232 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [Iv.

husband take an oar, and they pulled together with
such good will that in a very short time they ran the
boat on to the beach very near their own cottage
door. Then Molly and John got out, dragged the
boat up a bit on the beach, and once more entered
their cottage together. And when they were safely
there, poor Molly sat down on the nearest chair and
cried as if her heart would break at the thought of all
“ she had gone through. John comforted her as well
as he could, and: after a while she got better; Still,
she said, she should never be as happy as she was
before, since evil habits were hard to get rid of, and
now John had once been on that island, he might
find it difficult to keep away.

Whilst they conversed in this manner Molly pre-
pared tea, of which they both partook, and then,
although it was getting late, she declared that she
could not possibly sleep without. thanking the
Rabbit, who had proved so kind a friend. As John
could not, in her opinion, be-safely left behind, and
was, moreover, quite as much indebted to the Wise
Rabbit as she was, it was agreed that he should ©
accompany his wife to the old-thorn tree, to thank
their mutual benefactor. Accordingly the two set
off together, and marched quietly up to the place
whence Molly had derived such wise and successful
instructions. With a face beaming with delight
she stood near to the thorn-tree, and said in joyous
tones :—

‘Wise Rabbit! we be come to say how thankful
we be to you. I have got my John back all through
you, and here he is with me. If you could only tell