ound her.

"What puzzles me," she said finally, "is how you ever got in there without
swimming. You can't fly."

Bumper smiled, and shook his head. "No, but I wish I could. I wouldn't
stay here arguing with you about this leaf but fly away and get a good
breakfast of a lot of them."

"Are you really so hungry, Mr. White Rabbit?"

"Indeed, I am nearly famished."

And then he told Mrs. Sparrow of his adventures in the drain-pipe of the
garden and the big abandoned sewer. Mrs. Sparrow was evidently affected by
his recital, for she immediately flew away and soon returned with another
green leaf.

"Now eat that, and I'll get you another," she said. "I know what it is to
go without breakfast and dinner. I've had to do it many times. Now eat
your full."

Bumper devoured the leaf so quickly that it seemed as if he must have
swallowed it without chewing it. "You see, Mrs. Sparrow," he remarked,
"you couldn't feed me enough. I have a very big appetite. Why, I could eat
leaves much faster than you could bring them to me."

"So it seems," murmured the sparrow in a little surprised voice. "I never
realized how much some animals can eat at once. I don't think I can do
more than just take the edge of your appetite off."

"That's very kind of you. And I shall be grateful to you! If you'll bring
me just a few more leaves, I will then ask you to direct me back to the
little girl's garden."

"I'm sure I'd like to, but there are so many gardens around, and they all
look alike."

"But there's only one with a red-haired girl in it," replied Bumper.
"Can't you fly away, and find her?"

"I'll try," said Mrs. Sparrow.

So after feeding Bumper a few more green leaves, she flew away to find the
garden. She was gone so long that Bumper got very restless and
discouraged. The few leaves hadn't satisfied his hunger; they had merely
stimulated his desire for more. It was past noon when Mrs. Sparrow finally
reappeared at the entrance to the sewer.

"What news?" asked Bumper, eagerly.

"Nothing that's good, Mr. White Rabbit. I flew into garden after
garden--and all of them pretty, and full of fruits and vegetables--but
there was no red-headed girl in any of them. I saw dogs, too--many of
them--but I couldn't tell whether any of them answered to the name of
Carlo."

"Then it looks to me," remarked Bumper, "that I'm in for a long swim.
Where does this river go to?"

"Way out into the country through beautiful fields and woods," repl