In this story, the kind rabbit Uncle Wiggily, having previously saved some baby birds, is rewarded with a song and supper by the grateful bird family. Declining to stay in their small nest, he accepts their help building a tent nearby using sticks and cloth so he can camp out close to them. During the night, a large rat carrying a lantern made of lightning bugs enters the tent, planning to take the birds, but Uncle Wiggily bravely defends them, using his crutch and some leftover cherry pie to scare the rat away, demonstrating quick thinking and courage before freeing the lightning bugs and settling back to sleep.