doctor rabbit came up jumping and dancing and laughing. he was certainly very much tickled about something, that was plain.

“good morning, my friends,” he said finally. “i suppose you all have come out here to see what chatty squirrel is scolding about. has he told you?”

“yes, yes, about ki-yi coyote!” they all said together.

“well,” doctor rabbit said, and he laughed again, “i gave old ki-yi the slip pretty easily that time. indeed i did, and chatty squirrel and i certainly did fool him! i guess we did fool him! ha, ha, ha!” and doctor rabbit was so tickled he just had to hold his sides when he remembered how ki-yi coyote[pg 60] had jumped, and how puzzled he had looked when the stone hit him.

“the last i saw of him,” doctor rabbit said, “he was sneaking along the wide prairie at the edge of the woods, looking for jack rabbit; and he was mumbling to himself and saying he was going to get me and jack rabbit too. but i’ll take care of that. he thinks i’m not smart enough for him, but just let him wait and see! when i ran away from him and got into the briar patch, he shouted in at me and said:

“‘all right for this time, doctor rabbit, but i’ll get you the next time, and some of your friends, too. in fact, i think i like the big green woods, and i’m going to live here. perhaps i’ll live here right along!’”

dr. rabbit ... was certainly tickled about something

that troubled everybody but doctor rabbit. all the other little creatures of[pg 61] the big green woods looked seriously at one another, and stubby woodchuck climbed up on a stump and looked nervously around. “i wish we could drive ki-yi coyote ten miles away, and i wish he never could get back!” stubby woodchuck said, with a very scared look on his face.

“let’s do it!” shouted blue jay. blue jay didn’t have the least idea how it could be done, but he was willing to try, even as small as he was.

“perhaps doctor rabbit has a plan,” said robin-the-red. “he usually helps us out.”

then they all looked at doctor rabbit. even old uncle owl looked from his hole in the tree.

“well,” said doctor rabbit, cheerfully, “i have been thinking about this since yesterday. first i thought out a[pg 62] way for us to catch ki-yi, but that would be pretty dangerous for us, so i have decided to try another plan. i think my scheme will work, and none of us will have to get very close to ki-yi coyote, either. in fact, i think jack rabbit and i can do it ourselves, though we shall need the help of one very savage creature. i will tell you about him later.”

“let’s do it right now!” shouted busy blue jay.

“no,” doctor rabbit said, “it will take a little time. i’m going over to see jack rabbit this very afternoon,” he continued. “after i have talked with him and we are all ready, i’ll tell friend blue jay and he’ll tell you. then all you’ll need to do will be to come close to this big tree, and hide, and watch. you must excuse me now,” he[pg 63] said. “i must go over and see one of frisky grey squirrel’s children who has been eating too many green nuts. early in the morning blue jay will tell you when we shall be ready.”

and with that doctor rabbit went away, hoppity, hoppity, hoppity, to see the little sick squirrel.