“Where are you going?” Nibble wanted to know. He felt sorry to lose them.
Bob stood up and flapped his wings to feel the air. “East or west,” he answered. “This wind is north. And it’s very strong. We couldn’t go far against it and if we went south it would tip up our tails and send us tumbling. But if we fly across it will lift us and help us along.” He took a little trial trip. Then he settled beside Nibble again. “West,” he said, “to the deepest woods. There’s a smell of weather. Come on. Whit! Whit! Good-bye, Nibble.” And they whirred away before Nibble could ask what Bob meant.
Nibble darted into the first shock he came to
CHAPTER IV
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FOLKS LOSE THEIR TEMPERS
Nibble found out pretty soon what “a smell of weather” meant. When he went down to the Pond for a drink he saw a family of ducks. Some of them were paddling around and some had gone to sleep on shore in the sun. He spoke to one who had a beautiful green head and shiny blue feathers in his wings. “Good morning,” he said timidly.
“Eh? What?” quacked the duck in his hoarse voice, ruffling his feathers angrily. “Oh, a rabbit. Good morning.”
“Slyfoot the Mink lives here,” warned Nibble. “You might be caught before you know.”
“Thank you,” said the duck “we’re going South in half an hour.”
“Won’t the wind tip you?” Nibble meant to be kind.