teeth, but he could not reach around far enough.

Father Frog hopped up onto a big rock that was hanging right over the
creek. Pinkie Whiskers screamed and kicked some more, but it was of no
use.

"Oh, please put me down, Mr. Frog," begged Pinkie Whiskers.

"Indeed, I will not. You showed my son no mercy and now you cannot
expect me to show you any kindness," replied Father Frog.

"But he is back in the creek with his brothers and sisters now," said
Pinkie Whiskers.

"Yes, he is back home with a fish hook in his mouth and I will have a
hard time to get it out. Besides it was not you or your kindness that
put him back home. It was because I made you drop him," growled Father
Frog.

"What are you going to do to me?" cried Pinkie Whiskers.

"I am going to dump you into the water," replied Father Frog.

"Oh, mother! mother! father! father! help me! Come quick and help me!"
screamed Pinkie Whiskers.

Mother Gray and all of the others heard him scream and they ran as fast
as they could to his aid. Billy Jay could fly faster than the others
could run, and he flew as fast as he could, but even he was too late.

Right before their very eyes, Father Frog leaped into the creek with
Pinkie Whiskers on his back.

The last they saw of Pinkie Whiskers was his feet kicking the air and
his little red coat-tails flying.

Mother Gray threw herself down on the rock and sobbed, "My dear Pinkie
Whiskers, I will never see him again."

Winkle, Twinkle and Billy Jay all cried, too, but Father Gray blew his
nose and wiped a tear from his eye as Uncle Whiskers said, "That boy
will come back all safe and sound."

CHAPTER XI

When Pinkie Whiskers struck the water, he closed his mouth and his eyes
tight. He did not open his eyes until he felt Father Frog swimming
rapidly down the creek and he wondered where they were going.

He kicked and kicked, but the green reed held him so fast that he could
not free himself.

Father Frog swam on and on until they came to the mouth of the creek and
the creek flowed into a great, rushing river. Father Frog let loose of
the reed and as Pinkie Whiskers fell off from his back, said:

"Now, my little rat, you must take care of yourself. I am going home to
take your fish hook out of my poor little tadpole's mouth. Good-bye."

The water was so deep and it raced along so swiftly that Pinkie Whiskers
was very much frightened, but suddenly a beautiful, soft voice whispered
in his ear: