Our last talk of Billy Bunny found him trying to get into the house to get some food. And it was during this time that he met a very friendly cat, so that Fredrica and Billy became friends.

Saturday morning Billy slipped under the gate in the back yard, hopped up under the camper, and sat next to the right rear dual wheels. A good place to sit in the sun and to observe anything that occurred in the back yard, he reasoned. This time of year the sun was way south, so it hit the south side of the camper and if it was windy, or it was cold, it was nice there and became his favorite spot.

Uncle Twitch told Billy that the people would put out food for the rabbits if they saw them sitting and eating in their back yards. Uncle Twitch also told Billy he did not have to fear the people for they would not bother him and that they would go out of their way to avoid disturbing a rabbit dozing in their back yard.

This was Billy's first trip to look for food. He sat there next to the wheel for most of the day and nothing happened. He saw people come out and go in quite a few times, but they never seemed to pay him any attention. So about three o'clock, Billy went out under the back gate and down into the Scott's yard. He would look there for something to eat.

Later, Billy saw uncle Twitch and told him the people did not pay any attention to him, and they did not give him any food.

Uncle Twitch scratched his ear and asked Billy where he had sat and what had he done. And when Billy told him, Uncle Twitch gave a half-hearted rabbit laugh and called Billy a dumb rabbit.

"See, to be fed you must get the people's attention, then nap and then stretch and wash where they can see you," Uncle Twitch sayd. "Then they will feed you". "Heck," he said, going on, "at first they tried to feed him carrots, then celery, and even bell peppers. But when he would not eat it, they fed him some rabbit food. When he did not eat that they started to feed him cereal...shredded wheat. When he ate the shredded wheat, they started putting some out for him every day. "Simple," Uncle Twitch said. "Make them interested in you by doing all sorts of little things."

Sunday morning just as the sun was clearing the plains to the east, Billy was back under the camper. Whenn he saw some movement by the people, he moved out and hopped down next to the apple tree. When the person came out, he began to wash.

The people did not seem to be paying much attention and so they went back into the house. Then he saw the curtain moving and saw two people watching from inside.

Billy spent a long time washing, then he hunkered down for his morning nap. It wasn't long before he heard the door and there was a person putting something under the step of the camper.

After they went inside Billy hopped up to see what was there. Wowie he thought! Carrot pieces, celery, and some rabbit food pellets. Boy did he pig out. He ate all he could, and then he filled his mouth with pellets and hopped back to the den so he could share his find with his family.

When Billy saw Uncle Twitch that night he thanked him and told him what he had done that day. Then he said good night for he was one full bunny.

Monday morning Billy was back and before the school busses were through hauling the children to school, he had cleaned up all the food the people had left. Then he went into a stretching routine and after that he hunkered down. The wind was really blowing hard.

Before long, Billy had a variety of food: celery, carrots, cereal and a piece of raw potato. This was pretty neat Billy thought as he filled is mouth. He took most of the food back to the burrow and his family. Then after lunch he was back, and as he hunkered down for a nap he heard a meow, and here came Fredrica bounding across the yard to meet him.

Billy and Fredrica had a nice chat, just run of the mill cat and rabbit type stuff. They had only met once but if you had been party to their chap you would have thought they were real old friends, and went way back together.

Then Fredrica told Billy he had really caused a stir in the house for the people could only talk about him and his antics. The people really enjoyed him and if he kept amusing them he would become one fat rabbit.

In a little while the door opened and the people called Fredrica inside.

Billy took a nap and when he awoke he could see a green pile under the step of the camper. Upon inspection Billy found two big crisp green lettuce leaves. Boy it smelled good but Billy had never tasted lettuce before so he was a little hesitant. He bites off a little piece and as soon as it was in his mouth he knew this was some good stuff.

"Wowie", he said, as he began to voraciously eat the lettuce.

Before long it was all gone and as soon as it was Billy moved out from the camper step and washed, then he ran and jumped around in the yard. Afterwards he hopped back to the camper step and looked all around for more food and there was none.

Billy turned toward the house and looked for a minute or so then he hopped back to the burrow. And every day afterward, Billy found two big crisp lettuce leaves there for his breakfast.