woods, which were very fine that day, and they
felt the nice, warm, brown earth on their yellow feet, and it was almost
as good as going in the water. Pretty soon, just after they had passed
under a buttonball tree, the ducklings heard a noise, and who should run
out from under a bush but little Sister Sallie. You remember her, I hope;
Sister Sallie, who was named after Lolly-pop-Lally, and who lived with
Johnnie and Billie Bushytail.

"Why, Sister Sallie!" cried Lulu Wibblewobble, "where are you going this
bright, beautiful, sunshiny day?"

"I'm going for the doctor," answered Sister Sallie.

"Are you sick?" inquired Jimmie. "You don't look so."

"No, it's Billie Bushytail," said the little girl squirrel. "He is quite
ill, and I am going for Dr. Possum. Billie has a fever and headache, and
he snuffles something terrible. His papa and mamma are quite worried
about him. Isn't it terrible to be sick?"

"I don't know," answered Jimmie, "for I was never sick."

"I was once," remarked Alice, "and it is not nice, I do assure you.
Suppose we go call on Billie Bushytail Maybe we could cheer him up."

"I think that would be lovely," spoke Sister Sallie. "You go see him,
while I hurry for the doctor."

So the three Wibblewobble children walked on through the pleasant woods,
until they came to the place where the Bushytail family had moved. Their
home was now in a hollow stump, close to the ground, and there was a
fallen tree leading up to it, just like a plank over the brook, so the
ducks could easily walk up it. They went right to the front door, and
Jimmie knocked with his strong, yellow bill. Mrs. Bushytail opened the
door, and when she saw the little ducklings, she said:

"Oh, my dears! Do not come too near, for we don't know what disease Billie
may have. I would not want you to catch it."

"Oh, we are not afraid," spoke Jimmie. "But we will not come too near. We
were out walking in the woods, and we met little Sister Sallie. We came to
call on Billie, and cheer him up."

"That is very kind of you," said Mamma Bushytail. "The poor little fellow
is quite miserable. I put his feet in hot mustard water, and gave him some
Jamaica ginger, and he is now in bed. I fear he has the epizootic, which
is a very dreadful disease."

"Oh, I hope not!" exclaimed Alice, kindly. "Perhaps he only has the pip,
which is not nearly so bad."

"Perhaps," answered Mamma Bushytail. "I have sent Johnnie for some
quinine, and that may hel