126 MOOSWA 



the thought of water, but he crept on to the slide 

 with nervous steps. 



&quot; You won t get in the hole,&quot; jeered Jack ; 

 &quot;your feet are too big.&quot; 



Pisew tried it standing up, with arched back, 

 just for all the world like a cat on a garden fence. 

 As he neared the bottom at lightning speed, 

 confusion seized him ; he tried to spring, but 

 only succeeded in throwing a half somersault, 

 and plunged head first into the water. The Jay 

 fairly screamed with delight, and hopped about 

 on his perch overhead in a perfect ecstasy of 

 fiendish enjoyment. &quot; Did n t scorch his tongue 

 a bit ! &quot; he cried. &quot; Give him the tail feathers of 

 the Pheasant to dry his face with, oh, Your 

 Majesty ! Ha, ha, ha ! Pe-he-e-e ! &quot; Pisew 

 scrambled out filled with morose anger. 



&quot; That s another failure,&quot; adjudged the King. 

 &quot; Who is next ? &quot; 



&quot;Carcajou s turn!&quot; instigated Whisky-Jack. 

 &quot; He knows all about sliding up and down 

 chimneys he 11 win, sure ! &quot; 



&quot; I will try it,&quot; grunted the fat, little Chap ; 

 &quot; but if you make fun of me, Jack, I 11 wring 

 your neck first chance I get.&quot; 



Wolverine shuffled clumsily to the starting 

 post, studied the Slide critically for a minute 

 with his little snake-like eyes, then deliberately 



