H 



Charley s Wo7iderfMl Journeys. 



business, say I, and if folks choose to run 

 into danger let them run out of it again." 



" I am really very sorry, ma'am, that I 

 have been the means of causing you so 

 much uneasiness," said Charley ; "and now 

 if you'll kindly turn me back again, I'll go 

 home at once." 



"You are certainly very polite and civil 

 spoken," said the squirrel's wife, "and now 

 that I look at you closely I see that you're 

 only a changeling. Well, it's late now and 

 you had better come into the nest with us 

 to-night." 



"You are very kind," said Charley, "and 

 I am sure you have a good heart, but I 

 would like to be changed back again and go 

 home." 



"Whew!" said the squirrel, "that's more 

 than I can do, and as to a squirrel going all 

 that distance it's out of the question. I 

 have it ; the rabbit has a book of magic, 

 and he can tell you how to do it. It isn't 

 far," said the squirrel, turning to his wife, 

 "and I'll just step over with him and be 

 back in a minute." 



"I am sure you must be tired," said the 

 squirrel's wife, now completely mollified, 

 "you go to bed, and I'll run over to the 

 rabbits with him." But the squirrel wouldn't 

 hear of this, and Charley being anxious, the 

 two set off at once and soon reached the 

 hole, and entered the rabbits' house, where 

 they found Mrs. Rabbit sitting by the 

 kitchen fire, with the table all laid for 

 supper. 



"You quite startled me !" said she, "I'm 

 so nervous sitting here alone o'nights, and 

 my husband stays out so late!" 



"Nothing easier," said she, when the 

 squirrel made known their business, "and 

 how fortunate my husband is so late, or he 

 would have eaten all the stewed dandelions, 

 and you must eat that if you want to be 

 turned into a rabbit." 



"But I don't want to be turned into a 

 rabbit," said Charley, I want to be turned 

 into myself again and go home." 



"I can't do that," said Mrs. Rabbit, "I 

 must turn you into a rabbit first, and then 

 I can tell you how to regain your own shape. 

 Here, sit up at the table, the dandelions are 

 all ready." 



"Well, I must be off," said the squirrel, 

 and away he scampered. 



Charley tasted the dandelions. "Oh, how 

 nasty it is," said he ; "I don't like that." 



"It's only the first mouthful that's so 

 bad," said Mrs. Rabbit, eyeing him with in- 

 terest. " Swallow one good mouthful, and 

 after that it will taste better." 



Charley forced down a mouthful, making 

 a wry face at first, but when it was down 

 he smacked his lips and took another mouth- 

 ful. "Why, it's simply delicious," said he, 

 and he set to work to finish the dish. 



Mrs. Rabbit laughed, for Charley was al- 

 ready turned into a rabbit without know- 

 ing it. 



"Come here," she .said, "and let me look 

 at you. Why, what a pretty rabbit you 

 make. A white rabbit with blue eyes, I de- 

 clare. Why, you're just lovely ! I don't 

 think you're as tall as I am; stand up and 

 measure." 



She was so soft and nice as she nestled 

 close to Charley, and then scampered off 

 to entice him to play with her; but Charley 

 was anxious to get home, and asked her 

 what he must do next to regain his own 

 shape. 



"I don't just remember," said she, "I 

 have it in a book up there, but it's difficult 

 to read by this light." 



But Charley was impatient, so she took 

 down the book and turned over the leaves 

 (they were cabbage leaves). " Here it is," 

 said she, as she came to the place, "you 

 must cross running water, and then you'll 

 regain your own shape." 



"Oh, I know," said Charley, "there is 

 the creek that runs down to the mill. Thank 

 you so much, I'll be off now." 



"You surely wouldn't venture out at this 

 time of night," said Mrs. Rabbit, who look- 



