s. Duck.
Splash, splash! and in they go.

"I wish I could swim," cried Puss; "it looks like great sport!"

HOW TO BE A DUCK

"LET me swim first," said old Mrs. Duck,
"To this side, now to that;
There, snap at those great brown-winged flies,
They make young ducklings fat."

"See who can swim the fastest," cried Puss. "Why don't you have a race?"
The nine little ducklings stopped.

"Line up in a row," cried Puss, "and when I cry 'Go!' swim as fast as
you can, and the one who reaches this bank first wins. I'll give a
bright penny to the winner."

All the ducklings arranged themselves in a row, and when Puss cried
"One, two, three, go!" they paddled away as hard as they could. Back and
forth went their little yellow feet. Such a splashing! Nearer and nearer
they came. One little duck flapped his wings upon the water and in this
way managed to get ahead. He was the first to land.

"Here is your penny," cried Puss.

"What can I do with it, mother?" he asked.

"You can get a stick of candy to-morrow," replied his mother. "Not this
afternoon, for it is time now to go home to the farm.

"Now when you reach the poultry yard
The hen-wife, Molly Head,
Will feed you with the other fowls
On bran and mashed-up bread."

Mrs. Duck came out of the water and shook herself well, sending quite a
shower of water in little drops all about her. Puss jumped back to avoid
a shower bath. The ducklings stood up on their toes and flapped their
small wings. Then off they all went, Mrs. Duck in the lead. Puss
followed behind, taking care not to step on the yellow toes of the last
duckling.

As they neared the barnyard Mrs. Duck turned and said:

"The hens will peck and fight, but mind,
I hope that all of you
Will gobble up the food as fast
As well bred ducks should do."

The woman who took care of the poultry yard was already there. From a
well filled pan she was scattering handfuls of corn in all directions.
There were a great many chickens, who darted hither and thither, picking
up the grains of corn. When the corn was all gone she set down a dish of
food. No sooner had she done this than Mrs. Duck exclaimed:

"You'd better get into the dish
Unless it is too small;
In that case, I should use my foot
And overturn it all."