Part 6 (1/2)

Sareen under the pile of brush in the swa Brook finds its way to join the Big River All around ater, for you knoas spring, and theRiver has its beginning were pouringRiver than its banks would hold as it hurried down to the Great Ocean It just couldn't hurry fast enough to take all that water down as fast as it ran into the Big River, and so the water had crept over the banks in places It had done this right here in the little shere Sa ago that only by keeping perfectly still reen spot had moved He was sure of that And if italive If it were alive, it must be somebody, and Sammy wanted to knoho it was Try as he would he couldn't rereen as that So he sat perfectly still, for he knew that if whoever was hiding under that brush should even guess that he was being watched, he would not co with excitement, Sammy watched He was impatiently patient Did you know that it is possible to be i with impatience inside, but he didn't let that i

He sat there just as still as still, with his eyes fixed on that green spot, and you would never have guessed that he was fairly bursting with i That is what is called self-control It , noelse It is a splendid thing to have, is self-control

After what seeain Little by little so reached out froreen head, and it was exactly like Mrs Quack's head, only hers was a sober brown instead of green Saht popped into his head Could this be the lost Mr Quack?

He had forgotten that probably Mr Quack dressed differently fro for soun soreen head was hastily withdrawn under the bush, but not before Sammy had seen a look of terrible fear in his eyes ”I believe it IS Mr Quack!” thought Sammy ”If it is, I'll have the best news ever to tell Mrs Quack Just trust Sa for”

This was just plain boasting, and Saood opinion of hiht of the fact that it was entirely by accident that he had coht be, he was less ireen head was slowly stretched out again, and Sareen, too, and that around the neck was a white collar Saer

[Illustration with caption: ”Yes,” said he in a low voice, ”I aerly

The beautiful head disappeared like a flash Sammy waited a : ”You needn't be afraid There isn't anybody here but me, and I'm your friend I just want to know if you are Mr Quack because I've been looking for you for Mrs Quack Are you?”

Slowly, looking this way and that ith fear and suspicion in his eyes, a handsome Duck came out from under the pile of brush

”Yes,” said he in a low voice, ”I am Mr Quack Where is Mrs

Quack?”

”Safe and sound over on the Big River,” replied Salad I've found you!”

XVIII

SAMMY JAY SENDS MRS QUACK TO THE SWAMP

When Sam River, he flew straight back to the S River and screa about out there But he knew that if he did, she would very likely fly right over where Mr

Quack was, and that wouldn't do at all No, indeed, that wouldn't do at all One of the hunters would be sure to see her So Sa Pool to wait until Mrs Quack should coht

Of course he told Peter Rabbit all about Mr Quack, and Peter was so delighted at the thought that Mr Quack was alive that he capered about in quite the craziest way ”Does Mrs Quack know yet?” asked Peter

Sa to tell her when she coht,” he explained ”I was afraid if I told her before then she would fly straight to hiht, Saht of that My, won't she be happy when you do tell her!

I wonder what she'll say and what she'll do I'ht here so as to see her when she hears the good news Here comes your cousin, Blacky the Crow Does he know yet?”

”No,” replied Saets here” They watched Blacky draw nearer and nearer, and as soon as he ithin hearing Sammy shouted the news ”Ca,”

replied Blacky, hurrying a little faster

As soon as he reached the Big Hickory-tree, Salad as the others While they waited for Mrs Quack he told how he had hunted and hunted along the farther bank of the Big River and how he had seen the hunters with their terrible guns hiding and had warned Mrs Quack just where each one was

Jolly, round, red Mr Sun was getting ready to go to bed behind the Purple Hills and the Black Shadoere beginning to creep out over the Green Meadows before Mrs Quack ca very uneasy It was almost bed-time for them, for neither of them dared stay out after dark They had almost made up their minds to leave Peter to tell the nehen they saw Mrs Quack co River She looked so sad and discouraged that even Blacky the Croas sorry for her, and you know Blacky isn't s

”What's the news, Mrs Quack?” asked Peter, his eyes dancing