To make good his word he gave the rabbit a harder squeeze. Then something
happened that surprised every one. The girl raised a hand, and boxed
Toby's ears so hard that it made him howl.

"Now, take that, and see how it feels to be hurt!"

Toby clapped both hands to his ears, and in a flash the red-headed girl
seized Bumper in her arms and ran pell-mell from the room. Toby started
after her, but when the door slammed in his face he flopped down on the
floor to howl and kick just like a baby who had eaten pickles instead of
good milk for breakfast.

STORY V

BUMPER AND THE RED-HEADED GIRL

The red-headed girl, with the freckles on her nose, and a dimple in her
chin, didn't stop until she was on the top floor of the big house where
Toby's howls couldn't be heard. She opened the door of a dark room, and
went in, slamming and locking the door after her.

"There, now I guess he can't find us!" she exclaimed.

Then to Bumper, she turned and began crooning: "You poor little rabbit!
Did Toby hurt you? Don't be frightened now. I won't let him have you
again. I'll buy you if it takes all my Christmas money. You're mine now!"

You can never imagine how these words soothed Bumper's ruffled feelings.
It was like being rescued from a terrible giant who intended to dash out
your brains and eat you for supper. Bumper's heart began to beat slower
and slower until pretty soon it wasn't going any faster than the ticking
of the clock outside in the hallway.

They sat there in the dark room for a long time, the girl rubbing Bumper's
head and back and crooning gently to him. Then a noise outside--the sound
of approaching footsteps--alarmed the white rabbit again.

"Edith!" a voice called. "Edith, are you up here?"

It was Mary, her cousin, calling, and the red-haired girl gently pushed
open the door, and whispered.

"I'm in here, cousin Mary. Where's Toby?"

"He's looking for you. I think you'd better get out of the house before he
finds you. Take Bumper with you, and we'll buy him something else to keep
him quiet."

"Then I can keep him?--call him really and truly mine?"

"Yes, if you can get away with him. Toby isn't old enough yet for pets."

"He's old enough," sniffed Edith, "but he's been spoilt, and don't know
how to treat them. If he ever lays hands on my rabbit again, I'll box his
ears so hard he'll never forget it. That's what I'll do!"

Mary seemed to concur in this, for she smiled, and rubbed Bumper's he