we are not going to the seashore. We are going to
the mountains, where there is a nice lake. The salt air of the seashore
does not agree with me. I have asked Uncle Wiggily Longears to go with
us, and he does not like the salt air, either. It is bad for his
rheumatism, which is a little better now, and he does not want it to get
worse."

"Oh, that's fine, if Uncle Wiggily is coming!" said Buddy. "He'll take
us all over the mountains, into caves and out rowing on the lake, and
show us how to have lots of fun."

Well, the Pigg family began to pack up, and, in a few hours they were
ready to go. Uncle Wiggily came to help them, as he had all his things
packed. He brought along his crutch, in case he might happen to need it,
but he hoped he would not.

"Couldn't Sammie and Susie Littletail come, too?" asked Buddy.

"No, they have gone to Belmar, at the seashore, for the summer,"
answered Uncle Wiggily. "But now we must hurry off to the mountains."

So they hurried off, and in a little while, oh, not so very long, Dr.
Pigg and his family, and Uncle Wiggily arrived at a nice pen, right on
the side of a mountain, at the foot of which was a large lake.

There were so many things to see that Buddy and Brighteyes did not know
at which to look first, and they ran all about, now to one place, and
now to another. Then, when they had had their supper, Uncle Wiggily
said:

"Come now, we will take a walk. I think I know where there is a cave,
and we will see if a giant lives in it."

"A real giant?" asked Buddy.

[Illustration]

"No, only a make-believe one," answered Uncle Wiggily, with a laugh.
So he and the two guinea pig children started off up the side of the
mountain toward the cave. All around them were other mountains, and it
was a lovely place, with the red sun sinking down behind the hills, just
like it does in poetry.

"Ha, here we are at the cave!" exclaimed Uncle Wiggily, at length, as
they came to a big hole in the side of the mountain. "Now, Buddy and
Brighteyes, be very careful. Keep close to me, and don't go in very far,
or you may get lost."

Then they started to go in, but just at that moment Uncle Wiggily
stepped on a stone and twisted his ankle, the one that had some
rheumatism still left in it, and he had to sit down and rub his foot
with a bottle of liniment which he carried in his pocket.

While he was doing this Buddy and Brighteyes wandered a little way into
the cave. It looked perfectly safe,