^eer Ways of Br er Rabbit. 45 



I crept slowly out; but beyond a slight rustle as 

 my head appeared outside the tent I heard nothing, 

 though I waited several minutes and searched about 

 among the underbrush. But no sooner was I back 

 in the tent and quiet than there it was again, and 

 repeated three or four times, now here, now there, 

 within the next ten minutes. I crept out again, with 

 no better success than before. 



This time, however, I would find out about that 

 mysterious noise before going back. It is n't so 

 pleasant to go to sleep until one knows what things 

 are prowling about, especially things that make a 

 noise like that. A new moon was shining down 

 into the little clearing, giving hardly enough light 

 to make out the outlines of the great evergreens. 

 Down anions the ferns thiuQ-s were all black and uni- 

 form. For ten minutes I stood there in the shadow 

 of a big spruce and waited. Then the silence was 

 broken by a sudden heavy thump in the bushes just 

 behind me. I was startled, and wheeled on the 

 instant ; as I did so, some small animal scurried 

 away into the underbrush. 



For a moment I was puzzled. Then it flashed 

 upon me that I was camped upon the rabbits' play- 

 ground. With the thought came a strong suspicion 

 that Bunny was fooling me. 



Going back to the fire, I raked the coals together 



