three little rabbits put their ears down on their heads, and hopped
away out of sight.

"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" said Jip. "Where has every one gone?

"I thought I saw some one under this tree as I came along the path."

The acorn lay on the ground where Bunny had left it.

Four little bright eyes watched Jip from the oak tree.

Sammy wished he could call out "April fool," to Jip.

But he was afraid of dogs, so he kept very still.

Bobby kept still, too, and the three little rabbits hopped along
towards home.

After a while Jip went home.

Then there was a quick scampering down the tree.

One of the squirrels had that big acorn for his dinner.

Was it Sammy or Bobby?

MRS. DUCK'S SECRET

I

Mrs. Duck had a secret.

Bunny knew she had a secret, but she would not tell him what it was.

Bobtail knew she had a secret, and so did Billy.

Bunny saw Bobby Gray Squirrel and asked him if he knew Mrs. Duck's
secret.

But Bobby did not know it, and Sammy Red Squirrel did not know it.

Every day Bunny saw Mrs. Duck walking along 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.