t he could run that far fifty times a
day.

"I'll be at the creek early in the morning," he promised.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: 8 The Great Race]

8

The Great Race

On the morning of his great race with Mr. Turtle, Jimmy Rabbit was at
the creek bright and early. He brought his two brothers with him, to see
the fun. And he found that there were others, too, who had heard of the
sport and had come to enjoy it. Frisky Squirrel was there, and Billy
Woodchuck, and Fatty Coon. Then there was old Mr. Crow, who was always
on hand whenever a crowd gathered. And perhaps the pleasantest and most
interested of all was Tommy Fox.

"I hope you'll let me have a ride on your new sled when the first snow
comes," he said to Jimmy Rabbit. "For, of course, you'll win the race.
And Mr. Turtle will have to give you the sled, as he promised."

"I'll see," said Jimmy. And that was all the answer he would give.

But Tommy Fox seemed satisfied.

"I'm going to run along beside you," he told Jimmy, "to keep you
company. And I'll wait at Broad Brook with you, to see the fun when Mr.
Turtle gets there. For everyone knows that you're going to win the
race."

"I fully expect to," said Jimmy.

Then Tommy drew a line in the sand.

"Here's where you start!" he said.

And Mr. Turtle and Jimmy Rabbit toed the mark.

"One, two, three--go!" cried Tommy Fox. And with that they were off. In
no time at all Jimmy Rabbit had run so far that Mr. Turtle lost sight of
him.

"Just as I expected!" Tommy Fox said to Jimmy Rabbit. They were in the
woods now, and not far from Broad Brook. "There's no need of hurrying,"
Tommy remarked. "You can reach the brook quickly enough. It will be late
in the afternoon before Mr. Turtle gets this far. I see you're a little
out of breath. Why don't you lie down and rest? I'd take a nap, if I
were you. And I'll wake you in time for you to win the race."

"That's a good idea," Jimmy Rabbit said. "I'll do it!" And he lay down
on the ground and went to sleep.

Late in the afternoon there were as many people at Broad Brook to see
the finish of the race as there had been at the creek in the morning to
watch the start.

"I don't see where Jimmy can be," said Frisky Squirrel. "His brothers
are both here--and they can't run as fast as he can." But no one seemed
to know what had become of Jimmy Rabbit.

"I'm afraid he's going to lose his wheelbarrow," Tommy Fox finally said.
"If he loses the race, he'