when jack rabbit saw that ki-yi coyote was after him, he started away on three legs for all the world as if one of his legs was broken. it was very easy for him to play this little joke, because he had practiced it a good deal when a small dog got after him.
“oh dear! oh dear! oh dear! what shall i do?” clever jack rabbit shouted back toward ki-yi coyote; and old ki-yi thought now he would surely have rabbit for dinner. so he ran as hard as ever he could.
“ha! ha!” he yelled. “i always knew you’d break your leg some time, and i’d get you. ha! ha! now i’m going to have a nice, big, fat rabbit for dinner!” and ki-yi coyote took a long, swift jump[pg 28] to seize jack rabbit—but he wasn’t there! he was farther away than ever. and much to ki-yi’s surprise and anger, jack rabbit put all four legs down on the ground and said as he ran, “so you’re going to have rabbit for dinner, are you? well, it won’t be me, and it won’t be doctor rabbit, for he’s safe. good day, ki-yi; i must be going!”
“good day, mr. coyote, i have to be going!”
and away jack rabbit went running. but he wasn’t to get away so easily this time, after all. ki-yi was most terribly angry, and he made up his mind to chase jack rabbit just as long as he could see him.
in the meantime, doctor rabbit lay down on the cool earth in the hole, and panted and panted. he was dreadfully tired and frightened from his run for life. he kept thinking that ki-yi would thrust his long nose into the hole and[pg 29] begin digging to get in. but ki-yi didn’t, of course.
after doctor rabbit had rested a few minutes he began to be anxious to know what had become of friend jack rabbit. had ki-yi by any chance caught him? doctor rabbit was scared even to think about it. he decided he would try to find out what had happened. so he crept very cautiously toward the opening of the hole and peeped out. first he put only his nose out. then he put his whole head out, and looked all around.
he had about decided that swift jack rabbit had given old ki-yi the slip. “guess i’d better hike for the big green woods,” said doctor rabbit to himself, and he was just going to start when he saw something that made him change his mind mighty quick. and this time he didn’t run for the big green woods,[pg 30] either. i should say he didn’t! no, he just backed part way into the hole under the tree, and then stretched up his head and watched what was coming.
what doctor rabbit saw was poor jack rabbit running as hard as he could, and ki-yi coyote still after him!
as he came on toward the tree, jack rabbit shouted out ever so loud, “doctor rabbit! doctor rabbit! come out and help me a little. i’m about to be caught! it’s my rheumatism. he’s almost got me now!” and just then jack rabbit had to dodge very quickly to keep from being caught.
it certainly looked very bad for poor jack rabbit, and right then ki-yi coyote came very near seizing him again! doctor rabbit was almost too scared to breathe. he didn’t know what on earth to do except to spring out and let ki-yi[pg 31] chase him instead. and he was about to do this when he thought of something else. so he just lay low and waited while jack rabbit came running nearer and nearer the tree.
