While accepting smilingly the plaudits of the others for what seemed to be great bravery on his part in tearing down the hornet’s nest in the vegetable patch, Bumper was greatly disturbed by his display of ignorance. Had it dawned upon him that the big round ball was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Yellow Jacket, he would have scampered away with the rest.

It was a narrow escape from disgrace. Spotted Tail had been suspicious, but Bumper’s ready wit in turning aside the awkward question had won him further glory. But right down in his heart he wasn’t sure that Spotted Tail had been convinced. He eyed Bumper curiously. Bumper was certain that he was watching him with suspicious eyes.

“I must be more careful,” he reasoned. “Spotted Tail has no love for me.”

But if Spotted Tail was disloyal, Fuzzy Wuzz was the soul of honor and loyalty. She looked at Bumper through her meek, brown eyes in a way 24that made him happy. Fuzzy Wuzz was a particularly handsome rabbit, and there was royal blood in her veins. She could trace her ancestry way back to the first leader of her race, the white rabbit who had predicted the coming of Bumper. That was so many years ago that none but the Old Blind Rabbit had any memory of it. But the blood of this royal leader still showed itself in many of his descendants.

For instance, Fuzzy Wuzz had more white than brown or gray on her back and head. Her breast was pure white, and most of her head, while there were patches of it on her sides. But the mixture of blood had given her some very dark coloring, which made her anything but a white rabbit.

Fuzzy Wuzz was bright and cheerful, always smiling or laughing, and her wit sometimes equalled that of Bumper. It was not unnatural, therefore, that Bumper should select her for special marks of friendship. A close intimacy sprang up between them, and they often hopped off in the woods together to feed by themselves.

Bumper found that Fuzzy Wuzz knew a lot more about wood lore than he, and pursuing his plan to gain all the information he could from every one he made good use of her friendship. Pretending to test her knowledge, he would ask 25her all sorts of questions, which she answered readily like a school boy being quizzed by his teacher.

“Why do you ask me such silly questions?” she asked one day. “You’d think I didn’t know anything.”

“No, that isn’t it,” replied Bumper, assuming a friendly attitude. “I don’t want you to get in trouble in the woods and when Old Blind Rabbit trusts you with me I must be sure you know how to look after yourself if I should leave you for an instant. What would you do, for instance, if Mr. Fox should appear and chase you?”

“Why, I’d run if I could. Maybe I’d be so frightened I’d fall down in a faint.”

“That’s what you shouldn’t do,” cautioned Bumper. “If you get panicky you’d lose your head, and run right into his jaws.”

“What would you do if he chased you?” she asked.

“I’ll tell you what I did do when Mr. Fox nearly caught me,” he replied. Then he related to her the story of how he had induced the fox to look at the sun until he was temporarily blinded. Fuzzy Wuzz laughed at this until the tears ran down her cheeks. Then she added:

“It was very bright of you. I’m sure I’d never think of such a trick.”

26“I’m not so sure of that,” replied Bumper. “You’re bright enough, but if you lost your wits you might forget what to do.”

It was shortly after this conversation that Fuzzy Wuzz got in trouble, and Bumper came to her rescue and saved her by his wits. They had been feeding on the luscious stalks of wild celery near the marsh when they gradually got separated. Fuzzy Wuzz was nibbling away at the leaves all unconscious of danger when she was startled by a loud hiss in front of her.

She looked up in surprise, and saw facing her not a foot away a tremendous blacksnake. He was the king blacksnake of the woods, with a body almost as big around as her head, and a tail that stretched way off in the distance. The rabbits called him Killer the Snake because he had destroyed so many birds and young bunnies. He was so big and ferocious that he could swallow a small rabbit whole.

When Fuzzy Wuzz saw Killer the Snake so close to her she became paralyzed with fear. Instead of using her wits as Bumper had cautioned when in danger she simply crouched down, and made a pitiful little noise of terror. Killer, conscious of his magnetic power, swayed his head back and forth, his small, beady eyes on her, and began approaching in slow, rhythmic motions. 27Fuzzy Wuzz for the life of her couldn’t move, but she kept up her pitiful little moaning.

It was this noise that attracted Bumper, and he called out: “What’s the matter, Fuzzy Wuzz?”

There was no answer but the moaning continued. Bumper stopped chewing the delicious leaf he had in his mouth, and hopped in her direction. His coming must have disturbed Killer, for he shook his head angrily, and half turned to face this unknown thing hopping through the bushes.

Bumper came upon Killer from behind. He had never seen a snake before, but the long black body half coiled like a rope instantly told him that it meant danger. A sight of Fuzzy Wuzz confirmed his suspicions. Bumper’s first intention was to pounce upon the snake to save Fuzzy Wuzz. Then he stopped to think. No, this would never do. Killer might then turn and make short work of him.

Bumper kept at a respectable distance while he tried to work his wits, although this was difficult with Fuzzy Wuzz’s pitiful moaning in his ears. Then suddenly he saw his opportunity.

Some distance back from Killer was a big tree that had been snapped off near the ground by a terrific wind. It was still held suspended 28in air by a few branches and the bark that had not been broken by the storm.

Bumper turned and hopped toward this tree. Killer watched him suspiciously, but as he remained at a safe distance he turned his head slowly back to Fuzzy Wuzz. Bumper began gnawing at the bark which held the tree suspended over the spot where Killer lay. He gnawed with his sharp teeth until they began to bleed.

Fuzzy Wuzz, thinking that he had deserted her, moaned louder than ever, and Killer, sure now that Bumper wasn’t going to attack him from the rear, turned all his attention to his victim. It was a moment of terrible suspense to Bumper. Would Killer reach Fuzzy Wuzz before he could cut the bark so the tree would fall? How tough the bark seemed! He gnawed and chewed with all his might, ripping big pieces off it. But still the tree hung suspended in the air.

Then suddenly, after one desperate effort, Bumper was rewarded by seeing the giant trunk drop down an inch then two inches, then—

There was a crash like a thunder-clap, and sticks and branches flew in the air. Bumper jumped to one side as the big trunk fell to the ground, catching Killer by the tail. The tree fell right across the lower part of the snake’s body, and pinioned him there.

The tree fell right across the lower part of the snake’s body

29“Now run, Fuzzy Wuzz!” shouted Bumper. “There’s no danger!”

Fuzzy Wuzz gave one quick glance at the squirming, twisting snake, and then darted off toward home, with Bumper close behind her.