“O, what beautiful little things!” said Royal. “I wish I had a duck.”
“I didn’t know that Mary Jay had any ducks,” said Lucy.
Some of the ducks were nearly black, and some were yellow; they were all covered with a silky down, instead of feathers, with a little tuft on each side, in the place of wings. Their little web feet were, however, perfectly formed, and were smooth and glossy. Lucy saw one very plainly, when one of the ducks was running on the bank.
After some time, the children left the pond and the ducks, and went up to the house again; and then Lucy got into the chaise with Royal, and rode away. They rode about two miles, when Royal did his errand, and then they returned home. Royal left Lucy at her school again, as there was some more school time yet left; and, besides, Lucy wanted to ask Mary Jay something about the ducks.
When she came into the school-room, however, Mary Jay said to her,—
“Well, Lucy, have you had a pleasant ride?”
“Yes,” said Lucy, “we went over the bridge, and——”
Lucy was going on to describe her ride, but Mary Jay said that it was her study hours, and that she had better sit right down to her studies, and when she had finished her lesson, then she should like very much to hear about her ride.
“You see,” continued Mary Jay, “that it will be better for us not to lose any more time than is necessary, when you go away to ride; for then your father, when he finds it doesn’t make much interruption, will let you go the oftener.”
Lucy accordingly sat down at once to her work, and studied industriously upon her spelling lesson, until the time had expired. Then she told Mary Jay about her ride, and afterwards asked her about the ducks.