Bunny Rabbits Diary | Page 8

the little path that led
through the field.
Sometimes she was going to the barn.

Sometimes she was coming from the barn.
She was always alone. And she was always in a hurry.
[Illustration: Mrs. Duck was always in a hurry.]
She did not stop to talk to Bunny.
She did not stop to catch any of the little bugs that she saw in the path.
"I wonder what is the matter with Mrs. Duck," Bunny said to himself.
"I wonder why she walks along this little path every day."
Bunny thought and thought about the secret.
"I will ask Mrs. Duck to tell me her secret," he said.
So Bunny sat down under the maple tree to wait for Mrs. Duck.
He waited and waited.
It was very warm in the field.
After a while Bunny shut his eyes and he fell fast asleep.
He slept such a long time that when he opened his eyes the sun was just
going to bed.
"Well, well!" he said. "Mrs. Duck must have gone long ago."
Just then he saw Sammy Red Squirrel.
"Have you seen Mrs. Duck to-day?" he asked.
"Oh, yes!" answered Sammy. "She walked along the path early this
afternoon."
The next day Bunny sat down under the maple tree to watch again.

But this time he was not alone.
He had asked Billy to come with him.
"If you are with me, I shall not to sleep," he said.
So the two little rabbits sat down to wait for Mrs. Duck.
They waited and waited.
It was very warm in the field. After a while Bunny shut his eyes. Then
Billy shut his eyes, and they both fell fast asleep.
They slept such a long time that when they opened their eyes the sun
was just going to bed.
Bobby Squirrel was sitting in the maple tree over their heads.
"Have you seen Mrs. Duck?" asked Bunny.
"Oh, yes!" answered Bobby. "She walked along the path early this
afternoon."
"Well, well!" said Bunny. "I will try again to-morrow. I will ask
Bobtail to come with me. Perhaps he can keep awake."

II
The next day the three little rabbits sat under the maple tree to watch
for Mrs. Duck.
They waited and waited.
It was very warm in the field.
After a while the three little rabbits became sleepy.
Then Bobtail jumped up on his feet and began to hop around.

"Let's play tag," he said. "If we sit here in the sun we shall go to sleep.
"Then we shall not see Mrs. Duck when she walks along the path."
So the three rabbits played tag.
They ran round and round the maple tree. They ran back and forth
along the little path.
All at once Bunny heard Mrs. Duck coming across the field.
She was going to the barn.
"Good-morning, Mrs. Duck," said Bunny.
"Where are you going this fine morning?"
"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck, "I am going to the barn."
"Where have you been?" asked Billy.
"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "That is a secret. I can not tell you."
Then Mrs. Duck walked quickly along the little path and across the
road.
She went into the barn-yard and hunted around for something to eat.
She talked to the other ducks and hens. But she did not tell them her
secret.
When she had eaten all she wanted she went out of the yard and across
the road.
Then she walked back again along the path across the field.
When she came to the maple tree she saw Bunny and Bobtail and Billy.
And Bunny and Bobtail and Billy saw Mrs. Duck.

"Where are you going, now?" asked Bunny.
"I am going down to the brook," she said. "That is where my secret is."
"May we go with you?" asked Billy.
"Yes," said Mrs. Duck. "I will show you my secret if you will all
promise not to tell."
So the three little rabbits hopped along behind Mrs. Duck until they
came to the brook.
The water in the brook was running over the stones and singing a sweet
little song.
Mr. Green Frog was sitting on a stone taking a nap in the warm sun.
"Now, follow me," said Mrs. Duck. "I will show you my secret."
She led the three rabbits to some bushes that grew close beside the
water.
"Quack, quack!" she said. "Look in here. What can you see?"
Bunny peeped in under the bushes.
"Oh, oh!" he said, "how pretty they are."
Billy peeped in under the bushes.
"Oh, oh!" he said, "how many there are."
Bobtail peeped in under the bushes.
"Oh, oh!" he said. "That is a very good secret."
Now what do you think the three rabbits saw hidden away under the
bushes?

Perhaps you have guessed Mrs. Duck's