“In that cup on the chair,” and Jackie pointed to it near his bed.

“I see,” said Uncle Wiggily, looking at it.  “Now, Jackie, I’m a good friend of yours, and you wouldn’t mind just holding this cup of bitter medicine in your paw, would you, to please me?”

“Oh, I’ll do that for you, Uncle Wiggily, but I’ll not take it,” Jackie said.

“Never mind about that,” laughed the bunny uncle.  “Just hold the medicine in your paw, so,” and Jackie did as he was told.  “Now, would you mind holding it up to your lips, as if you were going to make believe take it?” asked Uncle Wiggily.  “Mind you, don’t you dare take a drop of it.  Just hold the cup to your lips, but don’t swallow any.”

“Why do you want me to do that?” asked Jackie, as he did what Uncle Wiggily asked.

“Because I want to draw a picture of you making believe take bitter medicine,” said the bunny, as he took out pencil and paper.  “I’ll show it to any other of my little animal friends, who may not like their medicine, and I’ll say to them:  ’See how brave Jackie is to take his bitter medicine.’  Of course, I won’t tell them you really were afraid to take it,” and without saying any more Uncle Wiggily began to draw the puppy dog boy’s picture on the paper.

“Hold the cup a little nearer to your lips, and tip it up a bit, Jackie,” said the bunny man.  “But, mind you, don’t swallow a drop.  That’s it, higher up!  Tip it more.  I want the picture to look natural.”

Jackie tipped the cup higher, holding it close to his mouth, and threw back his head, and then Uncle Wiggily suddenly cried:  “Ouch!” And Jackie was so surprised that he opened his mouth and before he knew it he had swallowed the bitter medicine!

[Illustration:  Jackie was so surprised that he opened his mouth.]

“Oh, why I took it!” he cried.  “It went down my throat!  And it wasn’t so bad, after all.”

“I thought it wouldn’t be,” spoke Uncle Wiggily, as he finished the picture of Jackie, and now he could really say it showed the doggie boy actually taking the medicine, for Jackie did take it.

So Dr. Possum didn’t have to come in to see Jackie after all to make him swallow the bitter stuff, and the little chap was soon all well again.  And if the clothesline doesn’t try to jump rope with the Jack in the Box, and upset the washtub, I’ll tell you next about Uncle Wiggily and the pine cones.

STORY XXVIII

UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE PINE CONES

Uncle Wiggily Longears, the nice rabbit gentleman, was out walking in the woods one day when he felt rather tired.  He had been looking all around for an adventure, which was something he liked to have happen to him, but he had seen nothing like one so far.

“And I don’t want to go back to my hollow stump bungalow without having had an adventure to tell Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy about,” said Mr. Longears.