Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-22
CHAPTER I
4 Strange Mall Carrier

CHAPTER
> A Strange Mali Carrier
rSAcK and Janet were mapping in the
n..., Woods. They had ridden
ronies, Trixie and Topsy, up and
u ths forest paths until they were
Sd %..d They had stopped to rest on =
u.so es. hank, and before they knew 1t
~ u%.,.;s and Topsy liked that. for they
~ .,own hungry and much preferred
Ss,ss ihe tender grass TO racing through
HE,,shes. The ponies at very quiet.
Ehnweyer. 10 they would not awaken
Jsck and Janet had stayed awake.
-. soon would have heard little
uCs,,,,ns ~, among the dried leaves. Then.
nhsy had looked. they would have
~. = four legged chap slowly waddling
s~srd them, stopping every little way
= rest or look about him.
Ne. lack and Janet were sound
..issn, M they neither heard nor saw.
's'Th Ths four Legged chap waddled straight
-. until he came to Jack and Janet.
s'U. .,. he stopped short. for Jack was
I.s. In his path. The four legged
.Ssn might have gone around the chill.
Guy Guy I hat that would have been longer
alsn going over them. So the four
is.sed chap went ahead. climbing up
banpencd that Jack was wearing
.hin waist. It also happened that the
s.ur legged chap had claws at the tip
..Sh;. ,ssthcry feet. These claws tickled
y.sh through his thin waist.
The tickling made Jack squirm. Then
u made him gigglc. Then Jack bounced
out OF bis sleep. ,
Tbe bounce hurled the four. legged
.hsn m ton of Janet. She sat up with
s,srt. and the four legged chap was
s.rt living to the mossy bank. There
(. i,y f]at on his back without moving.
III. four less had vanished and 40 had
NS beod. He seemed changed into a
"What tickled me?" cried Jack.
"Whst hit me?" exclaimed Janet.
Sfs some one throwing stones?'
Jack looked around. He noticed the
Arr legged chan. Here ID A queer.
icokiur stone. Perhaps some one threw
Il at u.s.
J,net bent over to examine the stone.
but quickly jumped back. ut 10 alive,
ne squealed.
Jack stared at her and at the stone.
"How can a stone be alive?" he de-.
manded. poking at 1t with q stick.
Euddenly the four footed chaps head
Sarted out and a powerful beak grab.
hed The stick. Jack in his surprise gave
4 Jerk. The jerk turned the four leg :
red chap right side up. Then Jack and
Janet knew him.
"Jim in .e.ty. 1t is a turtle" cried
ITO be sure I am a turtle" snapped
The four legged chap. II am Mr.. Stick .
in.the. Mud Turtle. IL you please. Good
by.' Mr.. Stick in -the.M Mud Turtle
started of as fast as his four leathery
less would carry him--which wasn't
very fast. at that. Jack and Janet
easily could keep up with him.
',Why are you in such a hurry!
asked Janet.
Stick. in thu. Mud Turtle stopped
10 rest "I am mail carrier he re.
Piled. land I have a letter to deliver y
Jack and Janet stared at him in as.
tonishment. He didn't look like any
mail carrier they ever had seen.
Where Is your letter." asked Jack
I'm the pouch in my back where Is
belonss,'' snapped Stick in. the Mud
Turtle. Jack and Janet couldn't see any
sisn Of q letter pouch. Then they no .
tced bulge on Stick in the Mud Tur.
ties back. 4 closer look showed then,
that what they thought was the outside
Of his she'll wasn't shell at all. 1t was
rubber covering that fitted tightly over
the shell. The letter was between this
covering and the shell.
Where is your letter going?" asked
Janet.
That is a long story" said Stick in
the.Mud Turtle. 1T is a story about
two sweethearts-Bashful Boy and
Beautiful Girl. Would you like to hear
~!
To be sure Jack and Janet would like
70 her it. So Stick in the. Mud Turtle
lighted his pipe and sat down to tell
them the story.
The story that Stick. In tho. Mud
IL ~v~ysn L.. - -