righteyes said:

"Oh, Buddy, I'm afraid to go home that way. Let's take the other path."

"But that is so much longer," objected her brother.

"No matter," answered the little guinea pig girl, "it is better to take
a longer path, than to go on a short one and be eaten up by a fox or a
wolf," and I suppose Brighteyes was right. Anyhow they took the other
path, and as they went along it, they heard a noise in the bushes as if
some one was laughing, only they didn't see how a fox could laugh. So
they hurried on.

Well, it wasn't very long before they came to something. I was going to
let you guess what it was, but as it might take you some time to think,
and then, maybe, you wouldn't get it right, I have decided to tell you.

What Buddy and Brighteyes saw on the path in front of them was a small
box--the kind that soap comes out of, you know--and it was standing up
on one edge. And sort of underneath the box were two, big toadstools,
made into tables, and beside each table was a smaller toadstool for a
seat. And, would you believe me? on each toadstool-table there were a
lot of nice things to eat! Believe me, there was, really! There were
bits of cabbage, some red clover tops with marshmallow-chocolate on
them, and candied cherries, and red raspberries with strawberry sauce,
and oh, I don't know what all!

"Why!" exclaimed Brighteyes, "that is a regular little play-party,
Buddy."

"To be sure it is," he answered. "And look, there is a sign fastened to
the box. Let's go closer, and read what it says on it." So they went a
little closer, watching on all sides to make sure there was no danger,
and they read the sign. This is what it said:

"Come in and eat whate'er you wish.
Taste each dainty in the dish.
Make a bow, and wipe your feet,
Fold your napkins nice and neat."

"Come on," cried Buddy to his sister. "Let's go in and eat."

"Do you s'pose it's meant for us?" asked Brighteyes.

"Of course," was his answer. "Come on! See, there's a mat to wipe your
feet on, and there are napkins at each plate. There is a table for you,
and one for me."

So Buddy and Brighteyes, thinking no harm, went in and, after making
their very best double-jointed bows, and wiping their feet until there
was no more mud on them than on a postage stamp, they sat down to the
tables and tucked in their napkins around their necks.

Then they began to eat, and oh, how good everything tasted! Just like
when you go visiting to the c