Part 28 (2/2)

”'Oh, no,' said I, 'I prefer to run by myself, for I can easily find the way and I want to see the country.'

”'If that is the case,' replied Santa, 'I must give you a magic collar to wear, so that you will come to no harm.'

”So, after Mother Hubbard had given me a good meal of turnips and sliced cabbage, Santa Claus put the magic collar around my neck and I started for home. I took my time on the journey, for I knew nothing could harm me, and I saw a good many strange sights before I got back to this place again.”

”But what became of the magic collar?” asked Dorothy, who had listened with breathless interest to the rabbit's story.

”After I got home,” replied the rabbit, ”the collar disappeared from around my neck, and I knew Santa had called it back to himself again.

He did not give it to me, you see; he merely let me take it on my journey to protect me. The next Christmas, when I watched by the road-side to see Santa, I was pleased to notice a great many of the toy rabbits sticking out of the loaded sleigh. The babies must have liked them, too, for every year since I have seen them amongst the toys.

”Santa never forgets me, and every time he pa.s.ses he calls out, in his jolly voice,

”'A merry Christmas to you, Bun Rabbit! The babies still love you dearly.'”

The Rabbit paused, and Dorothy was just about to ask another question when Bunny raised his head and seemed to hear something coming.

”What is it?” enquired the girl.

”It 's the farmer's big shepherd dog,” answered the Rabbit, ”and I must be going before he sees me, or I shall shall [both shalls in original] have to run for my life. So good bye, Dorothy; I hope we shall meet again, and then I will gladly tell you more of my adventures.”

The next instant he had sprung into the wood, and all that Dorothy could see of him was a gray streak darting in and out amongst the trees.

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