"But I don't care—I got on my old clothes," Chot said. "Now let him bring back my club, Rick."
It was Chot's turn to toss a piece of wood into the water, and Ruddy brought that back as quickly as he had brought one back for his master.
Down the river, walking along the bank, the boys hurried toward Silver Lake, and, as it happened, there were a number of ducks feeding at the place where the two bodies of water came together. The ducks belonged to a man who lived near by.
"Bow-wow!" barked Ruddy, as soon as he saw the ducks. "Bow wow!"
Somehow away back in his head was a desire to chase these ducks. Other dogs in Ruddy's family had always raced thus after birds; for he was a setter, or dog that is often used in hunting. And, though Ruddy had never gone hunting, feeling too young up to now, he knew just how to do it. Chasing the cat had been one kind of a hunt, and now here were a lot of queer birds that looked just as if they needed chasing. That would be another hunt.
And so into the water sprang Ruddy, and straight for the tame ducks he rushed, splashing his way along.
"Say, he sure is a smart hunter dog!" cried Chot.
"Yes, but if he chases these tame ducks my mother won't let me keep him," said Rick. "Come on back here, Ruddy! Come back!" he called to his dog. "Leave the ducks alone!"
But Ruddy was too excited over the chase to mind just then. With joyous, eager barks he splashed into the water, and the ducks, though tame, did just what any wild ducks would have done. They scattered with many loud quackings, some even flying, they were so frightened; though a tame duck can not easily use its wings much. But some of these ducks flew up and out of the way.
"Come back here! Come back!" yelled Rick.