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Puss Junior and Robinson Crusoe

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<hr style="width: 65%;" />[89] <h2>A LESSON IN WADDLING</h2> <div class='cap'>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.</div> 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. <div class='poem'> "'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?" </div> "I'll play duck too," said Puss, jumping to his feet and imitating Mrs. Duck. The ducklings looked at Puss in wonder.[90] "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." <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/gs20.png" width-obs="277" height-obs="350" alt="Ducks swimming" title="" /></div> "Stop your quacking," cried Mrs. Duck. "Did you hear what I said about waddling just now?" <div class='poem'> "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." </div> [91] 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. <div class='poem'> "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." </div> "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. <div class='poem'> "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. </div> "I wish I could swim," cried Puss; "it looks like great sport!" <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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