Part 20 (1/2)

”I guess I'd better not stand there,” Bunny said, as he thought of what might have happened if he had been tossed out. He could not have got back in again when the train was moving, and Sue would have been left all alone.

”Come and stay with me,” begged Sue, giving up the idea of going to the partly opened door. ”We'll have to light another candle pretty soon, 'cause this one is 'most gone.”

This was true. The candle-end which Nutty had lighted was burned almost to the bottom of the tin can to which it was fastened by some of the melted grease.

”Maybe there are more candles,” suggested Bunny. ”Let's look.”

Nutty, as has been said, had left all his things behind him in a corner of the freight car. Delving in among the old bags, in which he always carried his ”baggage,” the children found some more nuts. There was so much of this food that they would not be hungry for another day at least, and there was another bottle of water.

”But there's no more milk for p.u.s.s.y,” said Sue.

”Well, he's got a little left in his bottle,” Bunny answered. ”And he can have some of our water.”

”Water isn't good to eat--it's only good to drink,” declared Sue.

”Maybe Toddle will eat nuts,” suggested her brother.

But when they put some down in front of the cat it only smelled of them, played with them by knocking them about with its paw, and rubbed up against Sue.

”Oh, well, maybe he won't be hungry,” Bunny said.

Night was now coming on, and Bunny and Sue were alone in the freight car--that is, except for Toddle, and while the children loved the kitten he was not as much company as a big dog would have been.

On and on rumbled the train. Where they were now Bunny and Sue had not the least idea. Bunny was still looking among Nutty's things for another candle-end to light when the first one should burn out, which seemed likely to happen very soon, when the children suddenly became aware that the train was slowing up.

”Oh, maybe it's going to stop!” exclaimed Sue.

And then, just as the candle burned down and went out in a splutter of grease, leaving the car in darkness, the train came to a slow stop, with a creaking and squealing of brakes.

”Oh, Bunny! Bunny!” cried Sue, ”now we can get off.”

”Yes,” said Bunny, ”I guess we can.”

It was easy to cross the car now, for it was not moving. Bunny hurried to the door which Nutty had left open, and the little boy looked out. In the early evening twilight he and Sue could see a patch of woods and some fields. They did not know what the place was. The freight car in which they had ridden had stopped along the way at a place where a high bank was close to the track. From the freight car to the bank was only a few feet--a distance that Bunny and Sue could easily jump.

”I'll go first!” offered Bunny, and he leaped to the ground.

”I'm coming!” cried Sue, as she followed her brother, landing beside him with a thud. And then Bunny gave a little cry of surprise.

”Why!” he exclaimed. ”You--you brought Toddle with you!”

”Course I did!” answered Sue. ”Think I'd leave that little p.u.s.s.y behind in the car all alone?”

”No,” agreed Bunny. ”I guess it's good you brought him.”

”What made the train stop?” asked Sue, as she snuggled the kitten down in her arms and stood beside Bunny. ”Did Nutty make it stop, and is mother or daddy here?”

”I don't know,” Bunny answered, looking up and down the track. ”I don't b'lieve mother is here--or father either,” he went on. ”And I don't see Nutty.”

”But what made the train stop?” Sue asked again.