uire very, _very_ carefully concerning
whatever business you go into. If I had known what the life of a False
Hare really was, I doubt if I should have ever--But, dear me, this
will never do--you're getting me into mischief! I've hardly done so
much as a fib since we met."

"Oh, you mustn't mind _us_," said Rudolf, trying hard not to laugh,
as he and Ann and Peter marched along beside the False Hare. "You
mustn't let us interfere with your--your business, you know. We
sha'n't mind, at least we'll try not to. Whatever you say we'll
believe just the opposite. It'll be as if he were a kind of game," he
added to Ann who was still looking very doubtful. She looked happier
at once, for Ann was quick at games and knew it.

"I think," said she to the False Hare, "that I heard something about
you the other day--at least I suppose it must have been you. It was at
a tea-party given by a friend of mine,"--here Ann put on her most
grown-up manner and made her voice sound as much like her mother's as
possible--"a Mrs. Mackenzie who lives in the city. One lady said to
another lady, 'How fashionable false hair is getting!'"

The False Hare stroked his whiskers to hide a pleased smile. "Bless
me," said he, "I should think so! Keeps a fellow on the jump, I can
tell you--this social whirl. And then, when bedtime comes along and a
chap ought to get a bit of rest after a day's hard fibbing, why
then--there's the dream business. I can't neglect that."

The children did not understand and said so.

"Well," said the False Hare, "I'll just explain, and then I really
must get back to business. Now then, suppose a hound dreams about a
hare? It's a dream hare, isn't it?"

"Yes, of course," they cried.

"And a dream hare is not a real hare, is it? And a hare that's not a
real hare is a false hare, isn't it? So there _I_ am. That's where I
come in. Simple, isn't it?"

"You make it sound simple," said Rudolf politely. "We're much obliged.
And now would you mind telling us where we are coming to, and what is
beyond this steep hill just ahead of us?"

The Hare screwed his glass into his eye and looked thoughtfully at the
country round about. "I can tell you, of course," he said, "but it
won't be the truth. I really _must_ get back to business."

"Oh, never mind telling us at all, then," said Rudolf, who was
becoming rather vexed, "I see there's no use asking _you_ any
questions."

During their conversation with the False Hare, the childre