just as jack rabbit started for the edge of the big green woods with doctor rabbit on his back, blue jay flew along ahead of them. then came robin-the-red, whistling red bird and others. they had never seen doctor rabbit ride before and they all laughed and shouted at the funny appearance he made.

away went jack rabbit as fast as he could for the edge of the woods.

“this is fine!” cried doctor rabbit. “keep it up, jack rabbit, and we’ll be at your house in a jiffy!”

“ha! ha! ha!” laughed blue jay and the others as they flew along near the ground watching them. “look at doctor rabbit in his new automobile! look at him!” they shouted. then they all[pg 9] laughed again. as they raced along stubby woodchuck came out of his house to see the funny sight, and so did cheepy chipmunk and chatty red squirrel and frisky gray squirrel and many others.

they all wondered if jack rabbit could hold out carrying doctor rabbit so far. they thought he must be mighty strong if he could. but when he reached the edge of the woods he stopped and said he would have to give it up. he lay down and panted for a while. by and by he said he hadn’t the least idea that doctor rabbit was so heavy. indeed, he said it seemed as if he was carrying a house on his back by the time he reached the edge of the woods.

then they talked the matter over and decided they would both walk—or run if they had to. doctor rabbit was a good deal worried. he looked out across[pg 10] the wide prairie and saw how far it was to jack rabbit’s little house. how he did hate to start! then he had an idea. he saw several small trees out on the prairie some distance apart. “say! jack rabbit,” said he, “i wonder if there are any holes among the roots of those trees so i could ‘hole up’ [he meant run into a hole] if i had to. i mean if ki-yi coyote should get after us.”

“sure enough!” cried jack rabbit. “the rain has washed bare the top roots of every one of those trees and there are two or three holes under every tree!”

doctor rabbit looked very straight at jack rabbit and said, “now are you right sure about that?”

“yes, i am sure,” jack rabbit said; “as sure as anything. it happens that i was at every one of those trees just yesterday and i sniffed and snuffed[pg 11] round every one of those holes. i didn’t go into any of them for i don’t like to go into holes. but those holes are certainly there. and if ki-yi coyote should get after us when we get pretty well out on the prairie, you could make for a tree and i’d let him chase me. i’m not much afraid of him because i’ve run away from him many a time.”

“all right,” agreed doctor rabbit. “we’ll go straight for the first tree. when we get there we’ll look all around for the least sign of slinky ki-yi, and if we don’t see anything we’ll move on to the next tree.”

“sure thing,” jack rabbit said; “that will make you as safe as anything.” so they started out. as they hurried along jack rabbit said:

“when we leave the last tree we’ll have only a little way to go to my home.[pg 12] it’s just a little farther on beside an oak fence post.”

so they kept going, hoppity, hoppity, hop. and as they went doctor rabbit’s courage rose little by little. after all, thought he, perhaps ki-yi coyote would not see them.

even so, he kept a sharp eye out for anything that might be moving in the grass. and he told jack rabbit to do the same.

“indeed i will, sir,” jack rabbit answered. “i always do look out. i should say i do! and if ki-yi coyote starts up i’ll see him quick as a flash!”

then they hurried a bit faster because doctor rabbit said he wanted to get to the first tree and examine the holes for himself.