PUSS, JUNIOR, was very tired with his journey, so he cuddled up in the
long grass close to Mrs. Duck's nest and he was soon fast asleep. Then
Mrs. Duck tucked in her yellow ducklings and they were soon dreaming of
nice fat worms and little silver fishes. By and by Mrs. Duck closed
first one eye and then the other, and pretty soon she was asleep.
The wind played little lullabys in the tall grass and the brook close by
murmured over its pebbly bottom. The crickets in the meadow made sleepy
little noises, so that it must have been over an hour before anybody
woke up.
"'Tis close," said Mrs. Duck, shoving out
The eggshells with her bill,
"Besides, it never suits young ducks
To keep them sitting still."
So, rising from her nest, she said,
"Now, children, look at me:
A well bred duck should waddle so,
From side to side--d'ye see?"
"I'll play duck too," said Puss, jumping to his feet and imitating Mrs.
Duck. The ducklings looked at Puss in wonder.
"He'd make a fine duck," said one little duckling.
"If he had feathers instead of fur," laughed Mrs. Duck.
"If he had yellow stockings like ours," said another duckling, "instead
of red-topped boots."
[Illustration]
"Stop your quacking," cried Mrs. Duck. "Did you hear what I said about
waddling just now?"
"Yes," said the little ones, and then
She went on to explain:
"A well bred duck turns in his toes
As I do--try again."
Puss, Junior, turned in his toes exactly the way they did, which made
them laugh; even Mrs. Duck chuckled. "Look out," she cried, "or Puss,
Junior, will do it better than you."
"Thank you, ma'am," said Puss with a grin.
"Won't you try to do better?" said Mrs. Duck, turning to her brood with
an anxious expression on her kind face.
"Yes," said the Ducklings, waddling on,
"That's better," said their mother;
"But well bred ducks walk in a row,
Straight, one behind the other."
"I wish I had a drum," cried Puss, "I'd beat time. We could make believe
we were soldiers." But Mrs. Duck did not answer. "Do your best," she
said to her little brood.
"Yes," said the little ducks again,
All waddling in a row.
"Now to the pond," said old Mrs. Duck.
Splash, splash! and in they go.
"I wish I could swim," cried Puss; "it looks like great sport!"