It seemed as if no one would ever be able to scramble up the sides of this hill, or, if they did, very likely they would tumble down again, just like a boy sliding over the ice and snow on his sled.

But one fine morning when the sun was shining and the birds were singing Buddy said to Brighteyes: 

“Let’s climb up to the top of the hill to-day?”

“What for?” asked his sister, as she tied her hair ribbon in a double bow knot, very pretty indeed to look at, let me tell you.

“Why, so we can see away off where the sky and the mountains come together beyond the hill,” said Buddy.  “You can see beautiful scenery from the tip-top, you know.”

“What good will that do?” asked Brighteyes, who was very fond of asking questions that were hard to answer.  “What is the good of looking at the scenery?” she wanted to know.

“Because,” answered her brother, “every one does that where there is a high hill.  I heard some of the summer boarders at the farmhouse, near our pen, telling each other what a beautiful view there was to be had from the hill.  We must see it for ourselves.  There is no one around now, and we can climb to the top.”

“I don’t care very much about it,” spoke Brighteyes.  “I would rather find another box of peanut candy;” but because she loved Buddy, and did not want him to start off alone, she consented to climb the big hill with him.  So they started off.  At first it was rather easy, and they went up quite fast.  At the foot of the hill were blackberry bushes and the guinea pig children gathered as many berries as they could eat.

But, as they went farther and farther up, the bushes grew more scarce, until there were none.  Then came a place where there was tall grass and many stones, so that it was hard to walk.  But Buddy and Brighteyes kept on, and pretty soon they met a grasshopper.

“Where are you going?” asked the grasshopper.

“To the top of the hill, to see the view,” answered Buddy.

“You will never get there, the way you are going,” said the grasshopper.  “You should jump as I do,” and he gave three big hops and a little one to show how well he could do it.

“We cannot hop,” remarked Brighteyes, “but we have a friend who can.”

“Who?” asked the grasshopper, as he scratched his two big hind legs together, like a man playing the fiddle.

“Sammie Littletail, the rabbit,” said Buddy.  “He can hop.”

“Yes, Sammie is a good jumper,” admitted the grasshopper, and he hid under a stone, for just then he saw a big bird looking hungrily at him.  Well, Buddy and Brighteyes went on and on, and up and up, and pretty soon they met an ant.

“Where are you going?” asked the ant.

“To the top of the hill, to see the fine view,” replied Brighteyes, as she paused to get her breath, which she had nearly lost.

“You will never get up the way you are going,” said the ant.  “You should crawl, as I do,” and she crawled over a stone to show how it should be done.  But Buddy and Brighteyes could not crawl, and they told the ant so.  Still they kept on, and pretty soon they met a bird.