Page:A Forest Story (1929).djvu/21

 Hare loved his friends, and his friends loved Hare. They went to him for everything. He always seemed to know just what to say and do, though there were times when Hare loved to play a good joke on them all.

One morning, on his birthday, he called the bird concert troupe together and told them to be ready to entertain, for he was going to have a surprise party for his friends. He didn’t wish to bother them with present-bringing, but he had managed to arrange to have them all come, one after the other, to see him. Even as he was speaking, Rabbit was scurrying along, wondering what Hare wished to ask of him.

As Rabbit passed the mushroom circle, he heard shrill crying. Surely that was Mouse! He peeped under a toadstool, and there he saw her, the bright tears running down her sharp little grey nose.

»Little Friend Mouse, why do you weep?« asked Rabbit.

»I weep because of my loss,« cried Mouse. »Yesterday my sister Long Tail walked with me among the mushrooms, but to-day I walk alone. She went out before me this morning, and I have looked everywhere for her. I know Owl has eaten her up by this.«

»Perhaps yes, perhaps no,« said Rabbit. »Two are better than one. We’ll search for her together.«

They walked on until they came to Squirrel, crying into her handkerchief.

»Little Friend Squirrel, why do you weep?« asked Rabbit.

»I weep because of my loss,« cried Squirrel. »Yesterday my sister Quick