Crow flew over and called to the rabbits.

But he did not fly down to the garden. There was nothing there for him
to eat, now.

He liked the corn when it had just peeped out of the ground.

Then it was tender and sweet, and he often pulled it up for his dinner.

Nibble, nibble, nibble! How still it was everywhere.

Then all at once there was a noise.

It was a noise the rabbits knew too well.

"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip, as he bounded across the field.

"Bow-wow-wow! I think some one is in my master's garden."

Bunny and Bobtail knew who was coming. They did not have to wait and
see.

Off through the garden they hopped.

They hopped so fast that they were soon out of sight.

But Jip knew where they had gone, and he ran after them, barking louder
and louder at every step.

"Oh, dear me!" cried Bobtail. "What shall we do? Jip will catch us
before we reach home."

"Follow me," said Bunny, "I know where there is a hole big enough for
both of us to hide."

So Bobtail followed Bunny.

They hopped across the field and into the woods.

"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip. "I am going to catch you this time."

And then, all at once, Jip could not see the rabbits anywhere.

They had hopped into a hole under the big rock at the foot of the oak
tree.

They hopped into the hole and then they were safe.

Jip could not reach them.

He sat down beside the hole to wait until they came out, but they were
too wise to come out.

III

Jip waited and waited, and the rabbits waited and waited, too.

At last Jip grew tired of watching the hole and ran off home.

Then the two rabbits knew it was safe for them to go home, too.

Bunny put his nose out and looked around.

There was no one in sight.

"I am going now," he said to Bobtail. "Jip has gone away."

And then Bunny started to get out of the hole.

He put out his head, but he could not get any farther.

"What is the matter? What are you waiting for? Is Jip coming back?"
asked Bobtail.

But Bunny did not answer. He just kept on wiggling and twisting.

He twisted and wiggled, twisted and wiggled. But he could not get out
of that hole.

At last he pulled his head back through the hole. Then he sat down and
looked at Bobtail.

"What shall we do?" he said. "The hole has grown small since we came
through it."

"Perhaps I can get out," said Bobtail. "Let me try."

So Bobtail put his head out and then he hopped out the rest of the way.

"I'm