“That’s me and Curly-Tail, mother! We were the ones who didn’t laugh,” cried Fluffy. “But what do you s’pose she wants with us, mother?”
“I don’t know, but you had better go and see.”
The two little ducklings were not very anxious to do this. They felt very shy about going all alone down the river to make a visit.
“I’ll go,” said Squdge. “I don’t mind.”
“No indeed you won’t go,” said the mother. “You’ve been too naughty. Mrs. Muskrat doesn’t want to see any little duckling that has been as rude to her as you have been.” At last she told Fluffy and Curly-Tail that she herself would go part of the way with them.
She took them down within sight of the muskrat’s house, and then she sent them on alone.
Fluffy and Curly-Tail walked on very slowly, often stopping to look back at their mother as she stood there watching them.
“Will you knock when we get there, Curly-Tail?” asked Fluffy.
“No, you knock.”