randfather,' I said, mild as milk, and staring at the
wicked old fellow as if he were the best friend a lone rabbit could
possibly have.

"'How well you look, Bunny,' he said, opening his mouth till I could
see every tooth he had, and knew he was longing to stick them into me.
'I don't believe I ever saw a prettier coat than the one you have on.
There was a time, after you had met the 'Squire, when it was rather
ragged.'

"'I've had it mended since then,' and I laughed as if believing he had
said something terribly funny, for, even if I'm not the bravest animal
in the world, I wouldn't let a mangy old fox think I was afraid of
him, no matter how scared I might be.

"'You and I haven't been very good friends in the past; but it isn't
too late to change all that,' and he came close up to the fence as he
spoke, while I looked over my shoulder to see that the way was clear
for running, as I said:

"'I've always been busy when you wanted a chat; but now that we're on
the opposite sides of a fence, and the barbs on the wires are mighty
sharp, there's no reason why we shouldn't get better acquainted.'

"'That's what I would like,' and he grinned till I could see half-way
down his throat. 'The only trouble is that I've got a dreadful cold,
and it tears me all to pieces to speak loudly enough for you to hear.
Why not come on this side, or wait till I can get over on that, and
then we can talk at our leisure?'

"'That's what I'd like to do,' and I shook my ears in a way such as I
knew provoked him; 'but Mrs. Bunny says that colds are catching, and
I wouldn't like to run the chances of taking yours.'

"Then he wrinkled up his nose as he looked around to find a way to
jump at me without taking the risk of getting torn pretty near to
pieces on the barbs, and don't forget that I kept my ears moving
mighty fast, for there was no telling when my legs would be needed to
save my skin. It wasn't many seconds before I saw his tail begin to
swing from one side to the other, and I knew he'd made up some plan in
his mind, so I said free and easy like, but keeping my eye on the path
all the while:

"'I know you'd like to have me stay with you longer, Grandfather Fox,
but we're expecting company at our house to-night, and I must be
moving, else Mrs. Bunny will begin to think I've fallen in with
rogues. Perhaps when we meet again I'll have more time.'

"Then I started off limperty, limperty, limp, as if I weren't in any
very great hu