"Is the journey back as bad as the journey down?" asked Peter.
"Worse, very much worse," replied Mrs. Quack sadly. "You can seefor yourself just how bad it is, for here I am all alone." Tearsfilled Mrs. Quack's eyes. "It is almost too terrible to talk about,"she continued after a minute. "You see, for one thing, food isn'tas plentiful as it is in the fall, and we just have to go whereverit is to be found. Those two-legged creatures know where thosefeeding-grounds are just as well as we do, and they hide there withtheir terrible guns just as they did when we were coming south.But it is much worse now, very much worse. You see, when we weregoing the other way, if we found them at one place we could go onto another, but when we are going north we cannot always do that.We cannot go any faster than Jack Frost does. Sometimes we aredriven out of a place by the bang, bang of the terrible guns and goon, only to find that we have caught up with Jack Frost, and thatthe ponds and the rivers are still covered with ice. Then thereis nothing to do but to turn back to where those terrible guns arewaiting for us. We just HAVE to do it."
Mrs. Quack stopped and shivered. "It seems to me I have heard nothingbut the noise of those terrible guns ever since we started," saidshe. "I haven't had a good square meal for days and days, nor agood rest. That is what makes me so dreadfully nervous. Sometimes,when we had been driven from place to place until we had caught upwith Jack Frost, there would be nothing but ice excepting in smallplaces in a river where the water runs too swiftly to freeze. Wewould just have to drop into one of these to rest a little, becausewe had flown so far that our wings ached as if they would dropoff. Then just as we would think we were safe for a little while,there would come the bang of a terrible gun. Then we would haveto fly again as long as we could, and finally come back to the sameplace because there was no other place where we could go. Then wewould have to do it all over again until night came. Sometimes Ithink that those men with terrible guns must hate us and want tokill every one of us. If they didn't, they would have a little bitof pity. They simply haven't any hearts at all."
"It does seem so," agreed Peter. "But wait until you know FarmerBrown's boy! HE'S got a heart!" he added brightly.
"I don't want to know him," retorted Mrs. Quack. "If he comes nearhere, you'll see me leave in a hurry. I wouldn't trust one of them,not one minute. You don't think he will come, do you?"
Peter sat up and looked across the Green Meadows, and his heartsank. "He's coming now, but I'm sure he won't hurt you, Mrs. Quack,"said he.
But Mrs. Quack wouldn't wait to see. With a hasty promise to comeback when the way was clear, she jumped into the air and on swiftwings disappeared towards the Big River.
VI
FARMER BROWN'S BOY VISITS THE SMILING POOL
Farmer Brown's boy had heard Welcome Robin singing in the OldOrchard quite as soon as Peter Rabbit had, and that song of "Cheerup! Cheer up! Cheer up! Cheer!" had awakened quite as much gladnessin his heart as it had in Peter's heart. It meant that MistressSpring really had arrived, and that over in the Green Forest anddown on the Green Meadows there would soon be shy blue, and justas shy white violets to look for, and other flowers almost if notquite as sweet and lovely. It meant that his feathered friends wouldsoon be busy house-hunting and building. It meant that his littlefriends in fur would also be doing something very similar, ifthey had not already done so. It meant that soon there would be amillion lovely things to see and a million joyous sounds to hear.
So the sound of Welcome Robin's voice made the heart of Farmer Brown'sboy even more happy than it was before, and as Welcome Robin justHAD to sing, so Farmer Brown's boy just HAD to whistle. When hiswork was finished, it seemed to Farmer Brown's boy that somethingwas calling him, calling him to get out on the Green Meadows or overin the Green Forest and share in the happiness of all the littlepeople there. So presently he decided that he would go down to theSmiling Pool to find out how Jerry Muskrat was, and if GrandfatherFrog was awake yet, and if the sweet singers of the Smiling Poolhad begun their wonderful spring chorus.
Down the Crooked Little Path cross the Green Meadows he tramped,and as he drew near the Smiling Pool, he stopped whistling lestthe sound should frighten some of the little people there. He wasstill some distance from the Smiling Pool when out of it sprang abig bird and on swift, whistling wings flew away in the directionof the Big River. Farmer Brown's boy stopped and watched until thebird had disappeared, and on his face was a look of great surprise.
"As I live, that was a Duck!" he exclaimed. "That is the first timeI've ever known a wild Duck to be in the Smiling Pool. I wonderwhat under the sun could have brought her over here."
Just then there was a distant bang in the direction of the Big River.Farmer Brown's boy scowled, and it made his face very angry-looking."That's it," he muttered. "Hunters are shooting the Ducks on theirway north and have driven the poor things to look for any littlemudhole where they can get a little rest. Probably that Duck hasbeen shot at so many times on the Big River that she felt saferover here in the Smiling Pool, little as it is."
Farmer Brown's boy had guessed exactly right, as you and I know, andas Peter Rabbit and Jerry Muskrat knew. "It's a shame, a downrightshame that any one should want to shoot birds on their way to theirnesting-grounds and that the law should let them if they do wantto. Some people haven't any hearts; they're all stomachs. I hopethat fellow who shot just now over there on the Big River didn'thit anything, and I wish that gun of his might have kicked a littlesense of what is right and fair into his head, but of course itdidn't."
He grinned at the idea, and then he continued his way towards theSmiling Pool. He hoped he might find another Duck there, and heapproached the Smiling Pool very, very carefully.
But when he reached a point where he could see all over the SmilingPool, there was no one to be seen save Jerry Muskrat sitting onthe Big Rock and Peter Rabbit on the bank on the other side. FarmerBrown's boy smiled when he saw them. "Hello, Jerry Muskrat!" saidhe. "I wonder how a bite of carrot would taste to you." He feltin his pocket and brought out a couple of carrots. One he put ona little tussock in the water where he knew Jerry would find it.The other he tossed across the Smiling Pool where he felt sure Peterwould find it. Presently he noticed two or three feathers on thewater close to the edge of the bank. Mrs. Quack had left them there."I believe that was a Mallard Duck," said he, as he studied them."I know what I'll do. I'll go straight back home and get some wheatand corn and put it here on the edge of the Smiling Pool. Perhapsshe will come back and find it."
And this is just what Farmer Brown's boy did.
VII
MRS. QUACK RETURNS
Peter Rabbit just couldn't go back to the dear Old Briar-patch.He just HAD to know if Mrs. Quack would come back to the SmilingPool. He had seen Farmer Brown's boy come there a second time andscatter wheat and corn among the brown stalks of last summer'srushes, and he had guessed why Farmer Brown's boy had done this.He had guessed that they had been put there especially for Mrs.Quack, and if she should come back as she had promised to do, hewanted to be on hand when she found those good things to eat andhear what she would say.
So Peter stayed over near the Smiling Pool and hoped with all hismight that Reddy Fox or Old Man Coyote would not take it into hishead to come hunting over there. As luck would have it, neither ofthem did, and Peter had a very pleasant time gossiping with JerryMuskrat, listening to the sweet voices of unseen singers in theSmiling Pool,--the Hylas, which some people call peepers,--andeating the carrot which Farmer Brown's boy had left for him.
Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was just getting ready to go to bedbehind the Purple Hills when Mrs. Quack returned. The first Peterknew of her coming was the whistle of her wings as she passed overhim. Several times she circled around, high over the Smiling Pool,and Peter simply stared in open-mouthed admiration at the speedwith which she flew. It didn't seem possible that one so big couldmove through the air so fast. Twice she set her wings and seemedto just slide down almost to the surface of the Smiling Pool, onlyto start her s
tout wings in motion once more and circle around again.It was very clear that she was terribly nervous and suspicious. Thethird time she landed in the water with a splash and sat perfectlystill with her head stretched up, looking and listening with allher might.
"It's all right. There's nothing to be afraid of," said JerryMuskrat.
"Are you sure?" asked Mrs. Quack anxiously. "I've been fooled toooften by men with their terrible guns to ever feel absolutely surethat one isn't hiding and waiting to shoot me." As she spoke sheswam about nervously. "Peter Rabbit and I have been here ever sinceyou left, and I guess we ought to know," replied Jerry Muskratrather shortly. "There hasn't been anybody near here exceptingFarmer Brown's boy, and we told you he wouldn't hurt you."
"He brought us each a carrot," Peter Rabbit broke in eagerly.
"Just the same, I wouldn't trust him," replied Mrs. Quack. "Whereis he now?"
"He left ever so long ago, and he won't be back to-night," declaredPeter confidently.
"I hope not," said Mrs. Quack, with a sigh. "Did you hear the bangof that terrible gun just after I left here?"
"Yes," replied Jerry Muskrat. "Was it fired at you?"
Mrs. Quack nodded and held up one wing. Peter and Jerry could seethat one of the long feathers was missing. "I thought I was flyinghigh enough to be safe," said she, "but when I reached the BigRiver there was a bang from the bushes on the bank, and somethingcut that feather out of my wing, and I felt a sharp pain in my side.It made me feel quite ill for a while, and the place is very sorenow, but I guess I'm lucky that it was no worse. It is very hardwork to know just how far those terrible guns can throw things atyou. Next time I will fly higher."
"Where have you been since you left us?" asked Peter.
"Eight in the middle of the Big River," replied Mrs. Quack. "Itwas the only safe place. I didn't dare go near either shore, andI'm nearly starved. I haven't had a mouthful to eat to-day."
Peter opened his mouth to tell her of the wheat and corn left byFarmer Brown's boy and then closed it again. He would let her findit for herself. If he told her about it, she might suspect a trickand refuse to go near the place. He never had seen any one sosuspicious, not even Old Man Coyote. But he couldn't blame her,after all she had been through. So he kept still and waited. Hewas learning, was Peter Rabbit. He was learning a great deal aboutMrs. Quack.
VIII
MRS. QUACK HAS A GOOD MEAL AND A REST
There's nothing like a stomach full To make the heart feellight; To chase away the clouds of care And make theworld seem bright.
That's a fact. A full stomach makes the whole world seem different,brighter, better, and more worth living in. It is the hardest kindof hard work to be cheerful and see only the bright side of thingswhen your stomach is empty. But once fill that empty stomach, andeverything is changed. It was just that way with Mrs. Quack. Fordays at a time she hadn't had a full stomach because of the hunterswith their terrible guns, and when just before dark that night shereturned to the Smiling Pool, her stomach was quite empty.
"I don't suppose I'll find much to eat here, but a little in peaceand safety is better than a feast with worry and danger," said she,swimming over to the brown, broken-down bulrushes on one side ofthe Smiling Pool and appearing to stand on her head as she plungedit under water and searched in the mud on the bottom for food.Peter Rabbit looked over at Jerry Muskrat sitting on the Big Rock,and Jerry winked. In a minute up bobbed the head of Mrs. Quack,and there was both a pleased and a worried look on her face. Shehad found some of the corn left there by Farmer Brown's boy. At onceshe swam out to the middle of the Smiling Pool, looking suspiciouslythis way and that way.
"There is corn over there," said she. "Do you know how it camethere?"
"I saw Farmer Brown's boy throwing something over there," repliedPeter. "Didn't we tell you that he would be good to you?"
"Quack, quack, quack! I've seen that kind of kindness too often tobe fooled by it," snapped Mrs. Quack. "He probably saw me leave ina hurry and put this corn here, hoping that I would come back andfind it and make up my mind to stay here a while. He thinks thatif I do, he'll have a chance to hide near enough to shoot me. Ididn't believe this could be a safe place for me, and now I knowit. I'll stay here to-night, but to-morrow I'll try to find someother place. Oh, dear, it's dreadful not to have any place at allto feel safe in." There were tears in her eyes.
Peter thought of the dear Old Briar-patch and how safe he always feltthere, and he felt a great pity for poor Mrs. Quack, who couldn'tfeel safe anywhere. And then right away he grew indignant that sheshould be so distrustful of Farmer Brown's boy, though if he hadstopped to think, he would have remembered that once he was justas distrustful.
"I should think," said Peter with a great deal of dignity, "thatyou might at least believe what Jerry Muskrat and I, who live hereall the time, tell you. We ought to know Farmer Brown's boy if anyone does, and we tell you that he won't harm a feather of you."
"He won't get the chance!" snapped Mrs. Quack.
Jerry Muskrat sniffed in disgust. "I don't doubt you have suffereda lot from men with terrible guns," said he, "but you don't supposePeter and I have lived as long as we have without learning a little,do you? I wouldn't trust many of those two-legged creatures myself,but Farmer Brown's boy is different. If all of them were like him,we wouldn't have a thing to fear from them. He has a heart. Yes,indeed, he has a heart. Now you take my advice and eat whatever hehas put there for you, be thankful, and stop worrying. Peter andI will keep watch and warn you if there is any danger."
I don't know as even this would have overcome Mrs. Quack's fearsif it hadn't been for the taste of that good corn in her mouth, andher empty stomach. She couldn't, she just couldn't resist these,and presently she was back among the rushes, hunting out the cornand wheat as fast as ever she could. When at last she could eat nomore, she felt so comfortable that somehow the Smiling Pool didn'tseem such a dangerous place after all, and she quite forgot FarmerBrown's boy. She found a snug hiding-place among the rushes toofar out from the bank for Reddy Fox to surprise her, and then witha sleepy "Good night" to Jerry and Peter, she tucked her head underher wing and soon was fast asleep.
Peter Rabbit tiptoed away, and then he hurried lipperty-lipperty-lipto the dear Old Briar-patch to tell Mrs. Peter all about Mrs. Quack.
IX
PETER RABBIT MAKES AN EARLY CALL
Peter Rabbit was so full of interest in Mrs. Quack and her troublesthat he was back at the Smiling Pool before Mr. Sun had kicked offhis rosy blankets and begun his daily climb up in the blue, bluesky. You see, he felt that he had heard only a part of Mrs. Quack'sstory, and he was dreadfully afraid that she would get away beforehe could hear the rest. With the first bit of daylight, Mrs. Quackswam out from her hiding-place among the brown rushes. It lookedto Peter as if she sat up on the end of her tail as she stretchedher neck and wings just as far as she could, and he wanted to laughright out. Then she quickly ducked her head under water two orthree times so that the water rolled down over her back, and againPeter wanted to laugh. But he didn't. He kept perfectly still. Mrs.Quack shook herself and then began to carefully dress her feathers.That is, she carefully put back in place every feather that hadbeen rumpled up. She took a great deal of time for this, for Mrs.Quack is very neat and tidy and takes the greatest pride in lookingas fine as she can.
Of course it was very impolite of Peter to watch her make hertoilet, but he didn't think of that. He didn't mean to be impolite.And then it was so interesting. "Huh!" said he to himself, "I don'tsee what any one wants to waste so much time on their clothes for."
You know Peter doesn't waste any time on his clothes. In fact,he doesn't seem to care a bit how he looks. He hasn't learned yetthat it always pays to be as neat and clean as possible and thatyou must think well of yourself if you want others to think wellof you.
When at last Mrs. Quack had taken a final shower bath and appearedsatisfied that she was looking her best, Peter opened his mouth toask her the questi
ons he was so full of, but closed it again as heremembered people are usually better natured when their stomachsare full, and Mrs. Quack had not yet breakfasted. So he waited aspatiently as he could, which wasn't patiently at all. At last Mrs.Quack finished her breakfast, and then she had to make her toiletall over again. Finally Peter hopped to the edge of the bank whereshe would see him.
"Good morning, Mrs. Quack," said he very politely. "I hope you hada good rest and are feeling very well this morning."
"Thank you," replied Mrs. Quack. "I'm feeling as well as could beexpected. In fact, I'm feeling better than I have felt for sometime in spite of the sore place made by that terrible gun yesterday.You see, I have had a good rest and two square meals, and theseare things I haven't had since goodness knows when. This is a verynice place. Let me see, what is it you call it?"
"The Smiling Pool," said Peter.
"That's a good name for it," returned Mrs. Quack. "If only I couldbe sure that none of those hunters would find me here, and if onlyMr. Quack were here, I would be content to stay a while." At themention of Mr. Quack, the eyes of Mrs. Quack suddenly filled withtears. Peter felt tears of sympathy in his own eyes.
"Where is Mr. Quack?" he asked.
"I don't know," sobbed Mrs. Quack. "I wish I did. I haven't seenhim since one of those terrible guns was fired at us over on theBig River yesterday morning a little while before Little Joe Ottertold me about the Smiling Pool. Ever since we started for our homein the far North, I have been fearing that something of this kindmight happen. I ought to be on my way there now, but what is theuse without Mr. Quack? Without him, I would be all alone up thereand wouldn't have any home."
The Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack Page 2
