It was a strange sight that met them when they reached the edge of the river. All the animals of the woods, big and little, four-legged and two-legged, and those without any legs, such as Killer the Snake, were congregated there on the bank. Some of them who naturally loved the water, such as Billy the Mink and Browny the Muskrat, were already in the river, swimming for the other side.
But most of them were waiting, dipping their feet in the water, and then withdrawing them. They didn’t like to take the long swim unless it was necessary. They kept looking over their shoulders to see if the fire was near, and then glancing longingly at the other shore.
Bumper sighed with relief when he saw Fuzzy Wuzz, Spotted Tail and Old Blind Rabbit waiting for him. “Oh, Bumper, we were so worried about you!” exclaimed Fuzzy Wuzz. “I’m glad you’re here!”
“There wasn’t any need to worry about me,” replied Bumper. “I can look after myself. But where’s Rolly Polly and his family?”
“They’re here—all safe.”
“And Pink Nose, and Brindley the Lame?”
“All here!”
“Then everything’s all right,” sighed Bumper. “I was afraid some of them might get caught.” Then recalling the distress of the birds, he asked about Hermit the Thrush and Mrs. Oven-Bird and Black Cap the Chickadee. Fuzzy Wuzz laughed and pointed to the other side.
“They’re on the other side of the river,” she said. “They flew across before we got here.”
“That’s good. I almost wish I had wings. Is the water cold?”
“Yes, terribly,” replied Fuzzy Wuzz, shuddering. “That’s why we hate to take the plunge. Ugh! It makes me shiver!”
Bumper laughed at her expression. “When the fire gets here it will be warm enough,” he said.
Fuzzy Wuzz suddenly grew grave and serious. “It’s too bad about Bobby Gray Squirrel,” she said.
“What’s the matter with Bobby?” asked Bumper.
“Haven’t you heard? He’s been sick, and when we passed his hole he was too weak to follow us. We called to him, but he couldn’t come with us. He tried it, but he fell out of the tree, and I’m afraid he hurt himself.”
“What!” exclaimed Bumper. “Bobby Gray Squirrel’s back there in the woods!”
“Yes,” nodded Fuzzy Wuzz.
Bumper turned around. “I must go and help him,” he said. “I can’t leave him to die such a horrible death.”
“Oh, you can’t do anything, Bumper,” pleaded Fuzzy Wuzz. “You mustn’t go back. You’ll be killed by the fire, too.”
“I can’t leave Bobby,” replied Bumper. “No, no, I must try to help him. I’ll go back before it’s too late.”
“But what will become of me?” piped up a little voice near his ear, and Spotty the Chameleon changed from a bright green to a sickly yellow.
“I think,” Bumper replied, “you must get across some other way.”
“I’ll try to swim,” piped up White Foot the Deer Mouse. “I feel quite rested now.”
“I don’t have to swim across,” said Lazy the Snail. “I’ll crawl down into the wet mud and be safe.”
“I can’t very well swim with a broken leg,” said Stripe the Chipmunk, “but if you’ll put me on a chip I can float down the river.”
Bumper had forgotten his little charges, and for a moment he was distressed. Then he said to Fuzzy Wuzz: “Find a chip for Stripe so he can float on it, and then swim along by White Foot to see that he doesn’t get exhausted. I’ll get Pink Nose to carry Spotty across on his back. He’ll do it.”
He hopped away, and soon brought Pink Nose back with him, who promised to look out for the Chameleon. Lazy said good-bye, and began burrowing into the soft mud. Fuzzy Wuzz put Stripe the Chipmunk on a big chip, and then started to swim across with White Foot the Deer Mouse.
“Now all of you get across,” Bumper commanded, “and I’ll go back to see if I can do anything for Bobby Gray Squirrel.”
“Oh, Bumper, do be careful, and return soon,” pleaded Fuzzy Wuzz.
Bumper promised, and then dashed back into the woods. In a very short time he found the smoke growing so dense that it made him gasp. But he raced on directly toward the approaching fire. Pretty soon hot, scorching cinders fell about him, and he could hear the roar of the flames.
The bright light ahead told him he was nearly upon the fire, but he loped along, making straight for Bobby’s tree. When he reached it he began calling frantically.
“Bobby! Bobby!”
A weak little voice responded, and Bumper jumped to where it came from. There curled up in the leaves at the bottom of the big tree was Bobby Gray Squirrel too sick to care whether the fire was near or not.
“What’d you come back for, Bumper?” he asked.
“To save you,” was the quick reply.
“You can’t do it. I’m too sick and weak to walk.”
“Then get on my back, and hold tight. I’ll carry you.”
“No, Bumper, you couldn’t do it. I’m too heavy for you. Run along and save yourself.”
“Get on my back, Bobby, and stop talking! Quick now, or we’ll both be scorched. The fire’s nearly here.”
Still protesting, Bobby finally obeyed. He was almost as big as Bumper, but not so fat and heavy, and to hold himself on he had to cling to the white rabbit’s neck. This choked Bumper, and made it more difficult for him to run.
But he couldn’t stop for that. He had to hurry, or both of them would be killed by the fire. He hopped along slowly with his burden, and the fire seemed to gain on them. In vain he tried to run faster, but he was doing all he could. His strength was giving out rapidly.
“I can never swim the river with him,” he kept thinking. “I’ll drown surely, but that’s better than being burnt alive.”
When he finally reached the water he was too exhausted to jump in. Bobby realized that it was impossible to go further. “You go alone, Bumper, and leave me,” Bobby said. “I can’t swim, but you can.”
“No, I can’t swim either,” panted Bumper. “I haven’t any strength left.”
“Hello!” a gruff voice called back of them. “Who can’t swim, and why not?”
Buster the Bear stood back of them ready to plunge in the river. Bumper explained in a few words what he had done, and what he hoped to do. Buster looked at him with a curious expression in his eyes.
“Well, well,” he said. “It’s too bad to spoil a good thing. I guess I’ll have to take a hand in it. Now both of you jump on my back, and I’ll get you across. I don’t mind a little swim like that.”
In this way Bumper and Bobby crossed the river
Buster was in earnest and when he invited them both to get on his back the second time, Bobby crawled up and clung to his thick wool, but Bumper had to perch on his head so he wouldn’t lose his balance. Then, grinning at the queer burden he was carrying, Buster waded out until the water was over his head, and then began swimming. In this way Bumper and Bobby Gray Squirrel crossed the river to a place of safety. They were the last of the animals of the North Woods to get away from the fire.
If Buster doesn’t decide to eat them, or the river doesn’t dry up, you’ll hear in the next story what happened to them on the other side.