, "Hurry, hurry, it is time for breakfast."

Then Tippy Toes drew a bucket full of water and said, "Is poor p.u.s.s.y still in the well?"

Papa Cotton-Tail said, "If you ever read your Mother Goose you would know she is not in the well."

"Who pulled her out?" asked Tippy Toes.

Mother Cotton-Tail said, "Hush, be still, you ask too many questions!"

Tippy Toes wondered all day who pulled poor p.u.s.s.y out. He danced this way, and he danced that way, and he set the table for breakfast.

He said, "If you are home by dinner time Papa Cotton-Tail, may I go and visit Bunny and Susan?"

Papa Cotton-Tail said, "If I get home in time with Susan's spectacles you may go to-day."

Papa Cotton-Tail put on his big fur coat and went merrily down the road. Mother Cotton-Tail began to make cookies and Tippy Toes rolled them out for her. Now, will you believe it? before they had a single pan of cookies baked, Papa Cotton-Tail was back home again.

Mother Cotton-Tail said, "Why are you back so soon?"

Tippy Toes said, "Did you get the spectacles already?"

Papa Cotton-Tail said, "I met a peddler and he had a pair of black spectacles in his pack."

Papa Cotton-Tail put on the black spectacles and he looked so funny that Mother Cotton-Tail said, "Let me try them on," and Tippy Toes cried, "Please let me try them on!"

Mother Cotton-Tail said, "I will pack Bunny's lamp and Susan's spectacles and you may start on your long journey at once."

Tippy Toes put on his best coat and cap and kissed his mother good-bye.

Papa Cotton-Tail went with him again to the bend of the road. Suddenly Tippy Toes stopped still. He stopped stock-still in the road. He said, "Oh, Pa, I must go back, I forgot something!"

What do you suppose Tippy Toes forgot?

He always danced up and down before the mirror before he went out. So, he went back home, hoppity, skippity, hop; and Papa Cotton-Tail waited for him at the bend of the road.

Tippy Toes stood before the mirror and he danced this way and he danced that way and said,

"Who is so ugly? n.o.body knows."

The mirror answered, "Snubby Nose."

Then Tippy Toes laughed and laughed.

"I will go and find Snubby Nose," he said, "for he must be as ugly as I am with my little turned-up nose."

He went running down the road and was soon off and away. The wind whistled in his ears.

At that very minute he heard Papa Cotton-Tail crying, "h.e.l.lo, h.e.l.lo!

Come back to the bend in the road, Tippy Toes."

Tippy Toes said to himself, "What can Papa Cotton-Tail want? Shall I never get started?"

Papa Cotton-Tail said, "How will you know the house when you come to it?"

Tippy Toes said, "I will ask any one I meet."

Papa Cotton-Tail said, "That is right, and be sure to bow when you meet Grandpa Grumbles."

Then they said "Good-bye" again, and Tippy Toes went merrily along. He met Bushy-Tail, the sly old Fox. Bushy-Tail asked, "Where are you going in such a hurry, Snubby Nose?"

Then Tippy Toes danced this way and he danced that way, and he said,

"That is a matter I do not disclose, But, sir, my name is not Snubby Nose."