“This is too lovely weather to stay in the hollow stump bungalow,” said Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy one day. “I’ll get Uncle Wiggily to take me for a ride in his automobile.” Going to the door, the muskrat lady housekeeper called, “Wiggy! Oh, Wiggy! Where are you?” But no answer came, though the car was in plain sight in the yard. “I wonder if he has gone adventuring by himself?” said Nurse Jane.
Once more the muskrat lady called. And then a voice, faint and far off answered her, “What do you want?” The muskrat lady nearly jumped out of her skin. “Where in the world are you, Wiggy?” she asked. “I’d like you to take me for a ride.” Uncle Wiggily crawled from beneath the machine. “I have been fixing the car so it would ride faster and better,” he answered. “I’ll soon be ready for you.”
The rabbit gentleman washed himself clean of oil and black dirt, and, dressed in his best suit, he started to take Nurse Jane for a ride. “Maybe we’ll have some adventures,” spoke the muskrat lady. At first, the auto ran along very easily. But, all of a sudden, it reared up on its hind wheels like a skittish horse and began moving backward. “Oh, Uncle Wiggily, what did you do to it?” cried Nurse Jane.
“I didn’t do anything to the auto except fix it,” said Uncle Wiggily. “Yes, you fixed it all right!” cried Nurse Jane. And just then the car settled down on all four wheels and began to race around a tree like playing Ring in the Rosie game. “Oh, what is going to happen now?” squeaked Miss Fuzzy Wuzzy. Uncle Wiggily held her in as the car skidded on two wheels. “Don’t jump!” shouted the rabbit.
Uncle Wiggily twisted this way and that way on the steering wheel, and finally, the auto stopped skidding around the tree. “Now I guess we are all right,” laughed the bunny rabbit. “Anyhow, you wanted some adventures, Nurse Jane, and you are getting them.” Miss Fuzzy Wuzzy sniffed. “Yes, I’m getting them all right,” she said. “Oh, what’s it doing now?” she cried, as the auto tilted up again.
By hard work, Uncle Wiggily saved Nurse Jane from falling out of the car. And by speaking kind words to the machine, and by putting a little talcum powder on the radiator, the rabbit gentleman at last got his auto to settle down and jog along as it should do. But, all of a sudden, as Nurse Jane looked back, wondering how many miles they had come, she saw the Skillery Skallery Alligator. Oh my!
“Ho! Ho!” bellowed the Alligator, opening wide his big mouth. “I shall soon have some fine ear-nibbles.” Then he flipped his tail and he flapped his tail and after Uncle Wiggily’s auto, the Alligator ran. “Oh, go fast! Go fast, Uncle Wiggily!” cried Nurse Jane. So the rabbit uncle made his car go as fast as he could. “I hope it plays no more tricks,” thought Uncle Wiggily. “If it does, we are lost!”
All of a sudden, when the Alligator had almost caught Uncle Wiggily and Nurse Jane, the auto gave a shiver and a shake. “Oh, it’s going to cut up some more tricks!” cried the rabbit. “Come, Nurse Jane, we’ll get on the back seat.” And, no sooner were they safe on the back seat than the automobile turned around, all by itself, and began to chase the Alligator. “Now it is my turn!” honked the auto.
Faster and faster, the auto ran after the Alligator. “Ha! Ha!” laughed Nurse Jane. “I wonder how the Skillery Skallery chap likes being chased? Keep on, Auto!” And the auto kept on until, all of a sudden, it reached the Alligator, and, bumping the bad chap with the front wheels, sent the ‘Gator flying over the trees. “Ah, now I can faint safely,” sighed Nurse Jane. And the Squiggle Bugs danced.
