"We can stew, we can bake, If we make no mistake."

They made the fire and began to stew and bake. They made coffee and fried sausages and cakes. By and by Bunny and Susan woke up.

"My fur and whiskers, I smell something cooking," said Bunny.

Susan said, "Bless my b.u.t.tons, I smell something cooking, too."

The Seventeen Little Bears said, "Ha, ha, ha! Bunny is talking about his fur and whiskers. Ha, ha, ha! Susan is talking about her b.u.t.tons.

We will give old Bunny and Susan something new to talk about!"

The Seventeen Little Bears shouted at the top of their lungs,

"We are Circus Bears, as all can see, The merry-go-round waits you and me."

Susan called, "Hurry, hurry, hurry! Bunny do get dressed! Let us see what the Seventeen Little Bears mean. How I do love to ride in a merry-go-round!"

When Bunny and Susan got downstairs they were surprised to see a fine breakfast ready for them all on the table. They all sat down and had a very merry time.

After breakfast the Seventeen Little Bears began to practice their tricks. They slid on the banister and came downstairs head first.

Soon they were all crying, "Oh," and "Ah, how I hurt my head;" and "Oh," and "Ah, how I hurt my toes!"

Bunny cried, "Bring the camphor! Bring the smelling salts, while they are practicing their tricks!"

Susan Cotton-Tail sat down in the corner. She wiped her eyes.

Bunny said, "Have you lost your spectacles?"

Susan Cotton-Tail said, "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!"

The Seventeen Little Bears all came crowding around Susan to see what was the matter.

Susan still rocked to and fro and said, "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!"

Bunny said, "Will you never tell us what is the matter?" Susan said finally,

"I have some pride, but thought to ride, In the merry-go-round, above the ground."

Then the Seventeen Little Bears all turned somersaults at once, and Susan cried, "Stop them, stop them, or they will break their little bones."

_Then the most surprising thing happened!_

The Seventeen Little Bears made a low bow and said,

"In the merry-go-round we'll go, Laughing gayly, ha, ha, ho, ho!"

They ran out the back door and Bunny and Susan went after them. There stood a neat little merry-go-round, as fine as you please.

"Where?" and "How?" and "Why?" and "Please tell us about it," said Bunny and Susan.

The Seventeen Little Bears replied,

"Get inside, and have a ride, Bunny and Susan, side by side."

They all jumped into the merry-go-round and rode in seats side by side. Round and round and round they went.

Bunny waved his hat and Susan waved her red sunbonnet! The Seventeen Little Bears shouted, "Hurrah, hurrah!"

They went faster and faster. Bunny said, "I am afraid the wind will blow off my fur and whiskers."

Susan said, "The wind will blow off my spectacles."

Faster, faster, faster they went! Would they never stop?

The Seventeen Little Bears said,

"This is a very funny business, It gives us all a little dizziness."

Faster, faster, faster they went! It began to rain. First the rain fell with a few drops, then it came down in sheets. My! how wet they were!

Faster, faster, faster went the merry-go-round.

Suddenly Bushy-Tail ran and jumped right into the merry-go-round and said, "What will you give me if I stop the merry-go-round?"

Bunny said, "I will give you a warm seat by the fire, sir."

Susan said, "I will give you a basket of cookies."

The Seventeen Little Bears said, "We will give you seventeen pieces of peppermint candy."

"Help, help, help!" they all cried, "Do stop the merry-go-round!"

Bushy-Tail looked as saucy as you please.

"I can ride faster than this," he said, "I was brought up in a merry-go-round. I want Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes to come and pay me a visit."

Bushy-Tail said no more, and Bunny saw there was no use to mince matters, and the rain was coming down harder and harder.

Bunny said, "If Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes want to pay you a visit I have no objection."

Then the merry-go-round went slower and slower, and slower, and finally stopped.

Bushy-Tail said, "Go get Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes for me or _I will eat you all up!_"

They all went into the house. They pretended to look for Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes, though they knew they had gone away. They looked in every nook and corner, but knew well enough that Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes had gone sailing away with Grandpa Grumbles.

Bushy-Tail was angry. He went down the road calling, "Woo, woo, woo!"

He would not even stop for his basket of cookies.