"goodness gracious me!" exclaimed little jack rabbit, all of a sudden, "the clover patch is all dried up. what shall i do when winter comes?"

"hunt for old turnips and carrots in the field," laughed chatterbox.

"i think i'll leave you," answered little jack rabbit thoughtfully, "i'm beginning to worry about what's going to happen to me," and away he hopped, leaving the little red squirrel sitting beneath his tree.

"'most everybody i know," thought the little rabbit as he hopped along, "curls up and goes to sleep for the winter. i wonder if i could? i'm going home to ask mother."

but mrs. rabbit was too busy putting up carrot jelly to answer questions. "don't bother me," she said, "i haven't got a minute to spare." so the only thing for the little bunny to do was to go to somebody else.

the very first person he met was hedgy hedgehog. he was just coming out of his hole, which he had been busily lining with grass and dry leaves, some of which were still sticking to his spikes, for he hadn't had time to brush himself.

"what are you doing?" asked the little bunny.

"getting ready for winter. i've fixed up my place nice and warm, and when the cold weather comes i'll creep in and sleep till spring."

"what do you eat?" asked little jack rabbit, who could eat all the time, and sometimes oftener, like all rabbits.

"don't eat—can't eat when you're asleep, you know."

"gracious me!" exclaimed the little bunny, "that would never do for me!" and he hopped away.

by and by he came to the old duck pond. there sat granddaddy bullfrog on a log, winking and blinking in the light of mr. merry sun.

"granddaddy bullfrog, what do you do when winter comes?"

"why, bless you, my little bunny," answered the old gentleman frog, "i go to sleep in the mud at the bottom of the pond."

"oh, dear, i can't do that!" sighed the little rabbit.

"of course not," laughed granddaddy bullfrog. "do what your mother says, and stop worrying!"