"There, now I guess he can't find us!" she exclaimed.

Then to Bumper, she turned and began crooning: "You poor little rabbit!
Did Toby hurt you? Don't be frightened now. I won't let him have you
again. I'll buy you if it takes all my Christmas money. You're mine now!"

You can never imagine how these words soothed Bumper's ruffled feelings.
It was like being rescued from a terrible giant who intended to dash out
your brains and eat you for supper. Bumper's heart began to beat slower
and slower until pretty soon it wasn't going any faster than the ticking
of the clock outside in the hallway.

They sat there in the dark room for a long time, the girl rubbing Bumper's
head and back and crooning gently to him. Then a noise outside--the sound
of approaching footsteps--alarmed the white rabbit again.

"Edith!" a voice called. "Edith, are you up here?"

It was Mary, her cousin, calling, and the red-haired girl gently pushed
open the door, and whispered.

"I'm in here, cousin Mary. Where's Toby?"

"He's looking for you. I think you'd better get out of the house before he
finds you. Take Bumper with you, and we'll buy him something else to keep
him quiet."

"Then I can keep him?--call him really and truly mine?"