Still these yellow fuzz-balls had made up their minds that there was water somewhere in the world, and they meant to waddle, waddle, till they found it. Nobody had ever told them there was a pond in the garden; but they ran that way as fast as their web-feet could carry them. Their stepmother, Mrs. White, ran after, anxious to stop them; but the moment they saw the water they tried to go in. They could not climb up the wall. John took them in his hands, one by one, and dropped them into the pond.
Then they were happy. This was the very thing they had been dreaming about as they lay asleep in their egg-shell cribs!
But poor Polly! How frightened she was! How she flapped her wings and squawked! She thought her children had gone crazy; she was sure they would drown.
No, not they! They struck out their little feet like paddles, held up their heads, and rowed that pond as if they were giving lessons in swimming. The children all clapped their hands at the gay sight, and Jimmy cried,—
“Cheer, boys, cheer!”
After a little, Mrs. Polly grew calmer, and began to chuck again,—
“Those are my chickens; they’re all in the swim! See their new style of feet!”
Still she did not feel quite easy.
Just then Quon Wo, the Chinaman, drove along, calling out, “Sleet corn, cabbagee, spinney-gee.”