ittle girl's bed, but not until after he had met another person
whom he feared and disliked almost as much as the bad boy called Toby. She
was a cross old nurse, who looked after Edith, and she didn't like
rabbits--not live ones. She admired Bumper's soft, white hair, and
remarked:

"Wouldn't it make a handsome fur neck scarf? I wonder how much it would
cost."

Edith snatched the rabbit from her hands. "You wicked old thing!" she
exclaimed. "I believe you'd kill Bumper just for his fur."

"What a funny little girl you are," the nurse laughed. "What are rabbits
for if you can't use their skins for furs."

With that Edith clapped Bumper in the box, and sat on the lid. "I'm going
to sit there until you go," she said.

The nurse laughed, and when she finally left the room the red-haired girl
jumped up and locked the door. Then she patted Bumper again before
slipping in bed for the night.

It was early morning before the rabbit heard another word from her. The
moon peeking in through the window made Bumper feel quite at home, and
with it came the sweet aroma of that garden, intoxicating smells of roses,
green grass and succulent vegetables.

"Are you there, little Bumper?" the girl called just as the sun rose. She
was in her thin nightie, with her wonderful braids of red hair streaming
down her back. Bumper thumped on the box with both hind feet to express
his delight at seeing her again.

"Now you're coming to bed with me," she added. And sure enough, she lifted
the white rabbit from the box and carried him to her bed. It was soft and
warm under the sheets, and Bumper began playing hide-and-seek with her
toes, making her shout and giggle every time his whiskers rubbed against
one. It must have been the noise they made that attracted the nurse, for
she suddenly knocked on the door and tried to open it.

Edith sprang out of bed, and put the rabbit in his box before she opened
the door. "Why was that door locked?" asked the nurse severely.

"Because," replied Edith saucily, "I didn't want you snooping in here in
the night to steal bunny."

"Well, of all things! If you ever do that again, I'll tell your mother!
Suppose the house took fire with you locked in here."

"I'd know enough to unlock the door, wouldn't I?" retorted the girl.

The nurse went to the bed and threw back the sheets to air them. Then, in
angry amazement, she exclaimed: "You've had that dirty beast in the bed!
Now don't tell me a story."

"Yes