Show I e ti Stories ies THE LITTLE MUSKRATS SEE A GREAT SWIMMER By Thornton W Burgess D By observation you may learn And pass tho the knowledge on In turn Old Old Mother Nature Knowledge is made up of cf a great many observations the tho ob ob ot of o a great many people If people observe didn't-observe didn't observe watch you YOI know means to see se things with understanding thero would ho very vry little knowledge Much of training ot of the little of the Green Meadows and Green Forest the tb Laughing Brook Drook and the Smiling Pool fa 13 through ob oh observation of o father and mother and anel what th they y do and ot of other things thinS's Jerry Muskrats Muskrat's children took to swimmIng as naturally as most little people take tak to walking They didn't have to learn how bow to swim That Is to say they didn't have hayo to toc earn rn to get about In la tho the water They did have hav to learn by now to swim well Mother Musk rat Musk rat was very vel particular about this thle I swimming Many times when whon they I thought they were Just lust swimming about for tor tun fun they really were be In be-In tog n trained how to swim rapidly and well ell Watch your father Cather swIm wlm across the Smiling Pool Mother Musk Musk- Muskrat Musk rai rat rat would say Then Jerry Musk rat rat woul would dive divo from the th DIg Big Rack hock and swim wlm clear across the tho tb Smiling Pool under water while the seven tWo Muskrats t look looked d o on t In dy I suppose Fath Father li Ii the tho e best swimmer in lu all the Great World sad kraal one Mao on sot ot at the little c a Muskrats Mother Muskrat ru shook her head bead d Noo o No-o fo o said she alte lo why ho he ho Is s a aver aver vcr ver good food swimmer but he Isn't i the be bent beat t swimmer In la all the Great World Who Is 1 a 1 better swimmer demanded another little litti Muskrat Well Nell I think that probably Dilly Billy Slink Mink 1 la is a a n better swimmer I am sure sur your father la is a better diver declared d cl Mrs Irs Mr Musk rat Musk rat I should like to see tea him swim said uld another little Muskrat You probably will have hav have II a III chance my dear replied Mother Moth r I f r Who Is I a better swimmer de- de demand de demanded mand d another little Muskrat Il Muskrat But Dut I warn you right now to keep out of o tight lIght I am afraid that Billy Dilly Slink Mink might bo be tempted to try tender young Musk Musk- Muskrat rut Musk rat for tor or dinner Ho Ile Is a wonderful swimmer but there thero Is 1 another who nho is la better Who cried all the th little I Muskrats together I Mother Muskrat opened hell hot mouth and suddenly c closed It again a without saying anything She made madea a sign for them to keep perfectly still till which they all did rout Out of o the h Laughing Brook Drook Into the Smil Smil- Smiling inc Smil-inc Ing Pool came camo cam a round brown head moving swiftly Suddenly It dla- dla dia dl appeared All AU the th little Muskrats hell their breath Then out In fu Inthe the middle mi of ot tho the Smiling Pool ap appeared 9 that head a again aID and In tho oath was a fish I h Straight to the Rig Rock nock swam the fisherman and climbed out our out on It I The rho seven teven little Muskrats with iv their thell tl oh air little eyes seeming to pop tight light out of ot their little litti heads star ad nt lit this coated brown-coated fisherman Never had they seen anyone any one on o oh h rt Ills body tody was long lone his l legs were short and his tall tail was of good length tapering and covered with hair They noticed this right gway tw y because you know their own tan tails aro are almost bare lawn the til Muskrats watched tho the brown fisherman liS as asbe he be sat on the th DIg Big Rock Hock eating the best pOI ot of that thit fish lie He oat cat the tho whole fish but only very best part Then he dived Into the tho water smoothly and easily ane Poona ld shot h u cross tho the Smiling Pool Brood kown down the Laughing Brook Pow loll It c eves Smiling Pooh l lo au o errs nivi Its III waya way to the Dig Big Who tilt awe was a It InquIred all the he little Musk Muskrats rata together Jt It t was wan the tio greatest swimmer it was w s Little Joe Jo Otter replied i Mother ther Muskrat lie He II can swIm taster faster than a II fish A Muskrat Is IspIa pIa slow beside be lda him When you OU see hIm lust Just keep kep out out of o his way said gald all the tho little Slush Musk lain 11 Copyright 1926 by T W Bur Bur- goes lOell Tho The next story The Tho Price Pric of Curiosity 00 |