He wouldn't know any other name."

"I will always call him Bumper, but"--sighing--"I'm afraid Toby will want
to nickname him. He makes up the funniest names for all his pets."

"Tell him then Bumper will run away and never come back. Rabbits are more
knowing than you think, ma'm."

"I always thought they were very cute and gentle, but very stupid,"
replied the lady. "But maybe I was wrong. Bumper doesn't look stupid."

"Lordy, ma'm! he ain't no more stupid than that Toby you speak of, whoever
he may be."

"Well, Toby isn't stupid, whatever else you may say of him," smiled the
lady. "He's bright enough, but he's sometimes very thoughtless, and I fear
a little cruel."

"Cruel, ma'm!" And the old woman who sold rabbits for a living stiffened
her bent form, and frowned. She stretched forth a hand as if to reclaim
her Bumper, but the lady moved away with her purchase under her arm.

"Oh, I'll see that he isn't cruel to Bumper," she said.

While listening to all this conversation, Bumper experienced strange and
unusual emotions. He had learned more about white rabbits in a few moments
than his mother had ever taught him in all the days of his youth. They
were considered stupid, were they?--but cute and gentle. Huh! He wasn't
stupid! No, indeed! If the lady thought so he'd show her what a mistake
she'd made.