down, for all the world like a lot of boys in swimming--but how
they could swim! You'd give your eye teeth to swim like they could."

"Bet your boots, Uncle Andy," agreed the Babe enthusiastically.
"Specially _these_ teeth, 'cause they're my first, and I'll lose 'em
soon, anyway."

"Huh!" grunted Uncle Andy, looking at him suspiciously. "But, as I was
saying, the Water Babies _could swim_. They were no match for Dagger
Bill, however, who was quicker than a fish. And when Dagger Bill took
to hunting Water Babies, it was no longer safe for them to play far
from home. They would get themselves well nipped by their relations, I
can tell you, whenever they went outside the little patch of shallow
water between the house and the bank.

"Now the sharpness of Dagger Bill's eyes was something terrible. From
away across the lake, where no muskrat could see him at all, _he_ could
see the ripple made by the brown nose of the littlest muskrat swimming.
So one day, when the Water Babies were playing tag in what was really,
you know, nothing more nor less than their own back yard, he saw the
swift ripples and splashes crossing and recrossing--and he laughed!
_You_ know how he laughed.

"And when the muskrats heard that wild laughter, they bobbed up their
furry heads, those in the water; and those on land sat up like
squirrels to listen, and all were as delighted as possible because the
sound was so very far away! Then the Water Babies all began to play
about as boldly as you please, because they knew Dagger Bill was away
over at the other side of the lake.

"But do you suppose he really was?

"Not much! The moment he was done laughing he dived, and swam as hard
as he could straight across the lake, under water. He swam and he
swam, a sharp, black-and-white wedge rushing through the golden deep,
as long as he could hold his breath. When he could not hold it a
moment longer he came up, stuck his bill just above water, took a long
breath, and dived again. He was halfway across the lake when he came
up that time. Next time he was _all_ the way across; but, being very
cunning indeed, he came up under a grassy bank, where his black bill
was hidden among the stems.

"He was not more than twenty paces now from the place where the Water
Babies were splashing and racing and squeaking, and having such a good
time on the smooth, sunny water, under the blue, blue sky. They were
very happy. Dagger Bill sank back into the deep