Freddy the Detective by Walter R. Brooks

Author:Walter R. Brooks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Overlook Press

“I wasn’t trying to escape,” said the rabbit. “I was just starting for the hen-house so I could be sentenced.—I really was, sir,” he added, as Freddy stared at him in amazement.

The pig was rather puzzled. The rabbit was evidently telling the truth, and yet such eagerness to be punished didn’t seem reasonable. “You’re a queer one,” said Freddy. “I don’t believe you understand. You’ve been stealing lettuce, and it’s against the rules, and you’re going to be punished by being sent to jail.”

“But I do understand, sir,” replied the prisoner. “I know I’ve done wrong, and—well, sir, I think I ought to be punished. As a lesson to me, sir. I ought to know better than to do such things.”

“H’m,” said Freddy, “you’re saying all the things I ought to say. Still, they’re true, and I’m glad you see it. Only if you feel that way, I can’t see why you stole the lettuce in the first place.”

“I can tell you that,” said the rabbit. “But—well, I’d rather wait until after I’m sentenced.”

“All right,” said the pig. “And I’ll do my best with the judge to see that your sentence isn’t a long one. I’m sure you won’t do it again.”

“Oh, yes I shall!” exclaimed the rabbit anxiously. “Yes, sir, I’m apt to do things like that any time. I’m quite a desperate character, sir, really I am. You’d better get me a good long sentence.”

“Say, look here!” said Freddy sharply. “Are you trying to make fun of me, or what? If you’re a good law-abiding rabbit, as you seem to be, I can understand your being sorry that you’d done wrong and thinking that you ought to be punished. But I don’t believe that anybody, animal or human, ever thought that he ought to be punished a lot. Come on, now, tell me the truth!”

At this the rabbit broke down and began to cry. “Oh dear!” he sobbed. “I thought it would be so easy to get into jail! I thought all you had to do was steal something. And I wanted to go to jail—the animals there all have such a good time, and don’t have to work, and they play games and sing songs all day long, and other animals are sorry for them and bring them lots of good things to eat! Oh, please, Mr. Freddy, take me to the judge and get me a good long sentence.”

“I’ll do nothing of the kind,” said Freddy crossly. “And, what’s more, I’m not going to arrest you at all. I’m going to give your ears a good boxing”—which he did while the rabbit submitted meekly—“and then you can go. Only let me tell you something. Don’t go stealing any more lettuce in the hope that you’ll be sent to jail. Because you won’t. You’ll get something you won’t like at all.”

“Wh—what’s that?” sniveled the rabbit.

“I don’t know,” said Freddy. “I’ll have to think up something. But you can bet it’ll be something good.”

Then he went back to where Mrs.

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