"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."
The ducklings did as they were bid,
And found the plan so good
That from that day the other fowls
Got hardly any food.
"My, but she's a wise old duck," said Puss to himself with a grin.