by Dorothy Wall
“Good evening, young rabs,” she said politely, with a wicked smile on her face. “I see you’re having a race, and a fine night you have for it.”
“Good evening, Miss Belinda,” the rabbits replied. “We’re so glad to see you.”
“I’m sure you are,” Belinda replied, with a sly look at the babies. “I came along to see if I could be umpire.”
“So Blinky was telling us,” said an old rabbit, scratching his ear, and looking very unconcerned. “Well, I think it’s a fine idea, and shows a very kind nature. We’ve just been having an argument as to who should act as umpire, and now the question is settled. We’ll gladly accept your services.”
“Just tell me what to do, and I’ll be only too pleased to help,” Belinda replied with eyes glistening. Such a fine plump lot of babies she’d never seen before. What a feast she was going to have!
“Their tails and all I’ll gobble,” she thought to herself as she patted one gently on the nose.
“I’ll line up the babies,” Blinky said, as he trembled with excitement. “And you, Belinda Fox, walk down to the other end of the flat; and when we’re ready, give the signal to start.”
“Their tails and all I’ll gobble,” she thought to herself.
“What’s the signal?” Belinda asked slobbering all down her front, and showing her cruel teeth while eyeing the babies all the time.
“Oh, just wag your tail, that’ll do,” Blinky replied. Off raced Belinda Fox, down to the end of the flat. She was so thrilled that she didn’t bother to look around, but came to a halt just in front of the blackberry-bush.
“Get ready,” Blinky called to the babies. “But when you’re half-way down the flat, run very slowly, and if Belinda has not seen old Prickles by then, turn round and race back to your burrows as quickly as you can.”
“Hurry up. Can’t you move things along?” Belinda called impatiently, as she waited, panting and moving about restlessly. She turned suddenly to look behind as something made a scratching noise. Now the cunning rabs had ordered one of their number to squat behind old Prickles and at the right moment to scratch the ground, so that Belinda would turn round to see for herself what a fine fat rabbit awaited her. Needless to say, the scratcher was well hidden from view and ready to make his escape at a moment’s notice.
Off raced Belinda Fox.
Scratch, scratch, scratch, came the noise.
“Gobble me up!” Belinda exclaimed in rapture, “if that’s not a fine supper right under my very nose, and much fatter than the babies all put together! The silly old grass-eater must be blind.”
Pretending she did not see Prickles, she hastily turned round and faced the crowd at the far end, but she kept old Prickles in view out of the corner of her eye.
Such a fine supper was not going to escape her, she thought and dribbled most terribly.
“The silly old flop ears,” she remarked aloud, “fancy thinking he could hide from me.”
“Are you ready?” Blinky called at the top of his voice, beckoning to Belinda.
“Yes. Let them go!” And she gave her tail a very frisky wag.
“Ready! … Set! … GO!” called Blinky in a loud voice.
Away raced the bunnies, their tails bobbing up and down as they went helter-skelter down the flat.
At the same moment Belinda Fox made a spring in the blackberry-bush, and with a snap, grabbed Prickles in her teeth. As it happened she grabbed him right round the tummy in the most prickly part. She gave a leap in the air and a scream of agony, as she shook her head from side to side. She could not cry as her mouth was full of prickles. They stuck between her teeth and pierced her tongue, and as she swallowed with rage they stuck in her throat. With a yell of anger she made another bite at old Prickles and shook him violently, so violently that he came in halves. Then realizing that a trick had been played on her, she raced round and round, biting at the air and snapping at the remains of Prickles. She coughed and spluttered, and tried to tear the prickles out of her mouth, but it was useless, they pricked like a thousand needles. Exhausted at last, she fell in a heap, right in the middle of the blackberry-bush and lay there gasping for air.
The baby rabbits seeing what had happened when half-way down the flat, turned and raced back to their burrows, chuckling with glee, and dancing around on their hind legs,
“She’s caught this time!” Blinky laughed, “Let’s go down and have a look at her.”
Even old great granny joined in the rush. Her left hind foot was swollen with rheumatism, caused through living in a very dark and damp burrow, but she forgot all about it for the moment and trotted along on her three legs with a queer hop now and again. Her old whiskers (the few she had left) twitched with enjoyment and her eyes looked brighter. She grinned and showed her poor old teeth, worn to the gums with many years of hard work on tough grasses and plants.
“Come on, great granny!” a baby bunny called. “Shake a leg, or you’ll miss the fun.”
“I’m shaking the three of them as fast as I can,” she chuckled, and gave an extra spurt just to show the cheeky young rabs what she could do.
Belinda Fox heard the rabbits coming and took a look to make sure. Oh, how mad she was! She kicked the blackberry-bush with all her legs at once and only added more prickles to her skin.
The rabbits stood round in a circle laughing at the top of their voices, poking fun, and calling her names.
“And now, Miss Belinda Fox,” old great granny cackled, “how do you like rabbit for supper?”
Belinda gave a leap and tried to grab great granny, but she fell back in the blackberry-bush with a cry of pain and closed her eyes.
Blinky felt sorry for Belinda, because it was not really her fault that she liked rabbit for supper. “Perhaps,” he thought, “if I’d been a fox I’d like rabbit, too.” So, walking quietly up to Belinda, who looked as though she were dead, he said in very kind tones:
“If I help to pick the prickles out of you, will you promise to never never eat bunnies again?”
Belinda opened one eye and looked at him sorrowfully. She could not speak, so nodded her head weakly.
“How do I know you’ll keep your promise?” Blinky asked. But Belinda could not answer; she only nodded again.
“Cross your paws,” Blinky commanded. “Then I’ll know you mean it.”
Belinda raised her front paws very slowly and crossed them.
“Now, I’ll pick all the prickles out, and you’ll be able to run home.” And Blinky cautiously stepped up to Belinda and sat down beside her.
The rabbits were amazed to see Belinda Fox so sorry and offered to help with the prickles. But Blinky ordered them home, saying:
“Go while the going’s good.”
And the rabbits wisely took his advice.
All night long, until daylight, Blinky picked the prickles out. There was such a pile of them; but as Belinda’s mouth and throat were clear after Blinky had spent two whole hours unpricking, she felt better and sat up and helped to pick the nasty things from her paws and tail.
“How do you feel now?” Blinky asked when all but a few were out.
“Much better, Mr Koala,” Belinda answered. “Now I think I’ll go home. And I’ll never come down this way again.”
And Belinda Fox ever after kept well away from the flat. Even when she was terribly hungry, she would not for a moment look at a rabbit. If one happened to cross her pathway as she rambled through the bush, she immediately sat on her haunches, crossed her front paws, and looked the other way.
Blinky’s life was certainly full of adventure. But once more he set out to find his way home, feeling very happy that he had done a good deed, and saved the baby bunnies from a horrible death.
CHAPTER 11
Blinky Returns Home
that’s that noise?” said Mrs Grunty, as she peered through the branches.
“Must be a possum,” Mrs Koala replied as she also gazed through the branches.
“That’s no possum,” Mrs Gr
unty answered in a decided tone. “I wouldn’t mind betting my spectacles it’s that son of yours returning.”
“Oh, how wonderful!” Mrs Koala cried, “Do you really think the dear little chap has come home?”
“Dear little chap,” sniffed Mrs Grunty with a stern look on her face. “I’d like to see Snubby running away from home! He wouldn’t do it the second time. And I’d also like to know what you intend to do with that son of yours?”
“I suppose I’ll have to spank him,” and Mrs Koala sighed very deeply.
“Suppose, indeed!” Mrs Grunty scoffed. “Why, if he belonged to me I’d warm his pants for him. My word I would!” And she folded her paws over her tummy in a very determined way, and glared through the branches again.
“If he belonged to me I’d warm his pants for him, my word I would.”
“Is anyone there?” she snapped and nearly fell headlong out of the tree as she bent over to look.
“Just keep cool. This is my business,” Mrs Koala said firmly, as she broke a twig off the tree.
“It’s my business, too,” Mrs Grunty growled. “I won’t have that young runaway playing with Snubby. Goodness knows what ideas he’ll put in his head.”
“There isn’t room in his head for many ideas!” Mrs Koala said snappily as she began to climb down the tree.
“Dear, dear,” Mrs Grunty sighed. “More trouble. That boy of hers will be the death of her yet.”
Mrs Koala quietly climbed down from one branch to the other.
“Blinky!” she called in a whisper. “Is that you?”
“Yes, mother,” came a meek little voice.
“Come up here at once!” Mrs Koala ordered.
“I’m not coming if Mrs Grunty’s there,” naughty Blinky answered.
“Do as I tell you this minute,” his mother commanded.
“Shan’t,” Blinky answered in a very trembly voice.
“Well, I’ll soon see about that!” And Mrs Koala climbed right down the tree to the ground where Blinky stood. What a sight met her eyes! A grubby little bear, bockers torn to ribbons and dirty; dirty paws and face.
“Good heavens!” Mrs Koala cried. “Where have you been? Just look at you. Dirt from head to foot. It’s no use, it’s no use!” poor mother bear cried. “I can’t keep you clean.”
“It’s only dirt,” Blinky whimpered, as he looked at his mother very sorrowfully.
“Where have you been all this time?” Mrs Koala asked angrily. “I’ve been worried almost to death, and my hair’s turned grey with fright.”
“I didn’t want to go to Mrs Magpie’s school, and I hate Mrs Grunty. She’s always growling,” Blinky said, and a tear ran down his face.
“It’s only dirt,” Blinky whimpered.
Mrs Koala put her paws behind her back and gently dropped her stick on the ground,
“She is an old growler. You’re right, Blinky. I think we’ll both go away from her,” and Mrs Koala patted Blinky’s head.
“Oh, do let’s go!” Blinky implored, “and I’ll never run away again.”
“Very well, dear,” Mrs Koala said kindly. “We’ll go tonight.”
“Oh, good!” Blinky cried as he hugged his mother.
“Wait here until I go up and collect a few leaves, as we’ll probably need them on the way,” Mrs Koala said kindly.
“Say good-bye to Mrs Grunty for me, and give her a scratch,” naughty Blinky called out as his mother climbed up the tree again.
“Don’t be cheeky, Blinky,” Mrs Koala replied. “Mrs Grunty can’t help growling.”
“She’s got an extra big growler inside her,” Blinky mumbled. He waited patiently until his mother returned. Her apron was full of juicy gum-tips and she seemed very pleased at the prospect of leaving.
“Where are we going?” Blinky inquired.
“I don’t know,” his mother replied. “You should know a good place for us to make a new home after all your travels.”
“I know of lots!” Blinky cried joyfully, and danced up and down.
Just as they were ready to start a big gum-nut came hurtling down and hit Blinky right on his nose. He looked up at the tree in surprise. Surely Snubby wouldn’t do a thing like that. He was such a good little bear.
“It’s that horrid Mrs Grunty,” he said at the top of his voice, as he caught sight of her hiding among the leaves, and looking down at him. She was shaking her paw savagely.
“Hope you fall out of the tree,” Blinky called to her.
“It’ll be a bad day for you if I do,” she called back.
“Good-bye, old Grunty legs!” he answered, and scrambled after his mother, who had started on the pathway into the bush.
“It’s good to have you back again,” dear old Mrs Koala said. “I’m sure we’ll be happy now.”
“As happy as spiders,” Blinky replied. “I know a beautiful big gum-tree, away from Mrs Grunty.”
The two bears trotted on and on, the stars shining seemed to wink and laugh at them, and a breeze dancing through the bush played with them as she blew leaves in their faces.
“Shh!” Mrs Koala whispered. “I can hear voices, I’m sure.”
“It’s only Mr Owl.”
“No, no! There are men coming,” Mrs Koala whispered again. “Where shall we hide?”
“Behind this bush,” Blinky replied. “Quickly, mother, and don’t breathe.”
The two bears crawled under a wattle-tree and waited with thumping hearts to see what would happen.
“Here they come!” Blinky whispered, “Don’t move an eyelash.” He was right, Two men with guns and sacks came tramping through the bush, crushing the leaves underfoot and whistling loudly.
“It’s a funny thing we haven’t seen a possum yet,” one remarked.
“Bears are what I’m after,” the other replied.
“Oh, is that all!” the first one answered, “Well, you’ll have a long tramp after them. There are none round here.”
Blinky and his mother looked at one another terrified. “What if they find us?” Blinky whispered.
“We’re safe, if you keep very still.” And Mrs Koala patted Blinky in a comforting way.
“How about boiling the billy?” one man suggested as they stopped right opposite the wattle-tree where the two bears were hiding.
“A good idea,” his friend replied, “I feel like a cup of tea. Here’s a good tree to rest under.” And pointing to the wattle, he flung his sacks down only a few inches from Blinky and his mother.
“You’d better have a look round for snakes, before you sit there,” the first man advised.
Mrs Koala gave Blinky’s arm a squeeze. They were trembling with fright.
The man who had thrown his sacks down started to kick away the leaves and twigs. Nearer and nearer his boots came to the little bears, until he kicked Blinky on the back.
“Hulloa! What have I struck?” he called out. “Something soft, and not a snake.”
“A possum, you may be sure,” his friend replied as he dashed over to have a look.
Pushing aside the low branches of the wattle, they discovered Blinky and his mother, huddled up together and growling savagely.
“Well, I’ll be blowed!” said one of the men. “If it isn’t Mrs Koala and her son! What luck!”
“Get the sack and be very gentle with them,” his friend replied. “They’re grand little fellows and I wouldn’t hurt a hair on their heads.”
“Very healthy looking bears, especially the young chap,” the other man remarked.
“You grab one and I’ll get the other, then well put them in the sacks,” the first man said.
“Easier said than done, I think,” his friend remarked as he approached Blinky and Mrs Koala. They growled louder than ever, and snarled at the man.
“Come here, old chap,” the man said kindly as he reached towards Blinky; but Blinky decided there and then that he’d fight before he’d be popped in a sack.
Blinky decided there and then that he’d fight.
“So you want a scrap, do you?” the man asked, as he tried to pat Blinky.
With a growl Blinky darted out his paw and scratched the man’s arm.
“You young beggar!” the man cried. “It’s time your toenails were cut.” And as quick as lightning he grabbed Blinky by the back of the neck.
“Caught!” the man called excitedly. “Now for the mother.”
When Mrs Koala saw Blinky caught she wisely decided to give no trouble, but to go with her son, wherever they were taken to. She allowed the other man to catch her and stroke her pretty ears. In fact, she rather liked the feel of those hands. They were very gentle and the man spoke kind words. Surely no harm would come to them from these men.
But Mr Blinky thought otherwise. He was mad. Fancy being caught just as he was out on another adventure! And he had such a wonderful lot of things to show his mother.
“This young fellow’s like a jack-in-the-box and as savage as a lion,” the man remarked who held him.
“Pop him into the sack,” his friend replied, “but be very careful not to hurt him. His mother’s behaving like a little lady.”
Blinky was put in the sack, feet first.
“Tie the bag round his neck, and let the little fellow see his mother,” the first man said, so a string was tied round the bag, and Blinky looked very funny as he was propped up against the tree, with just his head showing. His ears looked larger than ever and his eyes glistened with anger. He kicked and kicked the sack and altogether behaved shockingly.
The men laughed loudly as they watched his antics.
“The young nipper’s in a bad temper,” one remarked. “I’ll sit beside him with his mother on my lap, That might quieten him.” He did so, and Mrs Koala put out a paw and patted Blinky’s nose, It was hot and dry. “Dear me, Blinky,” she said. “Don’t get so angry. You’re making yourself quite ill.”
“They’ll kill us,” Blinky cried,
“No, I’m sure they are kind men, I heard them say something about a zoo just now,” his mother replied.