Page:Bambi A Life in the Woods (1928).pdf/63

dren. “Come, Gobo. Come, Faline. We have to go now.”

And Bambi’s mother said to him, “Come, it’s time to go.”

“Wait just a little longer,” Faline pleaded eagerly, “just a little while.”

“Let’s stay a little longer, please,” Bambi pleaded, “it’s so nice.” And Gobo repeated timidly, “It’s so nice, just a little longer.” All three spoke at once.

Ena looked at Bambi’s mother. “What did I tell you,” she said, “they won’t want to separate now.”

Then something happened that was much more exciting than everything else that happened to Bambi that day. Out of the woods came the sound of hoofs beating the earth. Branches snapped, the boughs rustled, and before Bambi had time to listen, something burst out of the thicket. Someone came crashing and rustling with someone else rushing after him. They tore by like the wind, described a wide circle on the meadow and vanished into the woods again, where they could be heard galloping. Then they came bursting out of the thicket again and suddenly stood still, about twenty paces apart.