he cold.

And once more the great Tree stood alone in the meadow.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER IX.

A PICNIC.

[Illustration]

ONE bright morning, at about eleven o'clock, I tipped my glass in the
direction of the Mouse-trap. It had been tipped in a very different
direction, for I had been watching a buffalo-hunt on the prairies. That
is an exciting sport, and one that I should like to join in, if I were a
few thousand years younger. Here at the Mouse-trap, however, there was
an excitement of quite another sort. All the five mice were hurrying
about, evidently very busy. The carriage stood at the door, and Uncle
Jack was packing all sorts of things into it. Nibble brought one big
basket, and Puff brought another, and both were stowed away under the
seat. Brighteyes came down the steps very carefully carrying something
in a pitcher, with a napkin tied over the top, and that too was stowed
away. As for Fluff and Downy, they were running round and round the
house as fast as they could, shouting: "Picnic! picnic! going to a
picnic! oh! Jollykaloo! Jollykaloo!"

[Illustration]

"Aha!" I said to my dog, "the mice are going to have a picnic. Let us
watch now, and see where they go: and then we shall have all the fun of
it, and none of the trouble." So we watched, and saw them all get into
the carriage except Nibble, who stood on the steps with his hands in his
pockets, evidently waiting for something. The something soon proved to
be Jose, the brown donkey, whom Thomas now led up the path, looking very
gay with his Mexican saddle and scarlet tassels. Nibble mounted him
nimbly, and took the reins and the whip. "Thank you, Tomty!" he said.
"And good-bye! I wish you were going to the picnic, Tomty!" "Thank you
kindly, sir!" replied Tomty. "The hens and me will be having a picnic in
the barn-yard, Master Nibble, I'm thinking."

"Now, Uncle Jack, I am ready!" cried the young horseman. "I will lead
the way, and you can follow!"

"Thank you!" said Uncle Jack, who was holding in the spirited horses
with some difficulty, "you are extremely kind, I am sure!"

"Get up, Jose!" cried Nibble, "Hi! go on, sir!" But Jose was not
inclined to go on. He shook his head, and pointed his long ears backward
and forward, but not a step would he stir, for entreaties, threats, or
blows. Then Tomty slyly took a sharp-pointed stake, and poked Master
Jose from behind. Ah, that was another matter! up went his heels in the
air, and off he