Part 2

After the meal was over, the ducklings told all the adventures that had happened to them. Uncle Daffy hopped right up and said he was proud of his brave boys, and Aunt Dilly kissed them all again, not forgetting Red Pepper.

Then the Dinky Ducklings spoke up and said they wanted to thank Toby Turtle for taking such good care of them.

“Yes,” said Puddle. “We want to give you our new shiny toy duck, Red Pepper to remember us by.”

“Won’t you take him?” asked Peter, unselfishly.

“I certainly will! Thank you both!” answered Toby Turtle. “He will be fine company for an old turtle with no family. I can talk and talk and he will just sit and listen to my stories and never interrupt.”

[Illustration: Fox and turtle.]

Toby took the toy duck by the string and pulled him up alongside. Next he lit his pipe and started to tell of the olden times, when he was a youngster, and about his grandfather, who raced a rabbit and beat him. It was very exciting but the ducklings couldn’t stay awake any longer, while even Aunt Dilly and Uncle Daffy napped a little. Only Red Pepper, the wooden duck, was wide-awake. His painted eyes never so much as blinked, and he seemed to nod at everything old Toby said. They had become fast friends.

It was soon time for bed, so Aunt Dilly tucked the Dinky Ducklings under the covers and kissed them goodnight. The old turtle preferred a nice soft place in the mud, near the ditch, where there was lots of air. The mosquitoes didn’t trouble him and he claimed the mud was good for his complexion. Red Pepper sat up on the bank and kept guard.

Uncle Daffy went all around the house and tried the windows and doors to see if they were fastened tight. Then he peeped into the Dinky Ducklings’ room and smiled to see them sleeping so peacefully. Quietly shutting the door, he blew out the candle and tiptoed to his own bed.

[Illustration: Two ducks in bed.]

To the land of dreams They all set sail. And this, my dears, Is the end of my tale.

[Illustration: Black duck diving in water.]

[Illustration: Ducks and ladybugs.]

_Make Your Children Happy with Algonquin “Sunny Books”_

It is the Algonquin ideal that books should make children happy and build character unconsciously and should contain nothing to cause fright, suggest fear, glorify mischief, excuse malice or condone cruelty.

=101 LITTLE SLAM BANG.= An elephant child and his jungle friends.

=102 MERRY MURPHY.= The adventures of an Irish potato.

=103 HONEY BEAR.= A baby and a bear who have a sticky party.

=104 GRASSHOPPER GREEN AND THE MEADOW MICE.= About the things that happen down in the grass.

=105 THE DINKY DUCKLINGS.= Two ducks go visiting.

=106 SUNNY BUNNY.= A bunny family of ten children find a new home.

=107 BILLY BUNNY’S FORTUNE.= The eldest son of a bunny family goes out to seek his fortune.

=108 THE LOVELY GARDEN.= Queen Yolande and the selfish king.

=109 THE BAM BAM CLOCK.= A magic time-piece which teaches promptness.

ALGONQUIN PUBLISHING COMPANY

NEW YORK and LONDON