lt. If it had been the pond of
Paddy the Beaver instead of the Big River, they would have thought it
was Paddy swimming with a branch for his winter food pile. But Paddy the
Beaver was way back in his own pond, deep in the Green Forest, and they
knew it. So this thing became more and more of a mystery. The nearer it
came, the more nervous and anxious they grew, and at the same time the
greater became their curiosity.

At last Mr. Quack felt that not even to gratify his curiosity would it
be safe to wait longer. He prepared to spring into the air, knowing that
Mrs. Quack would follow him. It was just then that a funny little sound
reached him. It was half snort, half cough, as if some one had sniffed
some water up his nose. There was something familiar about that sound.
Mr. Quack decided to wait a few minutes longer.

"I'll wait," thought Mr. Quack, "until that thing, whatever it is, comes
out of those Black Shadows into the moonlight. Somehow I have a feeling
that we are in no danger."

So Mr. and Mrs. Quack waited and watched. In a few minutes the thing
that looked like the branch of a tree came out of the Black Shadows into
the moonlight, and then the mystery was solved. It was a mystery no
longer. They saw that they had mistaken the antlers of Lightfoot the
Deer for the branch of a tree. Lightfoot was swimming across the Big
River on his way back to his home in the Green Forest. At once Mr. and
Mrs. Quack swam out to meet him and to tell him how glad they were that
he was alive and safe.

CHAPTER XXXI

A SURPRISING DISCOVERY

Probably there was no happier Thanksgiving in all the Great World than
the Thanksgiving of Lightfoot the Deer, when the dreadful hunting season
ended and he was once more back in his beloved Green Forest with nothing
to fear. All his neighbors called on him to tell him how glad they were
that he had escaped and how the Green Forest would not have been the
same if he had not returned. So Lightfoot roamed about without fear and
was happy. It seemed to him that he could not be happier. There was
plenty to eat and that blessed feeling of nothing to fear. What more
could any one ask? He began to grow sleek and fat and handsomer than
ever. The days were growing colder and the frosty air made him feel
good.

Just at dusk one evening he went down to his favorite drinking place at
the Laughing Brook. As he put down his head to drink he saw something
which so surprised him that he quite f