“We were lost in the woods,” said Bunny; “but the ragged man found us, and then we met Splash.  We didn’t see Uncle Tad.”

“Oh, maybe he’s lost!” cried Sue.

“We can go to look for him,” said Bunny.

“No you don’t!” exclaimed Mrs. Brown.  “Two of you getting lost is enough in one day.  Uncle Tad knows his way back to camp from any part of the big woods.  But who was the ragged man?”

“Oh, he’s the man that gave us the milk the time the dog drank it up when we chased the squirrel,” explained Sue.  “He’s awful nice, and he gave me a piggy-back ride, and took us to his cabin, and gave us cookies without us really asking.”

“What do you mean by not really asking?” inquired Mrs. Brown.

“Oh, Sue means she sort of hinted or spoke of ’em easy like,” Bunny explained.  “I pinched her leg without Mr. Bixby—­he’s the ragged man—­seeing me, and then Sue stopped asking him if he had anything to eat at his house.  He offered the cookies all by his own self.”

“Well, I’m glad of that,” said Mrs. Brown with a smile.  “But after this don’t go into strange houses and even hint for something to eat.  That isn’t polite.”

“Oh, but this isn’t a real house,” said Bunny quickly.  “It’s a log cabin.”

“But it’s home for the ragged man, as you call Mr. Bixby.”

“It’s a funny home,” said Bunny.  “He’s got a buzzing machine in it and the Indian that came while we were there asked for heap big medicine.  That’s the way Eagle Feather spoke of my toy train.”

“That’s how we got lost in the woods, looking for my Teddy bear and Bunny’s ’lectric train,” explained Sue.  “We went on and on until we didn’t know where we were.”

“Well, you mustn’t do it again,” said her mother.  “Don’t go far into the woods unless your father, Uncle Tad or I am with you.  Then you won’t get lost.”

“Wouldn’t Splash do?” asked Bunny.

“Yes, Splash is all right—­he’d know the way home,” said Mrs. Brown.  “Now come in, wash and get ready for lunch.”

“We don’t want very much,” said Bunny.  “The ragged man gave us so many cookies.”

“I hope they weren’t too rich for you,” said Mrs. Brown.

“Oh, no, Mother, they couldn’t be!” exclaimed Bunny. “’Cause he’s an awful poor, ragged man.”

“Oh, rich cookies means they have too much shortening—­butter or lard or something in ’em,” said Sue.  “I know, for I’ve taken a cooking lesson; haven’t I, Momsie?”

“Yes, Sue, and you must take some more, for you are getting older.”

“And some day I’ll get up a real dinner for you and Bunny and daddy and Uncle Tad and the ragged man and Eagle Feather,” said the little girl.

“You wouldn’t know how to cook for Indians,” said Bunny.  “They eat bear meat and deer meat, and roots and the bark of trees and maybe berries.”

“Well, I could give Eagle Feather berries in a pie,” declared Sue, “and I could make slippery elm tea, and roast some acorns for him.”