90 STORIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



three eggs in the Duck's nest that would never 

 hatch; then there was the snake, the lunch basket, 

 a snake skin, a small snapping turtle that Tommy- 

 Anne had found, and Waddles, who was really 

 used up by his trip, his front and back legs going 

 in different directions when he tried to walk. 



"Put the eggs in the basket with the snake 

 skin, tie a string to the tail of the Hog-nose, and 

 I will carry him too. Then you can put my 

 turtle in your pocket and carry Waddles; he will 

 be a big enough load for you." 



" But I'm not as fat as I was" sighed Waddles, 

 as the procession started, looking over Obi's 

 shoulder and thinking it a great disgrace to be 

 carried. They marched home in single file, and 

 Tommy- Anne wondered why her parents laughed 

 so heartily when she stopped under the study 

 window to call, " We've come home, father-mother, 

 and we've had a spl-e-n-did time ! " 



But when she went up stairs to make herself 

 neat for tea, she saw the reason. " Umph ! " she 

 said, " I look - just like a moulting chicken. " 

 Which was a fact ; for the heel was off one shoe, 

 half of her hat brim hung down in a loop, her hair 

 was full of twigs, and her blouse was torn across 

 the back. 



"Never mind," she said, struggling with her 



