He said, "Good evening, how are the Seventeen Little Bears? I heard
they fell in the water!"
The Seventeen Little Bears stuffed their little paws into their mouths
to keep from laughing, for they felt as well as ever, sitting before
the fire in their little red wrappers.
Doctor Cotton-Tail took a seat by the fire and began to warm his paws,
first one paw and then the other.
"Chilly spring weather, but most time to make garden," he said.
"Chilly weather," said Bunny Cotton-Tail.
"Chilly weather," said Susan.
_Then the most surprising thing happened_!
Grandpa Grumbles shook his green cotton umbrella and out came flower
seeds falling everywhere. The Seventeen Little Bears scrambled to pick
them up.
"Who will make your garden?" asked Doctor Cotton-Tail, looking at Bunny
and Susan.
Bunny and Susan said, "We do not know, we are too old and stiff to make
a garden."
"You will miss the turnips and cabbages," said Doctor Cotton-Tail.
Then he added,
"I came in a wagon, and as the Seventeen Little Bears are quite well,
I can take them home."
Then the Seventeen Little Bears began to weep loud and long. They wept
into their seventeen little pocket handkerchiefs.
Bunny and Susan said, "Never mind, dears, you can come to visit us
again."
Soon the Seventeen Little Bears were tucked safely into the wagon and
Doctor Cotton-Tail took them home.
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