o if you want to learn to fly."

Timothy Turtle seemed to think that the chance was too good a one to
lose.

"I accept your offer," he shouted. "And I'll start downstream this very
moment."

VII

LEARNING TO FLY

Timothy Turtle reached the overhanging bluff in a surprisingly short
time. But it must be remembered that he did not walk there on land, but
swam down Black Creek with the current. When he crawled out upon the
bank he was glad to see that old Mr. Crow was waiting for him, on a pine
stump that stood near the water.

He failed utterly to notice that Mr. Crow was not alone. Hidden in all
sorts of places were as many as a dozen of Mr. Crow's friends. For the
old gentleman had invited his cousin, Jasper Jay, to come to the bluff
"to enjoy the fun," as he expressed it.

"But don't let Timothy Turtle see you!" Mr. Crow had warned Jasper. "At
least, don't let him know you're there until after he has jumped off the
big rock."

Jasper Jay had given his solemn promise.

"And don't let him hear you, either," Mr. Crow had said. And Jasper had
agreed to that, too, although he said that it might be a hard thing to
do.

Well, Timothy Turtle crawled out upon the bank and took a long look at
the high bluff above him, from which the great rock hung over the water
of the creek.

"I believe----" he said to old Mr. Crow--"I believe I'd better wait till
to-morrow before I try to fly. I've just had a long swim, you know. And
I want to feel fresh when I take my first lesson."

"Nonsense!" Mr. Crow exclaimed. "Everything's all ready. You're not too
tired, are you, to climb to the top of the bluff?"

"No," Timothy Turtle admitted.

"Then you've no reason for waiting," Mr. Crow assured him. "Coming down
will be much easier than going up."

"I dare say that's true," Timothy remarked. "But I don't quite like to
think about this business of flying."

"Then you certainly ought not to wait any longer," Mr. Crow urged him.
"For the longer you wait the more time you'll have to think."

That appeared to Timothy Turtle to be a good bit of advice. And yet he
still seemed uneasy.

"There's just one thing that troubles me," he confessed. "After I've
jumped from the rock I might find that I couldn't fly. And I'd get a
bad fall."

"But you'd land in the water," Mr. Crow reminded him. "And that would be
much better than falling on the land.... I don't need to tell you," he
added, "that water is soft. And you're a fine