Why do you suppose Susan Cotton-Tail had made so many pies? There was going to be a fair, and Susan had been asked to make pies for it. All the animals were going to the fair.

“We cannot go when we have no pies to sell,” said Susan.

“All the animals will come to find out why we are not there,” said Bunny.

Now Bunny Cotton-Tail was a very clever rabbit, even though he was getting old. He put on his overcoat and took a card and a hammer, and went out.

He was out a long time, tacking something up on the front door.

When he had finished, he asked Susan to come out and get a breath of air.

They walked up and down in front of the house. Then Susan began to laugh, and then she began to sneeze, and then she laughed and sneezed together, and what do you suppose was the matter?

Bunny Cotton-Tail had put up this sign on the house,

SCARLET FEVER HERE

“Well,” said Bunny, “if you don’t want to go anywhere or have any one come to see you, just put up a sign like that, and see how well it will work!”

Bunny and Susan went back into the house and peeped out their front window to see how the animals would act when they saw the sign.

First came Bushy Tail, big as life, trotting along. When he saw the sign he waved his beautiful tail in the air and ran down the road as fast as his legs could carry him!

Next came Mr. Owl. He read the sign aloud, and flew away.

So all day long, animals came to ask why Bunny and Susan did not come to the fair, and all were frightened and ran away.

Early in the evening old Grizzly came. He had followed Bushy Tail from California.

“What a beautiful bear!” said Susan.

“He looks kind,” said Bunny.

Old Grizzly read the sign. He did not pass by as the other animals had done. He went straight up to the front door and knocked.

“Perhaps he can’t read,” said Bunny, so he shouted, “Scarlet Fever here!”

Old Grizzly nodded his head. He said he had had scarlet fever three times, and he was not afraid to have it again.

So they opened the door and let old Grizzly in. Then they all had a jolly time, and Bunny told why he put up the sign on the house.

“You may have a new kind of scarlet fever,” said Old Grizzly, “maybe I shall catch it!” and they all laughed.

Old Grizzly had been in a circus, and had traveled in the East and in the West. He could tell lovely stories, so he stayed a long time and told stories, and Susan Cotton-Tail went out in the kitchen and came back with a mince pie in each hand. (These pies had been hidden away in a tin.)

They all enjoyed the pies, and then Bunny asked old Grizzly to spend the night with them. Old Grizzly said, “No, thank you.” The house next door was vacant and he was going to live there.

Susan held the candle at the door and old Grizzly went to his new home.

“I like him, but I am glad he went out for the night,” said Bunny. “Just think!” Susan said, “he has promised to come in every night and tell us a story!”