a better son than my little Sonny Bunny; I can
count on his doing exactly what I tell him, and he never goes away
from home without asking permission from his mother or me.

"Why did he come? Oh, his mother sent him to tell me that Mr. Man had
just gone out with his gun, and Towser tagging on behind. She was
afraid he had started off to find me simply because I took a few
carrots and some lettuce the other day. I'll have my eye on him sharp
enough; but it was taking a big risk to send little Sonny out at such
a time. I explained to him exactly the route he must take when going
home, and cautioned the dear fellow about going into the open without
first making certain that crafty dog wasn't anywhere near at hand.

"Oh, yes, you want to hear the rest of the story about Cheeko. Well,
there isn't a great deal more to tell, I'm sorry to say--that is,
about his being trapped by Mr. Man's boy Tommy, though he did get away
after a long and painful experience which has taught him a valuable
lesson, so Mr. Crow says.

"As I was saying when Sonny Bunny interrupted us, I yelled for Jimmy
Hedgehog to tip the little house over with his nose; but you know what
a clumsy thing he is, and it seemed as if I should fly before he got
ready to make a try. While he was poking around to see how it could be
done the easiest, I scratched away the dirt with my hind feet, making
a hole for it to tumble into, and, last, when Jimmy had made up his
mind, I shouted for Cheeko to look after himself when the thing fell,
so's to be ready to jump out the minute the door opened.

"Now you'd better believe Jimmy and I worked hard and fast, for there
was no telling how soon those miserable boys might be back, and all
the time old Mr. Crow was perched on the top of the oak tree, giving
orders as if he were the captain of the biggest vessel that ever
floated.

"'Get your noses further under the house!' he screamed when it seemed
to me as if my whole head was in the dirt, and I'd strangle to death
if I'd rooted the least bit deeper. 'Why don't you have some get up
and go to you?' he yelled again and again until I just couldn't stand
it any longer, even if he was the president of the club, and up and
told him I wouldn't ruffle a hair till he got through with his foolish
noise.

"That made him real kind of huffy, and while he was shaking himself to
make his feathers stand out like Jimmy's quills, we rooted at the
house till it surely seemed I'd dropped a st