CHAPTER XX
IN BUNNY'S TRAP
Pretty soon Splash was seen coming over the hills. He did not run fast,for he was tired from having chased the fox. The dog was wet and muddy,too.
"Oh, Daddy! What happened to Splash?" asked Bunny, as the dog cameslowly along, and stretched out in the shade of a tree.
"Did the fox bite him?" Sue wanted to know. "If he did I don't likefoxes, and I don't want Bunny to catch any in his trap."
"No, the fox didn't bite your dog," said Mr. Brown. "I guess he just ranaway from Splash. And Splash tried to catch him, and ran through mud andwater until he got all tired out. You don't like foxes, either, do you,Splash?"
Splash barked once, and did not even wag his tail. That one bark musthave meant "No." And I guess Splash was too tired to wag his tail, ashe always did when he was happy, or pleased.
"Maybe he'd like a drink of water," said the farmer. "I'll bring himsome from the well. It's good and cold. I'm going to drink some myself,as it's a hot day. I could give the children a glass of milk," went onMr. Trimble to Daddy Brown. "I've got plenty up at the house."
"Oh, I don't want to trouble you," said the children's father.
"It's no trouble!" said the farmer. "My wife will be glad to give themsome. Come on, Splash!" he called. "We'll get you a cold drink afteryour run. So the fox got away from you same as that boy Tom Vine ranaway from me."
Mr. Trimble was smiling and laughing now. Somehow or other he did notseem as mean and cross as he once had. Bunny and Sue were beginning tolike him now. He was quite a different man from the one who had calledat Camp Rest-a-While looking for Tom.
Splash eagerly drank the cool water, and then he rolled in the grass toget some of the mud off his coat. Mrs. Trimble brought out some milk forBunny and Sue, and also a plate of molasses cookies, which they werevery glad to have.
"Sit down under this shady apple tree," said Mrs. Trimble, "and helpyourselves. Maybe you'd like a glass of milk," she said to Mr. Brown.
"Well, I don't care much for milk, except in my tea and coffee," hesaid. "Thank you, just the same."
"How about buttermilk?" asked Mr. Trimble. "That's what I like on a hotday, and she's just churned."
"Yes, I should like the buttermilk," returned Bunny's father, and soonhe was drinking a large glass.
"What funny looking milk!" remarked Sue, as she helped herself toanother molasses cookie from the plate in front of her. "It's got littleyellow lumps in it, Daddy."
"Those are little yellow lumps of butter," said Mr. Brown. "To makebutter, you know, they churn the cream of sour milk. And when thebutter is all taken out in a lump, some sour milk is left, and they callthat buttermilk. Would you like to taste it, Sue?"
Sue, who had drunk the last of her glass of sweet milk, nodded her curlyhead. But when Daddy Brown put his glass to her lips, and just let hersip the buttermilk he had been drinking, Sue made such a funny face thatBunny laughed aloud.
"Oh--oh! It--it's sour--like lemons!" cried Sue.
"Yes, it is sour!" said Mr. Brown. "But that is why I like it."
"I like molasses cookies better," said Sue, as she took a bite from oneto cleanse away the sour taste in her mouth. "You can make just as goodcookies as my mother or my Aunt Lu can," said Sue to Mrs. Trimble.
"Can I? I'm glad to hear that," said the farmer's wife, with a smile."Have some to put in your pockets."
"Oh, I'm afraid you've given them too many already," objected Mr. Brown.
"Molasses cookies won't hurt children; nor milk won't either," thefarmer said. "Any time you're over this way stop in. I'm sorry you can'tfind that boy Tom. And I'm sorry I was a bit cross with him, or maybehe'd be here yet. But I haven't seen him."
Splash was rested now, and clean. And he had had a good drink of coldwater, so he was ready to start again. The children, too, felt likewalking, and, after having thanked the farmer and his wife, Mr. Brownset off once more with Bunny and Sue, Splash following behind.
"Come again!" Mrs. Trimble invited them.
"We will, thank you," answered Daddy Brown.
"She's real nice; isn't she?" asked Bunny, when they were once more inthe road.
"Yes," said Daddy Brown.
"And I like that farmer, too," said Sue. "I didn't like him at first,when he shook his fist and was so cross, but I like him now."
"Yes, he is different from what he was at first," returned her father."But I'm afraid we've seen the last of Tom. He must have run away. Maybehe was afraid, after all, that Mr. Trimble would stay cross, and wouldtry to get him back onto the farm. Well, it's too bad, for Tom was anice boy, but it can't be helped."
"I'd like Tom back," said Bunny.
"So would I," added Sue.
"What's the matter, Splash?" asked Mr. Brown, for the big dog had run upthe side of a little hill along the road, and was barking at a hole inthe ground.
"Maybe he thinks the fox lives there," said Bunny.
"Maybe," said Daddy. "Come on, Splash. Even if that is the hole of thefox he isn't there now. You chased him too far away. Come on!"
But Splash did not want to come. He pawed away the dirt at the side ofthe hole, and put his sharp nose down inside it.
"There must be _something_ there, Daddy," said Bunny, standing still,and looking up the hill at the dog. "Let's go and see what it is."
"If it's a fox I'm not going!" cried Sue, holding back.
"I don't believe it's a fox," said Mr. Brown. "But we'll take a look.I'll carry you, Sue, and then, even if it is some animal in the hole,you won't be afraid."
Sue didn't mind going closer if her father carried her, and soon the twochildren, and Mr. Brown, were looking down into the hole at which Splashwas barking.
All at once a light brown animal, covered with fur, and larger than themuskrat Splash had barked at in the lake, stuck its head out of thehole.
"Oh, look!" cried Bunny. "It's a little bear!"
"No, that's a ground-hog, or woodchuck," explained Mr. Brown. "Theywon't hurt you. This must be the old father or mother, and there may belittle ones in the hole, or burrow, so the old folks want Splash to goaway."
But Splash did not want to go. He barked louder than ever at the sightof the woodchuck, and pawed at the dirt with his fore paws. But he couldnot reach the brown, furry animal.
"Come away, Splash!" called Mr. Brown.
Still Splash barked.
Then, all at once, the woodchuck thrust out his head quickly, and madea grab for one of Splash's paws. The dog howled, and ran down the hill.
"There!" exclaimed Mr. Brown. "Now I guess you'll leave the woodchucksalone, Splash."
"Oh, is Splash hurt?" asked Bunny, for the dog was running along onthree legs, holding the other up off the ground.
"Oh, I guess he isn't hurt much," Mr. Brown said. "Come here, Splash,until I look at your foot."
Splash limped up. He was not badly bitten. The woodchuck had justpinched him to drive him away. Splash looked at the hole and barked. Buthe did not offer to go near it again. So the old lady, or old gentleman,ground-hog--whichever it was--with the little ones, was left safe in theburrow on the side of the hill.
Mr. Brown, Bunny, Sue and Splash went on to the village. They bought thethings Mother Brown wanted and then started for camp again. Nothing muchhappened on the way back. Mrs. Brown was told of the visit to Mr.Trimble's, and how the fox ran out of the smoke-house.
"And now," said Bunny, as his father finished telling what had happened,"now I'm going up to see if we've caught a fox or a ground-hog in my boxtrap. Come on, Sue."
"All right. I'm coming, Bunny, but if it is a fox or a ground-hog, youwon't let him bite me; will you?"
"Course I won't, Sue!" said the little fellow, picking up a stick frombeside the sleeping-tent. "Come on!"
Bunny Brown and his sister Sue were soon at the place where Bunny hadset the box-trap, with the stone on top to hold it down, in case ananimal got beneath.
"Now go easy, Sue!" whispered Bunny, as they crept
through the bushes."If there's a fox, or anything else, just going in, we don't want toscare him away."
"No," said Sue. "I won't make any noise."
She walked along quietly behind her brother. Now they were in sight ofthe box-trap Bunny had made.
"Is--is anything in it?" Sue asked.
"Yes, I think so," her brother answered. "Don't make a noise. The box isdown, and I guess something is under it. I hope it's a fox."
"I don't," said Sue. "Foxes bite."
"Well, you can sell 'em for a lot of money," argued Bunny. "And maybe Icould train this one. But maybe it's only a ground-hog."
"I don't like them either," said Sue, "'cause one bit Splash."
"Say, what kind of animals _do_ you like?" asked Bunny, turning to lookat his sister. "What would you like me to catch in my trap?"
"A nice kitty cat," said Sue quickly. "Then I could have her to playwith, and she'd like me and my dolls. Couldn't you catch a nice whitekitty cat, Bunny?"
Bunny did not answer. He was looking at his box trap. His eyes openedwidely.
"Oh, look, Sue!" he cried. "Look! My trap is moving! Something big isunder the box!"