“Who’s there?” he called softly. And oh, how he did pray it might be the field-mouse who had shown him the way through Ouphe’s tunnels! He could see the haystack where the wicked Rat lived, but it was so dark that that was all he could see.
“It’s I,” said the honey voice of Ouphe. “I’ve come to show you what can be done about it. I’m sorry to be late, but I had to attend to a little business with Chirp Sparrow.” The words were all right, but the way he said them was enough to make your skin crawl.
“What are you going to do?” demanded Nibble.
“I’m going to have breakfast with you,” said Ouphe. “I’m going to make a nice little door so I can come in and we’ll have a cozy time. I love little rabbits, I do.” And Nibble knew very well the way he loved them—like Slink the Weasel. For no wild beast needs to be warned against any one who has the horrid musky, flesh-eater’s smell about him. And Nibble smelled Ouphe.
“I’ll fasten my teeth right in your nose,” said Nibble, “the minute you poke it through my floor.”
“What good will that do?” sneered Ouphe. “You’ll hurt me almost as much as Chirp Sparrow. He pecked my ear, he did—the bold, bad bird! All the same, I ate him.”
“You didn’t!” sobbed Nibble. He just couldn’t believe it.
“Didn’t I just?” jeered Ouphe. “You can smell him on my whiskers when you bite me. Sparrow for supper and rabbit for breakfast. Mmn!” And he smacked his lips.
But Nibble almost forgot to be scared, he was so angry. He thumped his feet.
“Stop that!” snarled Ouphe. “Do you want the Dog to eat you?”
“Thump, Thump, THUMP!” went Nibble. He was bound to do whatever Ouphe didn’t want him to.
“Arrh!” cursed the bad Rat. Kerflip, kerflop, he jumped down and shuffled off to his haystack. Sure enough, there came the Dog, calling, “What’s the matter here?” And Nibble was too scared to answer.
“What’s the matter here?” repeated the Dog. He was standing in front of the cage wagging his long, plumy tail. But all Nibble could look at was the great teeth he showed when he smiled.
“Please,” said Nibble very faintly, “please, Mr. Dog, Ouphe the Rat ate Chirp Sparrow for supper to-night. I thought I ought to tell you because Chirp said you were friends.”
“He did, did he?” laughed the Dog. And he ran out his pink tongue, which scared Nibble more than ever. “And who brought you the news?”