Billy Bunny and Uncle Bull Frog | Page 9

sell my Luckymobile," he said. "It's the only one in
ex-is-tence," which means the only one ever made, and I guess he was
right, for I never rode in a Luckymobile, did you?
"But mother thinks you ought to sell it," said Billy Bunny, "and so does
father, for they both say you'll have a terrible accident some day if you
don't look out."
"Well then, I'll look out," said Uncle Lucky with a laugh. "But I won't
sell my Luckymobile." And then he asked Billy Bunny to make him a
visit. So the little rabbit put on his knapsack and picked up his striped
candy cane and started off, after first asking his mother's permission, of
course.
And after he had gone for maybe a million Hops, he came to a big tree
where Old Barney the Owl had his next. But of course, he wasn't awake.
Oh, my, no. He had his eyes tightly closed, for owls don't like a bright
light, you know. They can see in the dark but not in the daytime.
But when Billy Bunny called out, "Helloa, Mr. Barney," the old
gentleman owl blinked his eyes and said, "Who's calling me?" And
then the little rabbit thought he'd play a joke, so he said, "Mr. Mouse!"
And if there was anything that Old Barney loved to eat, it was mice.
And in the next story I'll tell you what Billy Bunny did.

STORY XIII.

BILLY BUNNY AND MR. MOLE.
You remember in the last story I promised to tell you what Billy Bunny
did when Old Barney the Owl asked him, "Who's there?" and the little
rabbit replied, "Mr. Mouse," just to fool him, you know. Well, after that
Old Barney the Owl Gave a terrible scowl As he looked at little Bill
Bunny. You thought you were wise, But my blinky old eyes Can see
you are not a bit funny. I can see from my house You are not Mr.
Mouse.
And then the old blinkerty, winkerty owl flopped down to the ground
and tried to catch the little rabbit. But Billy Bunny was too quick for
him. He jumped into a hollow stump before you could say "Jack
Rabbit!"
"Come out of there," cried Old Barney, in a screechery, teachery voice,
but you just bet the little bunny didn't. He knew what would happen if
he did.
Well, by and by, after a long while, he looked around, and, would you
believe it, he found a little pair of stairs. So down he hopped until he
came to a door on which was painted in red letters: "Mr. Mole, Subway
Contractor."
Then the little rabbit knocked on the door and pretty soon it was
opened and there stood Mr. Mole himself.
"What do you want?" he asked, trying to squint out of his little tiny
eyes that were hidden all over with hair.
"It's me--Billy Bunny," replied the little rabbit. "Mr. Owl tried to catch
me and I hopped into your hollow stump entrance, but I haven't got a
ticket for the subway."
"Well, you can come in anyway," said the kind old mole; "my subway
isn't finished yet and the trains won't be running for some time. Come
in." So Billy Bunny hopped inside and sat down on a chair close to a

little brass railing, behind which stood Mr. Mole's desk.
Then Mr. Mole sat down and looked at Billy Bunny as much as to say,
"And now what can I do for you?" So Billy Bunny said, "I would like
to get up on the ground again. Can you show me a new way, because I
don't want to go back the way I came?"
Then Mr. Mole pressed a little bell, and in came a mole with overalls
on and a little pickaxe. "Show my friend, Mr. Billy Bunny, through the
tunnel to the Moss Bank entrance."
"Thank you," said the little rabbit, and he hopped after the workman
mole until they came to an opening. And when the little rabbit got
outside once more he found himself on a mossy bank where blossomed
a lovely bed of violets.
So he picked a bouquet for himself and stuck it in his buttonhole, and
after that he hopped away singing a song. And if Robbie Redbreast
hadn't heard it I never would have been able to tell it to you. Wasn't it
lucky that the little robin sang it to me this morning while I was still in
bed? Because, if he hadn't, how would I have ever learned it?
Over the clover and over the grass Hoppity, hop, I go; Over the leaves
from the autumn trees And over the soft white snow, With a whistle
and song I go hopping along, I'm Billy Bunny, you know.