and the duckling was promptly launched on 

 the surface of the water. It proved to be a 

 most intrepid navigator. It chattered with 

 delight, dabbling enthusiastically in the water, 

 flinging showers over its body, standing on its 

 innocent head, and expressing its joy by a hun- 

 dred pretty antics. It was great sport to keep 

 moving from one end of the bath to the other 

 and to watch it paddling desperately after us. 

 For speed against the clock over that particu- 

 lar course of five feet or so I am sure its record 

 still holds good. There was never another 

 competitor, and house and bath have now 

 vanished from the earth. 

 ^fe In the meantime myths and legends, having 

 the duckling for their nucleus, began to 

 spread in the neighbourhood. The cottagers 

 thought there was magic in it and were dis- 

 posed to shake their heads. The gardener's 

 wife said "she'd a-seen no end of ducklings 

 in her time, ah, and wrung the necks of a tidy 

 few ducks, pretty dears, and a very tasty dish 

 they made with sage and onions to flavour 

 32 



