land belonging to an old
gentleman, named Grey, who had lately come to live there, and from a
gate at the top of the hill a glimpse could be caught of the river,
where, too, a lovely pair of swans might be seen. Jim took a great
interest in these swans, and longed to get down to the water so as to
be close to them. But the gamekeeper was a surly fellow, and if he saw
the children lingering near he would tell them that his master
"couldn't abear boys nor girls either," and always was most severe if
any people were caught trespassing on his land. Thus Jim had never
dared to climb the gate. But Jumbo this morning was to give him an
excuse for so doing. When they reached it, the children paused to gaze
down at the river, which there broadened out into a sort of lake, with
a grassy islet in the centre. The six rabbits paused also.

The clover they had eaten had made them feel rather sleepy, but now
they were beginning to recover from the effects of it, and now they
suddenly became quite frisky. Punch leaped over Judy's back, and then
chased her into the middle of the road and back again. Even old Jumbo
caught the infection, and though he very seldom condescended to take
any notice of the other rabbits, now he gave Toby a playful poke with
his nose, following it up by a bite on his ear that was not quite so
playful. Toby gave a loud squeak of pain, and Jumbo, afraid perhaps
that he might receive a bite in return, jumped through the bars and
scampered down the field. He was half-way to the river before the
children recovered from their surprise, and shouted to him to come
back. But the more they shouted the faster he ran. And that was not
the worst either, for the other rabbits were after him in a twinkling.
But quick as they were Jim was quicker. He had no intention of
allowing such an excellent opportunity of exploring the forbidden
ground to slip, and crying that it was of no use to call to Jumbo he
scrambled over the gate and rushed helter-skelter down the field,
taking great care, however, not to get in front of Jumbo, but running
behind him shouting and waving his hands.

[Illustration: Jim climbing gate]

To the interested onlookers at the gate, whom an uneasy fear of the
gamekeeper kept from entering the field, it really seemed much more as
though Jim were chasing Jumbo down the field than trying to capture him.

But, perhaps, even if Jim had wished to catch Jumbo he could not have
done so, for the old