But by this time Buddy was nearly at home plate, where he would be safe. 
And the worst of it was that Sammie was almost there, too.

Then, with his last breath, and giving a spring and a hop that was so big that it took him close to Buddy, Sammie stretched out his paw with the ball in and tried to touch Buddy.  But do you s’pose he did?  No, sir, he didn’t, and Buddy got home safe, and wasn’t put out after all.

“Well,” said Sammie, after he had gotten his breath, “if you had had a tail sticking out behind you I would have touched that, and you’d have been out.”

“I’m glad I haven’t a tail,” said Buddy, as he sat down on the grass to rest, and then, after a while the game went on, and lasted until dark, everybody having a fine time.

Now, I’m going to tell you in the story after this one about Brighteyes, Buddy and the turnip—­that is, in case I hear a potato bug sing a song that puts the rag doll to sleep, so she won’t cry and wake up the pussy cat.

STORY XVIII

BRIGHTEYES, BUDDY AND THE TURNIP

One day when Buddy and Brighteyes Pigg were out walking in the fields, they saw, close beside a big stone, a fine, large turnip.  Oh, it was the nicest, ripest, juiciest turnip that ever a guinea pig boy or girl smelled of, and it just made their mouths water, and water even came into their eyes.

“Oh, what a lovely turnip!” exclaimed Brighteyes.  “I wonder who it belongs to?”

“Let’s look and see if it has any one’s name on it,” suggested Buddy.

So, after peering carefully about to see that there were no traps near, the two guinea pig children went closer, and gazed on all sides of the turnip, and even turned it over to look on the bottom.

They couldn’t see a single name, and then they came to the conclusion that the turnip didn’t belong to any one in particular.

“I wonder if it would be right for us to take it home?” asked Brighteyes.  “Mamma and papa would just love to have some of it.”

“Why certainly, take it right along, children!” exclaimed a voice from under a burdock leaf, and then out flew the kind, old June bug.

“May we really have it?” asked Buddy.

“Of course,” answered the June bug.  “You see I was hiding under that leaf, thinking it was about time for me to go South, for June bugs oughtn’t really to fly in July, when I heard a rumbling noise.  First I thought it was thunder, and then I saw that it was a big farm wagon loaded with turnips.

“Well, one of the turnips fell off, and a boy, who was riding on the wagon, called to the man who was driving, and told him about the turnip falling.  Then the man said that didn’t matter, as he had more turnips than he knew what to do with.  So that’s how I know that you can have the turnip if you wish.”

“Well, we certainly do wish!” cried Brighteyes.  “Isn’t it grand, Buddy?  We’ll take it right home.”