“Now, little tadpole, I am surely going to take you home with me, but I will not put you in the glass. I will fry you and eat you for my breakfast.”
The poor little tadpole was so frightened that he screamed, “Help! help! help!”
Now Father Frog had gone back on the shore to stretch himself in the sunshine and to see what he could find to eat.
He was returning to the creek when he heard his son call for help. He was very much frightened for he knew that the tadpole could not get up onto the rocks himself and yet the call for help came from the rocks.
Father Frog hopped as fast as he could, but his heart beat so wildly that he could not jump very far at a time.
When he reached the creek he stopped a moment to look and what he saw struck him with such horror that he could not move. His legs would not work.
About this same time Mother Gray went to give Pinkie Whiskers another piece of bread and cheese. To her surprise he was nowhere to be seen. She called and called, but Pinkie Whiskers was too far away to hear.
“Father Gray, you must go and find Pinkie Whiskers,” she cried. “Run as fast as you can. I am afraid that he is in trouble or mischief.”
“Now, now,” said Uncle Whiskers, “you worry too much about Pinkie Whiskers. He is a fine, big boy and can take care of himself.”
“That may be true but I am going to find him now,” said Mother Gray as she ran for the creek.