Well, Percival took a rope in his mouth and started to swim out, but a funny thing happened.  The water got in his mouth and washed the rope away, and he couldn’t carry it, though he tried a number of times.

Then everybody felt sorry, and Jackie Bow Wow was just suggesting that they build a raft and float out on it to Buddy, when who should come along but Jimmie Wibblewobble, the boy duck.  They all told him what the trouble was, and he said, “Quack!  Quack!  Quack!” three times, just like that, and exclaimed: 

“I have it!  I can swim out with the rope in my bill, for my head will be above the water.”

He did it too, in about two quacks and a quarter.  Then he helped Buddy fasten the rope to the side of the boat, and those on land, including Percival, the two Bow Wows and Mamma Pigg and Brighteyes, soon pulled the boat and Buddy in it ashore.

Buddy said he was never going sailing again, and I guess he never did, for he was very much frightened, but he soon got over it and played with Jimmie and Jackie and Peetie, while Mamma Pigg had to go home to take something for her nerves.

Now, if I have rhubarb pie for supper, and the ham sandwich doesn’t squeal when they put mustard on it, I’ll tell you about Brighteyes and the peanut candy in the next story.

STORY XIV

BRIGHTEYES AND THE PEANUT CANDY

It happened, once upon a time, that Brighteyes and Buddy Pigg were walking through the woods together, not far from their home.  They had been over to see Sammie and Susie Littletail, and they had had a very nice time.  In fact, there had been a little party at the Littletail home.

It was Sammie’s or Susie’s birthday, I forget just whose, and after games had been played, there were good things to eat; nuts of various kinds for the squirrels who came; candy, lemonade, ice cream flavored with turnips and carrots, and oh! lots of cake, and I don’t know what else besides.  There was so much that Buddy and Brighteyes couldn’t eat all their share, and they were bringing it home to their papa and mamma.

Well, as they were walking along, thinking what a good time they had had, the two guinea pig children heard a rustling sound in the bushes, and two big, round, staring eyes peered out at them, and there was a noise like a dog growling.

“Oh, quick!  Hurry up, Buddy!” cried Brighteyes.  “Something will catch us sure!” and she began to run as fast as fast could be, or even faster, maybe.

“Oh, I don’t think it’s anything but old Percival, the circus dog,” said Buddy.  “He won’t hurt us.”

And he was going to stand still and look in those bushes; yes, sir, that’s what Buddy was going to do, only he happened to see a big, bushy tail sticking out, and then he knew it was a bad fox there, and not the good, kind dog, so Buddy ran as fast as he could run, if not faster, right after Brighteyes.