When Johnnie and Billie Bushytail went home, after having paid a visit
to Buddy Pigg that time when they built the sand house that fell in on
them, they told Sammie and Susie Littletail, the two rabbits, of what a
nice time they had had.

"Oh, I am going over to see Buddy some day, and go in bathing," declared
Sammie.

"You had better be careful about bathing in salt water," said Susie, his
sister, "it might take all the color out of your eyes, or out of your
fur, or your fur might even fall out."

"Oh, I guess not," answered Sammie. "I have heard that salt water keeps
hair from falling out. Anyway, if there's any danger of such a thing,
Percival, the old circus dog, doesn't need to hold the bag of salt in
the water when we go in bathing."

"That's so," agreed Susie, and just then along came Uncle Wiggily
Longears, the old gentleman rabbit, and he was eating some
peppermint-flavored cabbage, and he gave Sammie and Susie some.

Well, it wasn't very many days after this before Sammie asked his mamma
if he couldn't go over and play with Buddy Pigg, and, as Sammie had been
a very good rabbit boy lately, his mother allowed him to go.

"I am so glad you came, Sammie," said Buddy, "what shall we do, go in
bathing, or build a sand house?"

"Let's do both," answered Sammie. So first he and Buddy went in bathing
and, for fear the salt water would make the red color fade out of
Sammie's eyes, Percival didn't hold the bag of salt in the pond when he
made the waves. Sammie and Buddy had a good time splashing around, and
then they built a sand house. But they took care to make it strong
enough so that it would not cave in. They played together for a long
time and then Buddy asked: "What shall we do next?"

"I know," replied Sammie, as he looked at the pond of water which was
sparkling in the sun, "let's play soldier, and we'll make a plank bridge
across the pond and run over it and have lots of fun."

"All right," agreed Buddy, "come on, and help me lift the plank." So
they placed a long board across one end of the pond, where it was quite
deep, and began to play soldier, while Percival went to sleep in the
shade.

Buddy got a tin can, and tied it around his neck with a string. That was
for the drum, and when he beat upon the tin can with two sticks, believe
me, it did sound just like a drum in the army, when the soldiers beat it
softly.

Then Sammie got a long stick, pretending it was a gun, and the two of
them march