Chapter III

Every day after that the rabbits went to visit Mrs. Duck.

But they did not tell the secret to any of their friends.

Then, one day, when the rabbits went to visit Mrs. Duck, she would not get off the nest.

"Quack, quack!" she said. "I can not let you see the eggs to-day. I you will come to-morrow I will show you what I have in my nest."

So the rabbits hopped away, leaving Mrs. Duck alone on her nest under the bushes.

The next morning, bright and early, the rabbits hopped along the little path.

They found Mrs. Duck still sitting in the nest.

They saw some little yellow heads peeping out from under her wings.

"Quack, quack!" she said. "See my ducks. They are the prettiest ducks you ever saw.

"And they have the brightest eyes in the world."

One little duck wriggled out from under her mother's wing and tried to stand on her little yellow feet.

But they were not strong yet.

"Come back, come back!" said Mrs. Duck. "You must stay in the nest until you are strong."

And the little duck wriggled back again under her mother's wing.

"We will come again to see your ducks," said Bunny.

After two or three days the three rabbits went back to see the little ducks.

There was nothing in the nest under the bushes but a few broken shells.

"Where can the ducks be?" said Bunny.

"Tweet, tweet!" sang the sparrow. "I saw Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks going to the barn."

"There they are now," sang another sparrow.

Bunny and Bobtail and Billy looked across the field.

They saw Mrs. Duck leading her family to the barnyard.

Mr. Rooster saw them coming.

He flapped his big wings and flew up on the fence.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he said. "See Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks."

The three rabbits watched the ducks until they were in the barnyard.

Then they hopped off to the woods to tell Mrs. Duck's secret to all their friends.

THE SWIMMING LESSON