“Well, I did not intend to,” he said. “The electric fan that goes around whizzie-izze, and makes me sail through the clouds, is broken, and I shall have to have it mended. So I am not going in the airship to-day. Was there anything you wanted me to do for you?”
“Why, yes, there was,” replied the muskrat lady, as she looked at the end of her tail, to see if it needed dusting. But it did not, I am glad to say. “I wish you would bring me a yeast cake from the store if you are near there. I am going to bake bread,” said Nurse Jane.
“Most gladly will I bring you a yeast cake,” spoke Uncle Wiggily, with a low and polite bow. “Only I will walk after it, instead of going in my airship. And, while I am out walking, instead of airshipping, I will look for an adventure also.”
“Very good,” answered Nurse Jane, as she carried the butter out in the hammock where it could swing and keep cool.
So Uncle Wiggily started off after the yeast cake and anything else he might find. At first he went along slowly, and then he hurried along a little faster, and pretty soon, as he came to a beautiful white lily, he heard a voice sadly saying:
“Oh, dear! What shall I do? I cannot fly after honey, and I shall surely die! Oh, woe is me!”
“Ha! Some one in trouble, I imagine!” Uncle Wiggily cried, as he looked all about. But he could see no one. Still he again heard the voice saying:
“Oh, how I suffer! If only some one would help me!”
“I will help you,” said Uncle Wiggily, “only I cannot see you. Where are you, if you please?”
“Look in the lily!” went on the sad voice, and, looking, Uncle Wiggily saw within the flower, which was like a little house, a poor butterfly, with a broken wing.