It seemed to
increase rather than diminish his thirst.

One hopeful feature of his adventure was that the big sewer seemed to grow
lighter as he proceeded, and he was sure he was coming near the end. But
before this hope was realized he stumbled upon something that gave him a
shock.

Just ahead of him something long and black hung from the roof of the
sewer, reaching down almost to the bottom. Bumper stopped to gaze
critically at it, his little heart beating with apprehension. Was this the
shadow of some strange animal, or was it simply an innocent log of wood
that had got wedged in the sewer?

As it didn't move, and was perfectly noiseless, Bumper concluded that it
was harmless, and so he approached it and after sniffing at it began
nibbling the lower part. Suddenly there was a loud squeak, and the big
shadow seemed to part in the middle and fly in every direction. It took
wings so strangely that Bumper was more astounded than frightened.

The sewer was filled with black shadows that flitted all around him. Then
followed a babel of noisy squeaks. Some came so close to his ears that he
dodged and ducked in fear. One pair of sharp beaks caught him on the tip
of his nose and made him squeal, and another nipped the back of his head.
He was too surprised and frightened by this time to run, and he tried to
defend himself with his two front paws.

"It's the Sewer Rat! Bite him! Tweak his nose! Snap his tail! Tear out his
eyes!"

The air was filled with these faint cries before Bumper began to realize
just what he was up against. He had run into a big bunch of bats sleeping
in the abandoned sewer, and his nibbling at them had alarmed and angered
them. It was apparent from their remarks that they mistook him for Mr.
Sewer Rat, who perhaps had annoyed them many times before, and had even
threatened to devour some of them.

"I'm not the Sewer Rat!" cried Bumper. "Please don't snap out my eyes! I
didn't mean to disturb you! Wait! Wait, until I can explain!"

"Who are you? And what are you, then?" cried the biggest and fiercest of
the bats, coming so close that his eyes looked like pin-points of light.

"I'm Bumper, the white rabbit!"

There was a pause, and the flittering wings seemed to stop beating the
air.

"Bumper, the white rabbit! Who ever heard of a white rabbit! All rabbits
are brown or gray."

It was the big bat speaking for the others, but they all joined him in
gnashing their teeth and in whipping the ai