until there were only three of the merrymakers left. Two of
those were Tommy Fox and Fatty Coon, who were still dancing, still
blindfolded, and each still thinking that the other was a rabbit. The
third was Jimmy Rabbit himself. But he was not dancing. He was peeping
out from behind a tree, and wondering what was going to happen.

And all the time Tommy Fox was wishing the music would begin. Of course,
he didn't know that Jimmy Rabbit had sent the fiddlers away.

Now, the longer they danced, the oftener the fat lady stepped on Tommy's
feet. And he grew so angry that he finally said:

"Do be careful where you step!"

That remark did not please Fatty Coon.

"Don't tell _me_ how to dance!" he said. "You're a great, clumsy
creature!"

"I'm not!" Tommy retorted. "I'm the best dancer at the Ball. But _you_
can't dance any better than a coon!"

That was enough for Fatty. He tore the handkerchief off his eyes. And
Tommy Fox was just as quick. He saw that he had made an unwise speech.
And he snatched the bandage from his own face.

"You've played a trick on me!" Tommy Fox cried, when he saw that all the
other dancers--and the fiddlers, too--had gone.

"You've played one on me!" Fatty Coon shouted. And he pulled the mask
off Tommy Fox's face.

And again Tommy Fox was just as quick. He reached out and twitched away
Fatty Coon's mask.

For one second they stared at each other. And then they jumped at each
other.

Jimmy Rabbit didn't wait to see anything more. He felt that it would be
much safer somewhere else. And besides, the Rabbits' Ball had come to an
end.

That was the last time that Fatty Coon and Tommy Fox ever went to a
party to which they were not invited. Jimmy Rabbit had taught them a
lesson.

[Illustration: 19 Jimmy Grows Too Cheeky]

19

Jimmy Grows Too Cheeky

Mrs. Rabbit always tried to teach her children good manners. It was no
easy matter, either, with four girls and three boys. But she was glad
that she hadn't four boys and three girls, because her boys always
stuffed their mouths when they ate.

One day at dinner Mrs. Rabbit said:

"Jimmy! Don't fill your mouth so full! If you could see how you look,
with your cheeks sticking out, you'd be more careful."

The first thing Mrs. Rabbit knew, Jimmy burst into tears.

"I haven't eaten a thing!" he said. "There's nothing in my mouth at
all. I'm not a bit hungry."

When Mrs. Rabbit looked at his plate she knew at once that there mu