CHAPTER XII
 
LITTLE RABBIT BOO-HOO
 
 
 
Next morning Grandpa Grumbles heard a tap on his door.
 
"Too early to get up," he grumbled. "Don't wake me up, don't wake me up!"
 
Little Bear heard a tap on his door, and he cried:
 
"See the sunshine!"
 
He dressed and hurried down­stairs.
 
Little Bear never liked to be late to breakfast.
 
Breakfast was on the table, and Red Riding Hood said:
 
"We will sit down and have break­fast, Little Bear."
 
Pretty soon a great grumbling was heard and Grandpa Grumbles came down-stairs, one step at a time.
 
He was talking to himself.
 
"Oh, dear! oh, dear!" he said. "have to get breakfast for my visitors!"
 
When he came into the dining-room he was so surprised to see breakfast on the table that he forgot to grumble.
 
He sat down and drank his coffee without saying a word. Suddenly a crash was heard, then another, and another.
 
"I am being robbed!" cried Grandpa Grumbles.
 
"Wow! wow! I am afraid!" cried Lit­tle Bear.
 
Red Riding Hood started for the cellar. "Get a candle," she called.
 
Grandpa Grumbles said: "I haven't any candle."
 
Little Bear said: "I am afraid to carry a lamp!"
 
While they stood there talking, Bushy Tail came bounding up the cel­lar stairs. He had a bottle of cider under each arm.
 
"I broke some," he said. "It is too dark in your cellar!"
 
Grandpa Grumbles got a switch and ran after Bushy Tail, but Bushy Tail jumped on a sofa and shouted: "Great news! great news!"
 
Of course they all stopped to listen.
 
Little Bear said: "Tell us the news! tell us the news!"
 
Bushy Tail said: "Susan Cotton-Tail has lost her glasses."
 
Then Grandpa began to grumble, and Little Bear rolled over on the floor, and laughed until he cried.
 
"Have you any cookies for me to­day?" asked Bushy Tail.
 
Red Riding Hood said: "why do you want cookies?"
 
She had hardly gotten the words out of her mouth before Bushy Tail had started into the pantry and helped himself.
 
Then, whisk! he was out through the window, and away as fast as his long legs could carry him.
 
Just at that minute Little Bear heard a sound, and he said: "Hush! listen! what is it?"
 
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