Surprisessometimesaresogreat You’retemptedtobelieveinfate. Onenever-to-beforgotteneveningWhitefootmetMrs.Whitefootandsheinvitedhimtocomebacktotheirhome.OfcourseWhitefootwasdelighted. “Sh-h-h,”saidlittleMrs.Whitefoot,asWhitefootenteredthesnuglittleroomofthehousetheyhadbuiltintheoldnestofMelodytheWoodThrush.Whitefoothesitated. Inthefirstplace,itwasdarkinthere. Inthesecondplace,hehadthefeelingthatsomehowthatlittlebedroomseemedcrowded. Ithadn’tbeenthatwaythelasttimehewasthere. Mrs.Whitefootwasrightinfrontofhim,andsheseemedverymuchexcitedaboutsomething. Presentlyshecrowdedtooneside.“Comehereandlook,”saidshe. Whitefootlooked.Inthemiddleofasoftbedofmosswasasquirmingmassoflegsandfunnylittleheads.AtfirstthatwasallWhitefootcouldmakeout. “Don’tyouthinkthisisthemostwonderfulsurprisethateverwas?”whisperedlittleMrs.Whitefoot.“Aren’ttheydarlings?Aren’tyouproudofthem?” BythistimeWhitefoothadmadeoutthatthatsquirmingmassoflegsandheadswascomposedofbabyMice.Hecountedthem.Therewerefour. “Whosearethey,andwhataretheydoinghere?”Whitefootaskedinaqueervoice. “Why,youoldstupid,theyareyours,—yoursandmine,”declaredlittleMrs.Whitefoot.“Didyouever,everseesuchbeautifulbabies?NowIguessyouunderstandwhyIkeptyouawayfromhere.” Whitefootshookhishead.“No,”saidhe,“Idon’tunderstandatall.Idon’tseeyetwhatyoudrovemeawayfor.” “Why,youblessedolddear,therewasn’troomforyouwhenthosebabiescame;Ihadtohavealltheroomtherewas. Itwouldn’thavedonetohavehadyourunninginandoutanddisturbingthemwhentheyweresotiny. Ihadtobealonewiththem,andthatiswhyImadeyougooffandlivebyyourself. Iamsoproudofthem,Idon’tknowwhattodo.Aren’tyouproud,Whitefoot? Aren’tyoutheproudestWoodMouseinalltheGreenForest?” OfcourseWhitefootshouldhavepromptlysaidthathewas,butthetruthis,Whitefootwasn’tproudatall. Yousee,hewassosurprisedthathehadn’tyethadtimetofeelthattheywerereallyhis. Infact,justthenhefeltaweebitjealousofthem. ItcameoverhimthattheywouldtakeallthetimeandattentionoflittleMrs.Whitefoot. SoWhitefootdidn’tanswerthatquestion. Hesimplysatandstaredatthosefoursquirmingbabies. FinallylittleMrs.Whitefootgentlypushedhimoutandfollowedhim. “Ofcourse,”saidshe,“thereisn’troomforyoutostayherenow. Youwillhavetosleepinyouroldhomebecausethereisn’troominhereforbothofusandthebabiestoo.” Whitefoot’sheartsank.Hehadthoughtthathewastostayandthateverythingwouldbejustasithadbeenbefore.“Can’tIcomeoverhereanymore?”heaskedrathertimidly. “Whatafoolishquestion!”criedlittleMrs.Whitefoot.“Ofcourseyoucan. Youwillhavetohelptakecareofthesebabies. Justassoonastheyarebigenough,youwillhavetohelpteachthemhowtohuntforfoodandhowtowatchoutfordanger,andallthethingsthatawiseWoodMouseknows. Why,theycouldn’tgetalongwithoutyou.NeithercouldI,”sheaddedsoftly. AtthatWhitefootfeltbetter.Andsuddenlytherewasaqueerswellinginhisheart.Itwasthebeginningofpride,prideinthosewonderfulbabies. “Youhavegivenmethebestsurprisethateverwas,mydear,”saidWhitefootsoftly.“NowIthinkIwillgoandlookforsomesupper.” SonowwewillleaveWhitefootandhisfamily. YouseetherearetwoverylivelylittlepeopleoftheGreenForestwhodemandattentionandinsistonhavingit. TheyareBusterBear’sTwins,andthisistobethetitleofthenextbook. 
