with long pieces of ribbon
grass, they bound the cloth on the rooster's claws so his feet looked
something like a duck's.

"Now come on and we'll have a swimming race," suggested Jimmie. "Walk
right down into the water as we do. It won't hurt you the least bit, Mr.
Doodle."

"Pooh! Do you think I'm afraid?" inquired Mr. Doodle, and he actually did
walk right into the water, while all the ducks and chickens and geese
looked on in wonder, for they had never seen the rooster swim, and didn't
believe he could. Oh, but Mr. Doodle was proud! He even tried to crow as
he stepped into the water, but, as he wasn't used to it, it made his
breath feel just as if it were choking him when he tried to swallow.

Yes, he tried to crow, but all the noise he could make was a sort of a
gasp and a sigh and a cough and a splutter and a sneeze and choke and a
whimper.

"Ha! Aha! Ahem! Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho I will now swim" cried the rooster, and
then the water got so deep that he couldn't wade any more, and he had to
float. He struck out with his feet, and tried to paddle just as he saw
Lulu and Alice and Jimmie doing, but a very funny thing happened.

The rooster went right around in a circle, for he only used one leg at a
time. Then he got dizzy, and went around the other way. Then he had to
stop. Next he flapped his wings and splashed the water all over.

Say, I wish you could have seen him. It was as good as a circus! He got
his tail all wet, and his back got all wet, and, as his feathers weren't
the kind that water runs off from, he was soon as soaked as your umbrella
ever was. That made him heavy and he began to sink. Oh, how he splashed
and spluttered around in that pond! He couldn't swim any more than my
typewriter can, and, all at once, what do you suppose happened?

Why, he felt himself sinking more and more and more. Oh, it was terrible!

"Save me! Oh, save me!" Mr. Doodle cried. "I am going down! Help me,
please! Help! Help! Help!"

Then the duck children felt sorry, and swam to him as fast as they could.
Each one took hold of that poor rooster; Lulu and Alice by a wing, and
Jimmie by the rooster's tail, and they towed him to shore. Oh, but he was
a sorry looking sight! He couldn't even crow, nor flap his wings.

"I thought you said you could swim," spoke Jimmie.

"Hush!" begged Alice, who was very kind-hearted. "Don't be casting up!
Don't make him feel bad."

"Oh, I feel bad enough without that," said Mr. Doodle, sighing. "