BUDDY JIM SEES MADAME MINK
'Twas a misty, moisty morning
And the big clouds overhead
Looked like balloons all weighted down
With tons and tons of lead,
The trees held up their dusty leaves
For a freshening drink of rain,
"It's plain to see," said Buddy Jim,
"It's going to rain again."
EVEN Robin Redbreast knew it, and sang his "cheer up" song from the topmost bough of the old elm tree, as much as to say, "What's a little wetting, anyway?" And the chickens knew it and went singing dolefully about because they didn't like wet weather; and Mother Duck and her twelve yellow ducklings knew it, and went about quacking merrily and looking happy because they did like it; and Buddy Jim knew it and didn't care either way; he liked the rain or he liked the shine. But first, he thought he would go and see what Old Bob the Gardener was doing.
He found Bob in the tool house, reeling up some fascinating-looking fishing lines.
Old Bob looked up as Buddy Jim entered, smiling in his cheery way, and the little boy thought that as long as Bob smiled that way he didn't care how much it rained.
"Like to go fishing with me, over to Long Lake, Son?" asked Bob. "I promised you I'd take you fishing some day, and this is going to be a good day for the fish to rise."
"Would I?" said Buddy Jim. "Thanks for asking me, Bob, and I'll be ready in no time."
"Be ready in half an hour from now," said Old Bob the Gardener, "and ask Mary the cook to put us up some lunch, because we shall be gone all day. I'll go and harness old Maud."
By the time that Old Bob the gardener was at the door with Maud and the buggy, Buddy Jim was ready.