Mouse and Mole, A Winter Wonderland (3 page)

She rummaged through Mole's closet.
"Mole does not need a hat," whispered
Mouse to herself. "He does not need
his scarf or mittens either."
She tiptoed back outside.

Mouse put the hat on the snowman's head.
Mouse wrapped the scarf around
the snowman's neck. She stuck
mittens on the twigs.
Mouse looked at Sno-Mole.
Sno-Mole looked at Mouse.
"What about sledding?"
she squeaked,
"or skating on the pond?"

Mouse ducked behind the snowman.
"
Bumping-jumping on a sled?
What if I should lose my head?
Skating is something I would not miss.
Skating would be perfect on a
day like this!
" sang Sno-Mole.
And that is exactly
what they did!

Mole huddled under the covers.
He was as snug as a bug in a rug.
Mole rolled to his left.
Mole rolled to his right.
Mole rolled right off the bed—
whump!
He lay on the floor
like a cocoon in his blankets.
"I am as bored as a turtle in its shell.
I wonder what Mouse is up to?"

Thump, thump, thump!
hopped Mole
across the floor. He opened the door
a crack—
whoosh!
A gust of frosty
air nipped his snout. Mole saw Mouse
headed down the path. Mouse was
not alone. Someone was following
his friend. "Yikes!" cried Mole.
"Stranger danger!"

Mole rummaged through his closet.
He pulled on snow pants. He tugged
on boots:
thup, thup!
"Rats, no hat!"
muttered Mole.
He rummaged around some more.
"Phooey! No scarf or mittens either."
Mole buttoned his coat and ran outside.
He followed the stranger that
was following Mouse.

The tracks led Mole to the pond.
He ducked down in the cattails.
ZOOM!
Mouse flew past with the stranger
in tow. "Yippee!" she yelped.

The stranger had a smile on its face.
Mole nearly toppled out on the ice.
"That is no stranger!" he gulped.
"Mouse is with a friend ...
and that friend is not ME!"

ZOOM!
Mouse and her partner zipped
by once more. Mole rubbed his snout.
Something about this new friend
was awfully familiar—
ZOOM!
"Why...
that
is my hat!" said Mole.
ZOOM-ZOOM!
"And
those
are my
mittens and matching scarf too!"
Mole watched in disbelief as
Mouse and her partner
made perfect figure eights,
forward and backwards.

Together, they skidded to
a stop. Mouse whirled!
Mouse twirled!

The new friend just watched.
"Hah!" Mole huffed. "Easy-peasy!"
He darted out onto the ice.
Left, right, left, right!
tottered Mole
across the pond. Mole whirled!
Mole twirled! His arms began
to windmill.

Mole was out of control! "Gangway!"
he hollered—
WHAM!
Mole slid
smack
into Mouse's partner.

OOF
!

The snowman's
head toppled off.
It rolled across the ice.
Mouse stared at Mole.
Mole stared at the headless snowman.
"I am sorry, Mouse," mumbled Mole.
"I was showing off to your new friend."

Mouse could not help giggling.
"You do not have to be jealous
of a snowman," she laughed.
"Even if it does rather look like you!"
Together, Mouse and Mole put the
snowman's head back on top.

"Mole, meet
Sno-Mole,
" said Mouse.
"Sno-Mole, this is Mole,
my neighbor and
best
friend."