He has n't even a bill."

" Well, he flies," said the biggest little
Rabbit, " because I saw him, so he must
be a bird."

"Humph!" said a Chipmunk. "So
does my cousin, the Flying -Squirrel, in a
way, yet he is no more bird than I am."

" And this fellow has n't a feather to
his skin ! " cried an Oriole,

" I don't say that my son is right,"
said Papa Rabbit, " but this creature
has wings." And he gave the Bat a



The Bat who Would n't Go to Bed. 131

poke that made him flutter wildly for a
minute.
"Yes, but what kind of wings?" asked
the Goldfinch. " A pair of skinny things
that grow on to his legs and have hooks
on both ends."

"He must be a very stupid fellow, at
all events," said the Ground Hog. " He
does n't talk, or walk, or eat, or even fly
well. He must come of a very common
family. For my part, I am not interested
in persons of that kind." And he walked
away with his nose in the air.
Now the other forest people would have
liked to watch the Bat longer, but after
the Ground Hog had gone off in this
way, they thought it would show too
much curiosity if they stayed. So one
after another went away, and the little
Bat was left alone. He fluttered around
until he reached the branch where the
Blue Jay had been, and there he hung
himself up to wait until night.
13- Among the Fore;: People.
