But thank goodness he was safe from the angry rabbits and Madam Hare.
He shook himself and gently patted the place where the kicks had struck.
“Savage animal!” he called at the top of his voice; and at once a head appeared in the opening.
Madam Hare gave him a parting kick as he shot through the doorway.
“Chase him! Chase him!” the rabbits cried; but Blinky did not wait to be chased. He was running as fast as he could, colliding with corners, bumping his head and snubbing his nose.
Panting, he reached the entrance of the burrow; but oh! horror of horrors, Madam Hare’s large feet came thudding behind him.
“I’ll catch you; I’ll catch you!” she called. “And off to Mrs Ferrit you’ll go!”
Blinky nearly fainted with fright. He felt quite giddy, and his breath seemed to catch in his throat.
His heart pounded and thumped and his legs would not go fast enough.
Out into the moonlight he raced, crying and whimpering, stopping just a moment to look behind to see where that Madam Hare was.
Now her head came through the burrow and on she raced.
“Save me! Save me!” Blinky called at the top of his voice; but he hadn’t the faintest idea who could rescue him.
Suddenly the branches cracked and a brown form came hurriedly hopping through the undergrowth. It was Angelina Wallaby.
“Quick! Quick! Angelina,” Blinky called. “Madam Hare’s going to take me to Mrs Ferrit.”
“Is she? Well, she’s not,” said Angelina in a determined voice. “Here! hop on my back as quickly as you can. Hurry up. She’s coming!”
Blinky scrambled on to Angelina’s back as quick as winking, and before he’d settled down safely she gave a hop and away they went.
Madam Hare was stupid enough to think she could hop as quickly as Angelina and she plunged through the bushes calling wildly; but Angelina’s hops were too long for her, and very soon Madam Hare gave up the chase.
She looked a sorry sight with her stumpy tail showing bone, where only a few hours ago a beautiful white tuft reposed, her whiskers were bent and broken, and her ears hung limply sideways. Her coat, that had taken hours to polish and brush, was covered with dust and tiny twigs, and her eyes were blood-shot.
She flung herself on the ground and kicked the dust in temper. If only she could have seen Blinky at that moment, she would have eaten anything that chanced to pass her by, for he was having a beautiful ride, flying along on Angelina’s back — not caring tuppence for Madam Hare and her tail.
“Lucky for you, Master Blinky, I happened to be out looking for supper,” said Angelina in between hops.
“I’m so glad, dear Angelina, you came along. That Madam Hare has a very nasty temper.”
“And what about your mother’s when you arrive home?” chuckled Angelina.
“Do you think she’ll be very angry?” Blinky inquired, quite frightened at the thought of it now.
“She’s ramping,” exclaimed Angelina, “and so is Mrs Grunty.”
“What will I do?” asked Blinky in a whisper.
“Oh, tell the truth!” said Angelina. “If she spanks you, well — you know you really deserve it.”
Things must be pretty bad at home thought Blinky when Angelina speaks like that. However, if he was to have a spanking, the sooner it was over the better. Very soon Angelina hopped to the bottom of the tree where Blinky lived. The moon had sunk behind the hill, and the first kookaburra’s chuckle could be heard. A galah screeched in the tree as she looked at Blinky and Angelina.
“Stop that noise!” Blinky grunted as he shook his paw at her.
Everything was extraordinarily still. No Mrs Koala was to be seen, no Mrs Grunty and no Snubby.
“They must be asleep!” Angelina whispered in a low voice. “Climb up to your bed quickly and don’t make a noise.”
“All right, Angelina,” Blinky replied. “Good night, and thank you for saving me.”
“Good night,” Angelina purred. “Keep sitting if your mother spanks you.” After giving this good advice she hopped away into the bush.
Blinky climbed quietly — ever so quietly up the tree.
He peeped over the branch where his mother usually slept. There she was, and Mrs Grunty with Snubby too, all curled up together, sound asleep, with their noses snugly tucked down on their tummies.
Up past them Blinky climbed, hardly daring to breathe, and he kept climbing until he reached the highest branch, then, too tired to think any more about a spanking, he fell asleep.
Mrs Koala awoke when the sun peeped over the hill. “Oh, dear,” she sighed, “that naughty Blinky! I wonder where he is. Now I’ll have to start hunting for him, and when I do find the young cub he’ll know all about it.” Peering up among the branches to see if any leaves would tempt her for breakfast, she was astonished to see a furry body that looked very much like her son.
“Blinky!” she called in a stern voice, “is that you?” “Yes, mother,” came a meek little reply.
“Come down here!” she ordered.
Blinky thought it wise to do as he was told, so slowly climbed down to his mother.
“Where have you been?” Mrs Koala demanded.
“Looking for some leaves,” Blinky replied, his nose quivering with fright.
“Now, no stories, my son, where have you been?” Blinky had never seen his mother look so angry, so he decided to tell the truth.
By this time Mrs Grunty and Snubby were awake and sat staring with eyes of amazement.
“Smack him!” Mrs Grunty exclaimed.
“Wait till I hear his story,” Mrs Koala replied, and she felt rather annoyed with Mrs Grunty, as it was not her business to tell her what to do with her own son.
“Not Mrs Spotty’s?” Blinky asked in a frightened voice.
Blinky told his story, keeping several parts to himself, about pushing Mrs Spotty in the pool, and grabbing Madam Hare’s tail.
“Very well, Blinky,” Mrs Koala said when he had finished his tale, “you are going to boarding-school after this.”
“Not Mrs Spotty’s?” Blinky asked in a frightened voice.
“No!” Mrs Koala replied, “you’ll go to Mrs Magpie’s!”
“Come down here!” Mrs Koala ordered.
rs Koala and Mrs Grunty had talked matters over for nearly a whole night, and towards the dawn had decided upon a plan.
“You know, my dear,” said Mrs Grunty, “Blinky needs a firm hand over him now that he has grown up; and who could you find better than Mrs Magpie to give him just the discipline that all young bears require?”
Mrs Grunty used all her powers of persuasion. She secretly longed to give Blinky a good smack occasionally, and at times found her right paw fairly itching to be used hard on that naughty bear’s pants.
“And you know, Mrs Koala,” she continued, “Snubby is a different child since Blinky came here. He was always so good and obedient before, but now —” and she sighed deeply, right down in her bear tummy.
“Well,” replied Mrs Koala, “I wouldn’t change Blinky for fifteen Snubbies.” And she gave a decided sniff.
“Of course not! I quite see your side of the question,”
Mrs Grunty answered. “But this everlasting mending of pants and cleaning of ears, while all the time wondering when I’ll get a hit on the nose again with a gum-nut. — Well, it’s too much for any mother bear.”
“But think of all the lovely gum-tips Blinky has brought you to eat,” said Mrs Koala, bristling with indignation. “All the same, I must admit he has been very trying lately, I sometimes think it is the new pair of knickerbockers that is to blame, because he’s been twice as naughty ever since the day he first put them on,”
“Then take them off again,” growled Mrs Grunty. “They’re always hanging half-way down his legs, never fastened as they should be.
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