He had taken a wrong turning on the bush track, and now — what would happen?
Blinky sat down to think things over. While he was puzzling his brain, and wondering which way to turn, a kind little green lizard peeped through the grass and said in a very small voice:
“What’s the matter, Blinky? You look very sorry for yourself!”
“I’m lost,” replied Blinky, “and I don’t know how to find my way home.”
“I know where you live,” said the lizard joyfully. “You follow me, and I’ll lead the way.”
“I’m so glad I met you,” Blinky replied. And, as the lizard walked ahead, he followed, never taking his eyes off her. In and out of the grass and under bushes she ran at an amazing speed, until they reached the path again.
“You’re safe now,” she said, turning to Blinky, “keep straight ahead and your gum-tree is not far away.”
“I know where you live,” said the lizard joyfully.
“Thank you, Miss Lizard,” said Blinky politely. “I must hurry as my mother is waiting for me.”
On he ran. It seemed a long way to him, and how he wished Angelina would hop along and take him on her back.
As he came to the top of the hill, he saw his home down in the hollow, and he was quite sure he could hear his mother calling for him.
Hurrying along, faster than ever, he now heard grunts and cries, and his heart went pit-a-pat as though it would jump out of his skin.
Suddenly his mother saw him. She grunted loudly with joy, and Mrs Grunty and Snubby joined in the chorus.
“I’m here, mother,” Blinky called. “I’m at the foot of the tree.”
“Oh, you naughty cub. Where have you been? Just wait until you climb up the tree —”
“Don’t smack me, mother,” Blinky whimpered. “I’ll never run away again.”
Bit by bit he climbed the tree, all the time imploring his mother not to spank him. He was so long in reaching the branch where Mrs Koala and Mrs Grunty and Snubby were waiting, and they were so pleased to see him safely home, that Mrs Koala forgot to spank him. She hugged him and petted him and Snubby laughed and danced on the branch. It was good to be home, but Blinky still wondered if his mother would remember to punish him. But she didn’t. She did not forget. Mothers don’t do those things, but she wanted Blinky to think she did.
“Where have you been all this time?” she inquired.
“I saw Miss Pimm and a big policeman,” Blinky said in a loud voice. “And I ate Miss Pimm’s peppermints.”
“Wonder it did not kill the young lubber,” said Mrs Grunty.
Snubby’s eyes nearly fell out of his head as he listened to Blinky’s story, when later on in the evening they sat together in the fork of the tree whispering and giggling as Blinky told him all about his adventures. When at last he cuddled up and went to sleep, close to his mother, Mrs Koala could be seen rubbing a gum-leaf over a very swollen little nose.
ow a good little bear would have been quite contented to live for ever quietly and safely up in his tree, after exciting adventures like those of Blinky’s —but not he! As the weeks went past he became tired of climbing and playing on the same branches, and even grew tired of Snubby. He quarrelled, and kicked, and sometimes, I’m sorry to say, actually bit his playmate’s nose. Of course Snubby immediately cried, and Blinky teased him all the more.
Poor Mrs Koala had a very trying time in keeping the peace. Sometimes Mrs Grunty got quite snappy and wouldn’t speak, which upset Mrs Koala very much, as she knew it was all Blinky’s fault.
“That boy of yours will come to no good!” said Mrs Grunty one day, “If he was mine, I’d try a little of the stick around his hind parts.”
“What am I to do?” sighed Mrs Koala, “I can’t smack him all the time. Where he gets this wild manner of his from I don’t know. I believe his greatgrandfather was very wild — on his father’s side of course. My people were always very quiet.”
“Well, most probably he’ll grow out of it, if he doesn’t fall out of it,” said Mrs Grunty. “Have one of these leaves and forget all about it.” So the mother bears patched up their little differences, until naughty Blinky did something extra bad and mischievous; then all the trouble started again. Mrs Grunty loved to have her noonday snooze, and became very irritable if she did not get it, or was disturbed during that time.
“A mother must have a few minutes to herself, otherwise she becomes old and wrinkled, and goodness knows my nose is funny enough without lines round it,” she mumbled away, as she crawled to her favourite corner.
“That boy of yours will come to no good,” said Mrs Grunty.
Sometimes just as she got to sleep, all nicely curled up, and was dreaming of peaceful things, Mr Blinky would creep along the branch, and nip her ear, or poke her side with his paw.
“Go away, go away, or I’ll eat you!” Mrs Grunty would growl as she reached out to cuff his ear, but Blinky was always too quick for her and would dodge behind the tree.
“Impertinent young fellow,” Mrs Grunty would mumble as she dozed off again.
One day, never to be forgotten, she was awakened from her snooze by muffled giggles and grunts. Cautiously she opened one eye slowly and peeped around. What was that peculiar feeling in her ears? Brushing her head quickly with her paws she found a bunch of gum-tips poking out from each ear. It was too much for Mrs Grunty, and she decided to take action quickly.
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