had alarmed her. To be sure, she always stopped in a good place, like
the edge of Cedar Swamp, where she could duck out of sight if need be.

But this time Nimble's mother ran on and on without pausing.

"Haven't you forgotten something?" her son gasped after a while.

"Forgotten something? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Haven't you forgotten to stop?" Nimble inquired.

A queer look came over her face.

"I declare," she said, "I do believe I'd Have run all night if you
hadn't reminded me." She fell into a walk. And neither of them said
another word until they reached the swamp, which was one of his
mother's favorite hiding places. Then Nimble spoke again.

"I waved my flag too," he said proudly.

VIII

MRS. DEER EXPLAINS

For the first time in his life Nimble felt quite grown up. He forgot
that he had not yet lived a whole summer. He had made a suggestion to
his mother which she had promptly acted upon. It had never happened
before. And that was enough to cause him great pleasure.

Then there was something else that made Nimble believe himself to be a
person of some account: A strange affair had happened at the lake. He
had seen it all. He had taken part in it himself. Really it was no
wonder that he began to talk quite importantly.

"It was lucky I was with you," he remarked to his mother as they rested
amid the tangle of Cedar Swamp.

"It was lucky we weren't any further out in the lake," she exclaimed.
"If you hadn't been with me no doubt I'd have gone where the water was
much deeper. And that light would have caught me before I could have
reached the shore."

What his mother said made Nimble feel bigger than ever. He wasn't quite
sure what had happened back there, where they had been surprised while
eating water lilies. But he meant to find out, for he thought it would
make a good story to tell his friends.

"Would the moon have burnt us if it had hit us?" he inquired.

"What in the world are you talking about?" his mother asked him.

He looked puzzled at her question.

"Wasn't that the moon that lit up the lake along the shore?" he
demanded.

"Certainly not!" she replied.

"Didn't the moon fall into the water?" he asked.

"No, indeed!" his mother cried. She was astonished at his question.

Nimble was disappointed. He had thought he had a wonderful tale to tell.
And he couldn't understand yet why everything wasn't as he had supposed.

"I was sure the moon fell into the lake and