Mother Gray and all of the others heard him scream and they ran as fast as they could to his aid. Billy Jay could fly faster than the others could run, and he flew as fast as he could, but even he was too late.
Right before their very eyes, Father Frog leaped into the creek with Pinkie Whiskers on his back.
The last they saw of Pinkie Whiskers was his feet kicking the air and his little red coat-tails flying.
Mother Gray threw herself down on the rock and sobbed, “My dear Pinkie Whiskers, I will never see him again.”
Winkle, Twinkle and Billy Jay all cried, too, but Father Gray blew his nose and wiped a tear from his eye as Uncle Whiskers said, “That boy will come back all safe and sound.”
CHAPTER XI
WHEN Pinkie Whiskers struck the water, he closed his mouth and his eyes tight. He did not open his eyes until he felt Father Frog swimming rapidly down the creek and he wondered where they were going.
He kicked and kicked, but the green reed held him so fast that he could not free himself.
Father Frog swam on and on until they came to the mouth of the creek and the creek flowed into a great, rushing river. Father Frog let loose of the reed and as Pinkie Whiskers fell off from his back, said:
“Now, my little rat, you must take care of yourself. I am going home to take your fish hook out of my poor little tadpole’s mouth. Good-bye.”