Year: 1865

/ "Oh, / will be careful" said Fatty, a.
well as she could speak with her moutf
full am big enough, | am sure. "
| You certainly are the largest of u
ALL said Bunny, good humoredly, anc
I did not mean to interfere with you; but
indeed am afraid that that piece of stale
apple is not good for you. Come and
play with Pinkeye and me for little
while.''


"Don't bother me-" replied Fatty -
You know don't like to be disturbed
while am eating"


So Bunny let her alone, for Fatty, tho
not actually cross, was not so good ma
tnred as any of her brothers and sisters,
because she was generally uncomfortable
from having eaten too much.
Just then Spotty came running up in
state of the greatest excitement.
"What do you think" she said, "there
is horrid man on the other side of the
great oak, and / know he is in some mis-
chief, he is so quiet. I wonder what he
is doing"


Nothing that concerns u.s." answered
Bunny, " since he is on the other side of
the tree. Let him mind his business and
we will mind ours. If be comes near us
or makes any noise, we must run home, as
father told US. You know what gun is,
Spotty, for you saw wicked man kill
poor little bird with one yesterday. Has
he gun with him ? If he has we must
run in at once"


Oh, no!" replied Spotty, he has no
gun; he has strange looking thing, like
nothing that ever saw before, which he
hid away in the grass. | wonder what it
is. Suppose we SO and see as soon as he
goes away"


"Indeed will not,s said Bunny; sfor
father told us not to go beyond the oak
tree on any account"


Well, I will" said Spotty. "I lost
my fun to please you once to-day, and /
don't mean to do it again.


Now Bunny was no older than his
brothers and sisters, and his parents had
not told him to - end keep them in or
der, SO he did not say any more, thoughs
he felt very sorry when he saw how OBJ
stinate Spotty was, Spotty always was
meddlesome, and fond of prying into 9TH
er peoples affairs, and his parents had
often told him that he would get inte
trouble if he did rot break himself of this
bad habit


Fatty had now finished her apple, and
was looking around for something else to
eat. She saw some bright, glossy leaves,
growing ON sort of vine, which clung to
the trunk of tree near by.


A pretty little black and white dog,
with curly hair, and long ears and tail,
now came running up, and asked the
little rabbits to let him play with them
for little while.


!" / will not hurt you," said he. In
the first place, am not hunting dog,
and in the next, I am too little to do yoa
any harm, even if / were You may be-
leve what say, for dogs always tell the
truth"


/ know that" said Bunny. Father
and mother have often told me SO; and ]
should love to play with you, but can
not to-day Come and see me tomorrow,
when our parents are at home, and. if
they are willing, should be delighted to
have You for friend, for know by your
looks that you are good, and love you
already"


"Then let him stay and play with US
now," said Pinkeye. "Do stay. pretty
little dog, and if brother Bunny is afraid
of you, | am not"


am not afraid Of ycu, little dog, Y
said Bunny, /" but | must not break my
word y


And, so saying, he ran away into the
warren, SO that be should not be tempted
any more.


He stayed there for some time, when
he heard the little dog barking and cry
ing, as if he were in the greatest distress


Oh dear! oh dear!v cried the little
dog, as soon as he saw Bunny. What
shall do What shall do 2"


What is the matter 7" asked Bunny


II don't know" answered the little
dog, whose name was Tiny, "but | am
afraid killed poor Pinkeye. We were
playing very happily together, and gave
her, in fun, tiny little bite on the back
of her neck, and she fell right down, and
/ can't make her move. You don't know
how sorry am. Indeed / did not mean
20 hurt her / would not do so for the
world"


And poor Tiny began to cry and howl
again.
| Bunny did not know what to do, he
felt SO sorry, and he sat down beside Tiny
and cried too. He had no handkerchief,
SO he took large plantain leaf and wiped
his eyes on that All at once he remem
bered that, if Pinkeye was not really
dead, this was not the way to help her
SO he and Tiny went to look at her
There poor Pinkeye lay, cold and dead


Bunny and Tiny sat crying over hel
for long time, and then Bunny began tc
wonder what had become of his brother
and his other sisters But he could no,
look for them without disobeying his faith
er, so he asked Tiny to go instead. Tiny
was very glad to be able to do anything