Evening star., 1943-07-08
Bedtime Stories
Bv THORNTON w. BURGEI

moonlight, which Peter knew wa.
really no shadow at all but Hooty
the Owl, turned and passed ovel
Paddy so low that it seemed almost
to touch Paddy.
You mind your own affairs and
stop spelling my hunting" hissec
Hooty. Il won't stand it." He
snapped his beak in way that
made Peter Rabbit tremble, for Pc.
ter was near enough to hear, though
you may be sure he was holding his
breath and taking care not to make
the teeniest sound Peter was very
thankful that Hooty had no such
sense of smell as had Paddy.
When Hooty had finally disap-
peared Paddy rejoined Peter and
Paddy was chuckling.
"Hooty grows shorter tempered
every night" said he. Ever since
he found out that Mr.. and Mrs
Quack were making their home here
and have whole family of little
Quacks he has done his best to
catch one of them. / suspect he
dreams all day about q Duck dinner
at night, but so far he hasn't had
one, and he won't get one If 1 can
help it. Mr.. and Mrs. Quack are
old friends and I'm too proud and
pleased to have them make their
home in my pond to let anything
happen to them if l can help it.
They learned long ago to be on the
watch for danger whenever they
hear me slap the water with my
tail. and they've taught all the
little quacks the same thing. So
when they hear the sound of that
slap they wake up with all their
wits working all ready to dive under
water the instant they see Hooty,
and they are looking for him with
all their eyes. 1t may be kind of
hard on Hooty to have me spoil his
chances for good dinner that way,
but this is my pond and l don't
intend to have any trouble or sad
ness here if I can help it."
II suppose the little Quacks have
grown some Peter ventured.
Pacdy chuckled. "A little, Peter.
just little" he replied. You ought
to see them before you go back.
When did YOU see them last?"
Just after they were Matched.
They were funny little fuzzy things ~
SAID Peter. L suppose they have
got some feathers now"
Yes" Paddy returned. They
have a few feathers, just a few"
He chuckled again and Peter Won
dered why They are very likely
looking youngsters and Mr.. and
Mrs. Quack are very proud of them -
Where are they now?" asked Pc
ter. staring out on the pond.
That's telling" replied Paddy.
That's secret. But if you will
wait right here until daylight I
promise you a sight worth seeing"
L promised Mrs. Peter to be home
early" replied Peter.
That is all right" replied Paddy.
The Quack family are early risers.
They will be out before jolly, round
Mr.. Sun has kicked off his bed
clothes. You can see them and then
if your legs are as good as they
used to be you can get back to the
dear Old Brier Patch before most
people have got the sleep winks out
of their eyes"
So Peter stayed He knew he
ought not to but he did. You see,
he wanted so very much to see the
Quack family. Paddy stayed with
him to keep him company and they
had so much to talk about that
time fairly flew. The Black Shad-
oWs were just beginning to leave
the pond of Paddy the Beaver when
from the far side a low "Quack.
Quack" reached Peter. He looked
eagerly in the direction from which
the sound had come. Presently he
saw black form moving out where
it was lighter. He knew that it was
Mr. Quack Behind him was an
other and this he knew was Mrs.
Quack. And then there followed
another and another and another
until Peter had counted 10 Ducks
almost as big as Mr.. and Mrs.
Quack. He gave funny little gasp.
Where did they come from?" he
demanded Did they come up
from the sunny South to join Mr..
and Mrs. Quack? And where are
the little Quacks?"
Paddy laughed right out. Those
are the little Quacks. only they are
not little any longer" he said. Isn't
that family to be proud Of? And
did you ever see any youngsters
grow like those young Quacks?"
Peter allowed that he never did
In fact. he couldn't believe that
those 10 Ducks following Mr.. and
Mrs Quack were really the same
funny little fuzzy babies he had seen
a few weeks before, and he wouldn't
believe it until Mr.. Quack led them
all over to where he was sitting and
introduced his family. Then Peter
Nod IN holioro