id, "Ha, ha!" And there
is a great difference between those two remarks, as we shall see.

XI

A LONG RACE

The famous race between Grumpy Weasel and Jimmy Rabbit went on and on.
Jimmy turned and twisted this way and that, up and down and back and
forth through Pleasant Valley. He could still run faster than Grumpy
Weasel, it is true. But he was growing tired. Now and then Jimmy stopped
to rest. And he kept hoping that Grumpy Weasel had become so weary that
he had given up the chase.

But Grumpy Weasel never stopped once. And whenever Jimmy Rabbit spied
him coming along his trail Jimmy would spring up with a sigh and rush
off again.

He began to understand that such a race was no joke. He certainly didn't
want to lose the race. And he certainly didn't want Grumpy Weasel to
come up with him. He had always kept at a good safe distance from that
ill-natured fellow. And Jimmy felt most uneasy now at the thought of
Grumpy's catching him.

"He must be very hungry, after running so far," Jimmy Rabbit said to
himself anxiously. "If he's as hungry as I am he wouldn't be a pleasant
person to meet." And that thought made Jimmy run all the faster, for a
time. But he soon found that he had to stop more often to rest. And to
his great alarm Grumpy Weasel kept drawing nearer all the time.

At last Jimmy Rabbit became so worried that he swept around by the stone
wall again and stopped to whisper to old Mr. Crow.

"He's still chasing me. And I can't run forever. What shall I do?" Jimmy
asked the old gentleman.

"I'll think the matter over and let you know to-morrow," Mr. Crow
muttered hoarsely. To tell the truth, he was alarmed himself. And he had
no idea what Jimmy Rabbit could do to save himself from Grumpy Weasel.

While they talked, Grumpy's cousin, Peter Mink, watched them slyly.

"Who do you think is going to win the race?" he jeered.

Mr. Crow did not even turn his head. He felt very uncomfortable. But he
tried to look unconcerned.

"Run along!" he said to Jimmy. "To-morrow I'll tell you what to do."

"To-morrow--" Jimmy Rabbit panted--"to-morrow will be too late."

Then all at once Mr. Crow had an idea. And he whispered something in
one of Jimmy Rabbit's long ears that made the poor fellow take heart.

"All right!" Jimmy cried. "I'll see you again--sometime!" And away he
ran, just as Grumpy Weasel came racing along the stone wall, looking as
fresh as a daisy.

"You'd better stop and rest a while!" Mr