yes, it was certainly a miracle that there wasn’t a great slaughter of rabbits in the woods when buster and mr. fox broke up the huge assemble! to this day they marvel at it. the only explanation the leaders could give was that mr. fox and buster the bear were more interested in frightening them than in killing. so they bowled over as many as they could, and didn’t stop to bite any of them.
what a crowded house old blind rabbit had, though! every rabbit who could squeeze through the doorway had followed him in the burrow. it was the most mixed audience ever gathered in one burrow.
there were followers of pink nose huddling alongside of rolly polly’s family, and brindley the lame was crowded next to white tail. they were packed in so tight that it was difficult for any one to move.
bumper was crowded way in back alongside fuzzy wuzz. not understanding the great noise, bumper had at first stood by the entrance 86to fight back any intruders that followed old blind rabbit. he thought they were crowding in the burrow to get him.
but goggle eyes and fuzzy wuzz understood his mistake, and they took him by the paws and forced him to the back part of the burrow. “it’s mr. fox and buster the bear!” cried fuzzy wuzz in his ears.
bumper understood immediately, and his wrath turned to kindness. he helped to make room for all the strangers that came pell-mell in the burrow. the excitement didn’t quiet down at once. shivering with terror at their narrow escape, every one squealed, and tried to talk at once.
there was danger of the little ones being trampled upon and hurt until the leaders began to get their senses back. “stop crowding!” shouted white tail. “we’re safe in here! now every one keep quiet while we think.”
it was so quiet that one could almost hear their thoughts, but they were so confused that it wouldn’t have done much good. no one could have made head or tail out of them. it was old blind rabbit who first got over his scare, and came to his senses.
“how many are here?” he asked, turning to the others for an answer to his question.
87“so many we can’t count them,” replied goggle eyes. “my, i was never in such a crowd before in all my life!”
“is white tail here?” continued old blind rabbit.
“yes, i squeezed in at the last minute, and lost a handful of fur in doing it.”
“and pink nose?”
“here!” came the answer from a corner.
“and brindley the lame?” continued old blind rabbit, as if calling the roll of all his friends.
“here!”
“rolly polly?”
“here!”
“crooked ears?”
“here!”
old blind rabbit stopped for a moment.
“now, as there is no danger of further interruption by mr. fox or buster,” he added finally, “we might proceed with our business. we were talking about shrike the butcher bird when we were interrupted. i asked you then when had shrike carried other than lies and evil news.”
“never!” shouted some one, and others started up with various cries. “he deceived us! he summoned mr. fox and buster the bear to kill us! i shall never believe him again!”
88a faint smile spread over old blind rabbit’s face.
“then, if that’s true,” he continued, “how can you believe the rumors he spread in the woods about bumper the white rabbit? were they not lies too?”
this question caused a sudden sensation. no one had quite thought of this. if shrike had betrayed them to mr. fox and buster, why could it not be true that the whole story was part of a trick made up by him?
“but spotted tail sent the news by him,” said white tail suddenly.
“shrike said so, but did you see spotted tail himself?” asked old blind rabbit.
“why, no, i didn’t see him,” replied white tail.
“nor i! nor i!” spoke up pink nose, rolly polly, and all the others in turn.
“then,” resumed old blind rabbit, “how do we know that the whole story wasn’t invented by shrike to stir up trouble?”
“that’s so,” laughed brindley. “i never thought of that. but where’s spotted tail? let him speak for himself.”
this was just the thing that spotted tail, crouching and trembling in a corner, dreaded the most. he was so shaken and horrified by the 89result of his treachery that he had to be pushed forward when they called him.
“tell us the truth, spotted tail,” said old blind rabbit severely. “you’re on trial now.”
there is some good even in the worst of us, and although spotted tail had done many wicked things, he still possessed a sense of honor. he could have lied out of it, and declared his innocence, for no one had direct evidence that he had started the wicked stories, except the birds. yes, he could easily have cleared his skirts by declaring that shrike had made up the whole story, and that he knew nothing of it.
but he was frightened and repentant. he was no longer defiant. he looked so humiliated that some of the gentler rabbits pitied him.
“i’ll tell the truth,” he stammered finally. “i did start the story, and ask shrike to spread it. i was jealous of bumper, and wanted to have him driven from the woods. i am sorry now, but that won’t help what’s happened.”
“no,” replied old blind rabbit severely, “after the milk is spilt it does no good to cry over it. you betrayed your own people, and nearly caused the death of many of them. now what punishment do you think you deserve?”
spotted tail hung his head in fear and humiliation.
90“there is only one punishment to suit the case,” old blind rabbit said after a pause, “and that is to be banished from the woods. never again can you speak to any of your people, nor shall they speak to you. go, spotted tail, go, and never return! is that not a just punishment?”
“yes! yes!” cried many, and the leaders of the burrows shook their heads in assent.
but before he could retire from the burrow in shame and disgrace, bumper hopped from his corner, and faced the assembly.
“one minute, old blind rabbit,” he said. “let me speak a word for spotted tail. his sinning was against me most, and i should be heard. he is repentant now, and we should give him another chance. i ask you to take back that sentence.”
old blind rabbit looked hard and severe, as he shook his head. “sentence has been passed,” he said sternly, “and justice demands that spotted tail be banished from the woods.”
“but justice tempered with mercy is what i’m asking for,” replied bumper.
again old blind rabbit shook his head, and white tail, crooked ears and the others agreed with him.
“then,” resumed bumper sadly, “i shall go 91with him. if you banish spotted tail from the woods you banish me too.”
the consternation that followed this remark was so great you could have heard a pin drop. every one was looking at the white rabbit, and, as if fascinated by his pink eyes and white fur, they remained mute and awed. finally old blind rabbit, seeing his opportunity, said: “what the king says must be obeyed!”
“yes, what the king says must be obeyed!” cried many as if they were hypnotized, and even white tail and the other leaders offered no opposition.
“long live bumper the white rabbit as our king!” quavered old blind rabbit, his voice cracking.
and every one took up the cry. “long live bumper the white rabbit as our king!”
