And, all of a sudden, just as Patrick came along with the wheelbarrow full of grass, the Candy Rabbit fell out of the bathroom window.  And, very, very luckily, the sweet chap, instead of hitting the ground, fell into the soft grass on the wheelbarrow.

For a moment he could not get his breath, and he was buried deep in the long, green spears and stems.  And then, as he felt that he was not broken to bits, the Candy Rabbit murmured: 

“I am saved!”

CHAPTER IX

AT THE PARTY

Patrick, the gardener, had set his wheelbarrow down to rest just as he came under the bathroom window of Madeline’s house.  And Patrick had his back turned, and was looking at Carlo, the little dog, chasing his tail just when the Candy Rabbit fell into the grass.  So Patrick did not see what had happened.

“But I know what has happened,” said the sweet chap to himself.  “Only for the soft grass I would have broken all to pieces!  I wish I dared call out and tell Patrick I am here.  But I dare not.  I must keep still and say nothing.”

“Well, I must hurry along and give this grass to the pony,” said the gardener, after he had seen Calico catch his tail.  “The pony must be hungry.”

Over across Madeline’s yard, to the yard where the pony lived in a little stable, went Patrick with the wheelbarrow full of grass and the Candy Rabbit.  Only, of course, Patrick did not know he had the sugary fellow.

“Well, how are you, little pony?” cried the jolly Patrick, when he reached the stable.  The pony gave a soft little whinny in answer.

“I have some nice grass for you,” went on Patrick.  “Nice, sweet, green grass that I, myself, cut off the lawn.  You shall eat it all up.”

Once again the little horse talked in the only way he could make Patrick understand, which was by whinnying.  He meant that he would be glad to eat the grass.

“But I hope he doesn’t eat me!” thought the Candy Rabbit.  “It is lucky I can speak and understand animal talk.  When I get in the pony’s stall I’ll call out and ask him not to chew me up with the grass.”

But the Candy Rabbit did not have to do this.  For when Patrick began to take from the wheelbarrow the grass he had gathered for the pony, the gardener saw something gleaming in the sunshine amid the green stems.

“Hello! what’s this?” cried Patrick, leaning over to take a better look.  “What’s this in my grass?  Can it be a glass bottle?  If it is it’s a good thing I didn’t give it to the pony, or he might have cut himself on it.”

Patrick took the shining object from the midst of the grass.  In an instant he saw what it was.

“A Candy Rabbit!  Madeline’s Candy Rabbit!” cried the gardener.  He knew it very well, just as he knew the Sawdust Doll, the Lamb on Wheels, and the Bold Tin Soldier.  Madeline had often showed Patrick her Candy Rabbit.