Bumper, The White Rabbit | Page 7

into the crook of her
arm, and peeped out once only when they reached a big house and
began ascending the steps.
So this was to be his future home! What a big place it was! Why,
hundreds and hundreds of white rabbits could live in that house and
never lack for elbow room.
Just then, when Bumper began to feel a little proud about his future
home, a great noise and clatter behind the door startled him, and it
opened so suddenly that he nearly popped out of the lady's arms. And

what happened to him behind that door of the big house might fill
chapters and chapters, but it will all be told in the next story.

STORY IV
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE DREADFUL HOUSE
When the door of the house flew open with a bang, the lady holding
Bumper put one hand to her heart, and exclaimed:
"Oh, dear, what has happened now!"
Bumper couldn't see any one in the dark, but evidently the lady could,
for a cool, quiet voice spoke to her.
"Toby threw his playthings down the stairs, and he's riding the
banisters with a tin pan for a hat. I suppose you heard the clatter of the
pan as it fell off."
"It sounded to me as if the house was falling down, Mary! I do wish
Toby would behave."
The one addressed as Mary laughed. She seemed like a pleasant,
wholesome young woman, with pink cheeks and smiling gray eyes.
"I've told him to behave a dozen times, but he won't mind. He's been
cutting up all the morning. But what have you there in your arms, Aunt
Helen?"
"Guess, Mary. It's for Toby's birthday."
"Some kind of a toy, I suppose--or maybe a book."
"A book for Toby! What an idea! He'd throw it in the fire unless he
liked the pictures. No, it's something prettier and better than a book."
She opened her arms, and held Bumper forward so Mary could see him,
long, white ears and blinking eyes and all.

"Oh! A dear little rabbit!"
Before Bumper could protest or stop his heart from beating like a
trip-hammer, Mary seized him in both hands, and began gently stroking
his head.
"What a sweet little thing!" she murmured. "And so tame and friendly!"
Bumper was rubbing his wet nose against her velvety hands and
thinking how soft and pleasant they were to the touch.
"Yes, he's so tame he never once tried to jump out of my hands,"
replied Aunt Helen. "I'm almost afraid to let Toby have him now that
I've brought him home. Do you think he'll be rough with him?"
Mary's face turned very grave and serious. "He's pretty young to have a
rabbit, Aunt Helen. If he should drop him--or--or--Well, we must teach
him to be very careful."
"Yes, I will speak to him myself."
You can imagine the state of Bumper's feelings by this time. Toby was
undoubtedly a cruel boy--Aunt Helen had said as much, and Mary had
confirmed it--and they were both afraid he was too young to own a pet
rabbit. What if he should drop him to the hard floor! Bumper peeked
over Mary's hands and looked below. The floor seemed a long distance
away. If he should fall it would very likely break a leg or his neck. Oh,
why had he been bought for a cruel boy's birthday present.
Bumper wanted to run and hide. If it hadn't been for the fear of falling
to the hard floor, he would have jumped out of Mary's hands and
scampered away. But he had no chance to do this. There was another
loud racketty-rack-clumpity-bang! First a big tin dish pan rolled all the
way down the stairs into the hall; then a set of building-blocks, a
wooden hobby horse, a lot of animals from a Noah's ark, tin soldiers, a
drum, and a train of cars. Toby came last, sliding down the banisters,
and shouting in glee as he landed at the bottom.

"It was a landslide, Auntie!" he shouted. "We all slid down the
mountain together."
"Toby, how many times have I told you not to do that!" reproved Mary,
while Aunt Helen turned pale and stood stock still.
Toby paid no attention to the rebuke. He was a small, freckle-faced boy.
In one hand he held a whip, and in the other the broken head of a
wooden horse. He picked himself up, and began slashing his toys with
the whip. Bumper gave him one terrified glance, and made a desperate
dive for Mary's open waist. But Toby had sharp, bright eyes.
"What you got, Mary?" he shouted, running toward her, whip in hand.
"Oh, a rabbit! Yes, it is! You needn't hide him! I see him! It's a rabbit!
Let