the place where she
could best think quietly and get things straightened in her mind.

Sir Sooty had not seen her start off with her new family. He had said to
himself that he had lost so much rest all night that he must have a good
breakfast, and so, at the moment when Quackalina and the guineas slipped
around the stable to the cow-pond, he was actually floundering in the
very centre of one of the feed-troughs in the yard, and letting the
farmer turn the great mass of cooked "feed" all over him. Greedy ducks
often act that way. Even the snow-white Pekins do it. It is bad enough
any time, but on the great morning when one becomes a papa-duck he ought
to try to be dignified, and Sir Sooty knew it. And he knew full well
that events had been happening all night in the nest, and that was why
he said he had lost rest. But he hadn't. A great many people are like
Sir Sooty. They say they lose sleep when they don't.

But listen to what was taking place at the cow-pond, for it is this that
made this story seem worth the telling.

When Quackalina reached the pond, she flapped her tired wings three
times from pure gladness at the sight of the beautiful water. And then,
plunging in, she took one delightful dive before she turned to the
shore, and in the sweetest tones invited the little ones to follow her.

But they--

Well, they just looked down at their red satin boots and shook their
heads. And then it was that Quackalina noticed their feet, and saw that
they would never swim.

It was a great shock to her. She paddled along shore quite near them for
a while, trying to be resigned to it. And then she waddled out on the
grassy bank, and fed them with some newts, and a tadpole, and a few
blue-bottle flies, and a snail, and several other delicacies, which they
seemed to enjoy quite as much as if they had been young ducks. And then
Quackalina, seeing them quite happy, struck out for the very middle of
the pond. She would have one glorious outing, at least. Oh, how sweet
the water was! How it soothed the tender spots under her weary wings!
How it cooled her ears and her tired eyelids! And now--and now--and
now--as she dived and dipped and plunged--how it cheered and comforted
her heart! How faithfully it bore her on its cool bosom! For a few
minutes, in the simple joy of her bath, she even forgot to be sorrowful.

And now comes the dear part of the troublous tale of this little black
mother-duck--the part that is so pleasant t