Hazel Squirrel and Other Stories Part 10

Mother Gray threw herself down on the rock and sobbed, "My dear Pinkie Whiskers, I will never see him again."

Winkle, Twinkle and Billy Jay all cried, too, but Father Gray blew his nose and wiped a tear from his eye as Uncle Whiskers said, "That boy will come back all safe and sound."

CHAPTER XI

When Pinkie Whiskers struck the water, he closed his mouth and his eyes tight. He did not open his eyes until he felt Father Frog swimming rapidly down the creek and he wondered where they were going.

He kicked and kicked, but the green reed held him so fast that he could not free himself.

Father Frog swam on and on until they came to the mouth of the creek and the creek flowed into a great, rushing river. Father Frog let loose of the reed and as Pinkie Whiskers fell off from his back, said:

"Now, my little rat, you must take care of yourself. I am going home to take your fish hook out of my poor little tadpole's mouth. Good-bye."

The water was so deep and it raced along so swiftly that Pinkie Whiskers was very much frightened, but suddenly a beautiful, soft voice whispered in his ear:

"Do not be afraid. I am the Water-Fairy and I will help you because my dear friend, the Tree-Fairy asked me to do so. She told me all about how you saved her."

Pinkie Whiskers was so amazed and delighted that he forgot that he was in the water and started to speak. Of course, the water poured into his open mouth and he began to sputter and choke.

The Water-Fairy pushed him to the top of the water and patted him on his back until he was all right once more, then she said:

"I will make it possible for you to stay down under the water and breathe and talk just like a fish and then you will never choke again."

Pinkie Whiskers smiled his thanks and the Water-Fairy made some pa.s.ses and, sure enough, he could breathe, talk and swim under water just like a fish.

"Look! look!" cried the Water-Fairy. "There is a ship in the distance and it is headed this way."

Sure enough, a beautiful, big, white ship was coming down the river. It was coming so fast now they could see men moving about on her.

Pinkie Whiskers took out of his pocket his white handkerchief and waved it around and around his head.

"Ship ahoy! ship ahoy!" he shouted.

"It will do you no good to signal the ship," said the Water-Fairy. "It would never stop to take a rat on board. Oh, dear no! You will have to get on the ship without anyone seeing you."

Pinkie Whiskers did not wait to hear any more. He swam for the pa.s.sing ship. When he was even with the dragging rope he tried to catch it with his teeth, but he was not quick enough and the rope slipped out of his reach.

Again and again he tried and at last he made a quick jump and landed right upon the rope. He just clung to it as tight as he could with his feet and rested.

CHAPTER XII

The rope was one which the sailors had put out to tell them how many miles an hour they were going. This rope had a wonderful wheel at the end of it which kept twisting and turning in the water.

Every now and then the rope would turn suddenly over and poor Pinkie Whiskers would go under the water with it and nearly fall off. At last he was rested and climbed the rope to the ship. When no one was about he jumped aboard.

Of course, he did not know which way to go, but there was a pleasant smell of cooking in the air and he followed this smell.

He soon found himself in a big kitchen with many people hurrying about.

There were cooks with white caps and ap.r.o.ns and waiters with white jackets.

Pinkie Whiskers kept very close to the wall and ran until he saw a white jacket hanging on a nail.

Pinkie Whiskers saw that the jacket had pockets, so he ran up the side of the wall and hid in one of the pockets. He had just nestled down for a little nap, for he was very tired, when along came the owner of the jacket. He took it off from the nail and put it on.

Pinkie Whiskers, did not know what to do, but he decided to keep very still. The waiter took his tray of food and went into the dining room.

Pinkie Whiskers peeped out of the pocket and saw many tables with people about them.

Pinkie Whiskers' head was still out of the pocket when the waiter went up to a table to serve a lady. She saw Pinkie Whiskers and screamed, "A mouse! a mouse!"

Now, Pinkie Whiskers knew that he was a rat and not a mouse, so at first he did not think that she meant him, but when all of the ladies jumped up from the table and started to run, Pinkie Whiskers jumped from the pocket and ran too.

He hid behind the leg of a big chair and did not move until he felt the ship stop and saw everyone going ash.o.r.e. He started to go ash.o.r.e too and as everyone had bundles and baggage, he picked up a small hand bag, an umbrella, a can and a cage filled with b.u.t.terflies, gra.s.shoppers and a lady-bug.

He had only gone a short way when the door of the cage flew open and the insects flew out.

"I never had so much trouble in all my life," complained Pinkie Whiskers.

He ran after them and caught as many as he could and put them back into the cage for he wanted to take them home as presents to his dear ones.

CHAPTER XIII

Pinkie Whiskers found it very hard to travel over the country road with all of his baggage. He caught his feet in the cage and fell over it several times.

He did not know the way home and he had to ask every little wild creature that he met where the cheese factory was.

At last he met Billy Jay, for Billy Jay had gone out to search for him.

Billy Jay felt sure that Pinkie Whiskers was not drowned and when he met his little friend coming down the road he was not even surprised.

"h.e.l.lo, Billy Jay!" shouted Pinkie Whiskers. "You see that I am coming home."

"h.e.l.lo, Pinkie Whiskers!" cried Billy Jay. "I never was so glad to see anyone in my life. Let me carry something for you."

"All right, you may carry my handbag, if you wish," said Pinkie Whiskers.

Now that Pinkie Whiskers had company, it did not seem any time at all before they reached the cheese factory.

Pinkie Whiskers opened the door and walked right in, just as the family was eating supper.