Part 3 (2/2)

”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 fas.h.i.+onable 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 gla.s.s 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 children had been hurrying along over a stretch of open level country. Now the ground began to slope gradually upward and soon they were climbing a very steep hill. It was hard traveling, for the hill was covered with thick, fuzzy, whitish-yellow gra.s.s which tangled itself round their feet, and gave them more than one fall. Ann and Rudolf had to stop often to pick up Peter, for he was rather fat and his legs were too short to carry him along as fast as theirs did. The False Hare hurried ahead by leaps and bounds that would soon have carried him out of sight of his companions if he had not stopped now and then to wait for them. When the children caught up to him, they would find him sitting on his little dress-suit case, smoking a chocolate cigarette, and laughing at them.

”Oh, don't mention it,” he would say when they apologized for keeping him waiting. ”_I_ don't mind. I like waiting for slow-pokes! It's nothing to me if I miss a dozen appointments and get driven out of the dream business by that old what's-his-name--Welsh Rabbit!”

This sort of talk was rather annoying, and after a while the children decided not to heed it any longer. Indeed they were all three tired with their climb, and were glad to sink down on the soft fuzzy gra.s.s and rest a while. The False Hare bounded ahead, calling back to them ”Not to hurry”, but when he found he could not tease them into following, he sauntered back to meet them, looking as cool and fresh and neat as when he started. Peter had been rather in the dumps ever since he had been refused a taste of the Lady Goose's dinner, and now he looked thoughtfully at the Hare's suit case.

”Has you got anything to eat in there?” he asked, his little face brightening.

”Gracious, yes,” said the False Hare lightly. ”Lemme see! What do little boys like best? Cinnamon buns an' chocolate cake an'

b.u.t.terscotch an' lemon pie an' soda-water an' gingerbread an' jujubes an' hokey-pokey an 'popcorn b.a.l.l.s an'--” He might have gone on forever, but Ann and Rudolf would not stand any more of it. They rose angrily and dragging Peter after them, continued their climb. Just as they had almost reached the top of the hill, the False Hare bounded past them with a laughing salute and a wave of his paw, and dropped out of sight over the brink of the ridge. A moment more and they all stood on the edge of a cliff so steep that they were in danger of tumbling over. From beneath the Hare's voice called up to them, ”n.o.body ever thought of a sheet of water--_oh_, no!”

Before their eyes lay the last thing the children had expected to see, a large piece of water quite calm and smooth, without a sign of a sail on it, nor were there any bathers or children playing on the narrow strip of beach directly beneath them. At first it seemed as if it would be impossible for them to climb down the face of that steep cliff to the water, but the False Hare had done it, and they determined that they must manage it somehow. After looking about carefully, they found a set of rude steps cut in the side of the cliff. They were very far apart, to be sure, for climbers whose legs were not of the longest, but Rudolf helped Ann and Ann helped Peter and at last they were all safely down and standing beside the False Hare, who was strolling along the edge of the water.

”Hullo,” said he, sticking his gla.s.s in his eye and looking at Ann.

”What makes the whiskerless one so cheerful?”

Rudolf and Peter were not surprised when they turned to look at Ann to see that she was ready to cry.

”What's the matter, Ann?” they asked.

”Oh, dear, dear!” sighed Ann. ”Whatever will become of us now? We can't go back. Even if we could climb up the cliff, I'd never pa.s.s that dreadful Goose's house again, no, not for anything! But how are we going to get any farther without a boat?”

The False Hare pretended to wipe away a tear with the back of his paw.

”No boat,” he groaned. ”Oh, dear, dear, dear--no boat!”

The faces of the three children brightened immediately, for they were beginning to understand his ways. ”Hurrah!” cried Rudolf, waving his sword.

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