My! how Uncle Wiggily did run. And the wolf ran also, and he was catching up to the rabbit, and probably would have eaten him all up, but just then a kind b.u.mble bee who knew Uncle Wiggily flew off a tree branch and stung that wolf on the end of his nose.
That wolf gave a howl, and made one more grab for Uncle Wiggily, but he only managed to catch hold of his coat tails in his teeth, and there the wolf held on.
"Let go of Uncle Wiggily!" buzzed the bee.
"No I won"t!" cried the wolf, most impolite-like.
"Then I"ll sting you again!" cried the bee, and she did so, and the rabbit gave a great pull, and he managed to pull himself away from the wolf. But, alas! Uncle Wiggily"s nice red coat was all tattered and torn.
"Oh, whatever shall I do?" cried Uncle Wiggily as the wolf ran away down the hill and the rabbit looked at the torn and ripped coat. "I never can go on seeking my fortune with a torn coat."
"I am sorry," said the bee, "but I can not help you. But if you see the tailor bird she may mend your coat for you."
So the bee buzzed away and Uncle Wiggily went on looking for the tailor bird. This is a bird that makes a nest by sewing leaves together with gra.s.s for thread. And would you believe me, in a little while Uncle Wiggily saw the very bird he wanted.
She was making a nest with her bill for a needle and some dried gra.s.s for thread, and she was sewing the leaves together.
"Will you kindly mend my coat for me where the wolf tore it?" asked the rabbit politely.
"Indeed I will," said the tailor bird. So she took some long, strong pieces of gra.s.s for thread. Then she made her sharp bill go back and forth in the cloth of Uncle Wiggily"s coat and soon it was all mended again as good as new. Then the rabbit thanked the bird and started off again to seek his fortune and you could hardly see where his coat was torn.
Then Uncle Wiggily was very thankful to the tailor bird, and he stayed at her house for some time, helping her sweep the sidewalk mornings, and bringing up coal, and all things like that. And the old gentleman had some more adventures.
But as I have already made this book quite long, I think I will have to save the rest of the stories for another one. I"ll get it ready as soon as I can for you, and the name of it is going to be "Uncle Wiggily"s Fortune."
Just think of that! He really does find his fortune in that book, though he has quite some trouble, let me tell you. But bless your hearts! Trouble is only another kind of fun!
So now we will say good-by to Uncle Wiggily for a time, and soon you may hear more about him. Good-by and good luck to all of you.
THE END
The Boy Scouts Series
By HERBERT CARTER
Handsome Cloth Binding, PRICE, 75 per Volume
THE BOY SCOUTS" FIRST CAMP FIRE; or, Scouting with the Silver Fox Patrol.
THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE BLUE RIDGE; or, Marooned Among the Moonshiners.
THE BOY SCOUTS ON THE TRAIL; or, Scouting through the Big Game Country.
THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAIN WOODS; or, The New Test for the Silver Fox Patrol.
THE BOY SCOUTS THROUGH THE BIG TIMBER; or, The Search for the Lost Tenderfoot.
THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES; or, The Secret of the Hidden Silver Mine.
THE BOY SCOUTS ON STURGEON ISLAND; or, Marooned Among the Game Fish Poachers.
BOY SCOUTS DOWN IN DIXIE; or, The Strange Secret of Alligator Swamp.
THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA; A story of Burgoyne"s defeat in 1777.
THE BOY SCOUTS ALONG THE SUSQUEHANNA; or, The Silver Fox Patrol Caught in a Flood.
THE BOY SCOUTS ON WAR TRAILS IN BELGIUM; or, Caught Between the Hostile Armies.
THE BOY SCOUTS AFOOT IN FRANCE; or, With the Red Cross Corps at the Marne.
The Navy Boys Series
[Ill.u.s.tration]
A series of excellent stories of adventure on sea and land, selected from the works of popular writers; each volume designed for boys" reading.
HANDSOME CLOTH BINDINGS
THE NAVY BOYS IN DEFENCE OF LIBERTY.
A story of the burning of the British schooner Gasnee in 1772 By William P. Chipman.
THE NAVY BOYS ON LONG ISLAND SOUND.
A story of the Whale Boat Navy of 1776.
By James Otis.
THE NAVY BOYS AT THE SIEGE OF HAVANA.
Being the experience of three boys serving under Israel Putnam in 1772.
By James Otis.
THE NAVY BOYS WITH GRANT AT VICKSBURG.
A boy"s story of the siege of Vicksburg.
By James Otis.