Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes | Page 7

rhymes. They tickle my eardrums."
All this time Grandpa Grumbles was thumping on the floor with his umbrella. He made such a noise that Bunny said, "Hush, listen, Grandpa Grumbles has something to say."
Susan said, "Hush, be still, Grandpa Grumbles wants to speak."
At last Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes stopped talking and dancing, and they all listened to Grandpa Grumbles. He said,
"I want you both to come and stay, With Grandpa Grumbles a year and a day."
Tippy Toes answered, "Thank you, Grandpa Grumbles, I will come and visit you for a year and a day," but Snubby Nose cried and he screamed and he howled.
I don't know what would have happened next, but Grandpa Grumbles went outside, and opened wide his green cotton umbrella, and invited Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes to step inside.
They did so, and in less time than it takes to tell it they were sailing away with Grandpa Grumbles in his green cotton umbrella!
[Illustration: "THEY WERE SAILING AWAY WITH GRANDPA GRUMBLES"]
Bunny and Susan said, "How will he ever get along with Snubby Nose for a year and a day? We wish Tippy Toes was back. He was such a good little fellow."
Susan picked up the pink wrapper and Bunny picked up the pink cup and saucer. Bunny Cotton-Tail said, "We will have a long quiet evening alone."
"Don't be too sure of that," sang the wind as it whistled down the chimney.
Susan said, "I will put on my new spectacles and we will read by the new lamp."
_Then the most surprising thing happened!_
The Seventeen Little Bears came tumbling in the doors and windows! They came in laughing and shouting,
"The Circus Cotton-Tails you see Are just as funny as can be."
They got out their seventeen little stools and sat by the fire.
Bunny and Susan said, "What do you know about the Circus Cotton-Tails?"
The Seventeen Little Bears said,
"You only see them now at Fairs, But we've become the Circus Bears."
"Have you got a Circus tent? Have you got a merry-go-round?" asked Bunny and Susan. "Do tell us how long you have been Circus Bears."
The Seventeen Little Bears got on top of their seventeen little stools and shouted, "We have just become Circus Bears today, that is the reason we came tumbling in the door and windows."

CHAPTER VI
The Seventeen Little Bears woke up early next morning. They all whispered together so they would not wake Bunny and Susan.
The Seventeen Little Bears tiptoed very softly out of bed, and "pitter-patter, pitter-patter" went their little feet down the stairs.
"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 buttons, 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 buttons. 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