Part 3 (1/2)
They had hardly gone more than half a dozen steps when the Mouse said suddenly and loudly: ”That Sentry friend of ours is a smart chap; _he_ kno to handle the bayonet”
”You are right,” answered the Rabbit, and walked on, the Mouse doing the saer and wonder crept into his eyes, re at?” asked the Mouse uneasily
”At nothing particular,” answered his companion ”Cheerfulness, you know, is a habit of the roan burst froet free, and in a last frantic effort, had just succeeded in giving a most painful rick to his back
”Our Sentry friend does not look happy,” said the Rabbit grimly
”He is not well, I suppose,” answered the Mouse nervously ”What has happened, I wonder?”
”ALL IS DISCOVERED!” exclaimed the Rabbit loudly
Then as the Mouse made a desperate effort to run away, the Rabbit dealt him a blow on the back which injured the clockithin his body and quite put a stop to his flight
”I know all!” the Rabbit said sternly ”You are a little villain! What defence can you offer for so grossly deceiving me?”
But the Mouse made no reply In a fury of disappoint thus to disable hi the treachery that had been brought to light
”Desist!” cried the Rabbit, ”or I shall end your life without delay I repeat, what excuse can you offer for having so wickedly broken the terreement? You have tried to rob me of my life and reement,” answered the Mouse shamelessly ”Each was at liberty to understand it in his oay”
”Most wicked of aniust ”Your moments are numbered”
Then before the Mouse could offer any protest, the Rabbit bit his head right off and sed it
”You will observe,” said the Rabbit to the Oith dignity, ”that I still maintain my proper position in the eyes of the world as a Welsh rare-bit, but the Mouse, owing to his misdeeds, is now in the contemptible state of the biter bit Such is the end of the wicked
”As for you,” he continued to the Sentry, ith his boastful spirit crushed, stood tre in the Sentry-box; ”as for you, you have seen too much of the world and its ways It would be better for you to see a little less of it for a ti to his intention, the Rabbit beat the Sentry about the head until he could not see out of his eyes
”It now only reive hi up his dru a ood friend, if ever an opportunity arises by which I can show you ratitude for your kind services, rest assured that I shall eagerly availthe woirl
”You have been touching the toys and daer ”See what mischief you have done! You have knocked off the head of this mouse--and, what is more, I can't find it anywhere,--you have rubbed all the paint off this sentry's face, and you have broken the glass eyes of this brown horse You shall be punished”
The little girl began to whimper
”I have not hurt the toys,” she said ”I have never touched the the baby doll”
The woman looked puzzled: ”If you say you haven't, you haven't, I suppose,” she said, ”for I know you are a truthful child Then how has it happened? I shouldn't think any custo I can't understand it”
Nor can she to this day But we can: you, the Rabbit, the Owl, the Sentry, the Horse, and myself But not the Mouse, for he has lost his head