Hazel Squirrel and Other Stories Part 9

He remembered to hold fast to the fish rod. The little tadpole swam away as far as he could and tugged and tugged at the line.

Pinkie Whiskers was nearly pulled over in the water, but just in time he threw out his hand and caught hold of the rock, then using all the strength he had, he managed to climb up onto it.

Once more he pulled the tadpole free from the water and slipped the net under it. He was panting for breath but he said:

"Now, little tadpole, I am surely going to take you home with me, but I will not put you in the gla.s.s. I will fry you and eat you for my breakfast."

The poor little tadpole was so frightened that he screamed, "Help! help!

help!"

Now Father Frog had gone back on the sh.o.r.e to stretch himself in the sunshine and to see what he could find to eat.

He was returning to the creek when he heard his son call for help. He was very much frightened for he knew that the tadpole could not get up onto the rocks himself and yet the call for help came from the rocks.

Father Frog hopped as fast as he could, but his heart beat so wildly that he could not jump very far at a time.

When he reached the creek he stopped a moment to look and what he saw struck him with such horror that he could not move. His legs would not work.

About this same time Mother Gray went to give Pinkie Whiskers another piece of bread and cheese. To her surprise he was nowhere to be seen.

She called and called, but Pinkie Whiskers was too far away to hear.

"Father Gray, you must go and find Pinkie Whiskers," she cried. "Run as fast as you can. I am afraid that he is in trouble or mischief."

"Now, now," said Uncle Whiskers, "you worry too much about Pinkie Whiskers. He is a fine, big boy and can take care of himself."

"That may be true but I am going to find him now," said Mother Gray as she ran for the creek.

Father Gray said, "Wait a moment and I will come along with you."

Winkle cried, "I want to come too."

Twinkle cried, "I want to come too, please wait for me."

Uncle Whiskers grumbled, "Well, I never did see such a fuss in my life.

I have not had enough to eat yet, but I guess I will join the hunt for Pinkie Whiskers anyway."

Billy Jay laughed and said, "I will go with you, Uncle Whiskers. We can finish our supper when we return."

So off they all ran after Pinkie Whiskers and although Mother Gray was worried, she never suspected what serious trouble and danger Pinkie Whiskers was in.

CHAPTER X

After the first shock, Father Frog became very angry with Pinkie Whiskers. His legs began to move once more and he made long hops and jumps until he stood beside Pinkie Whiskers. He puffed out his white throat and croaked:

"Chug-e-rum! chug-e-rum! What are you doing with my son and why did you pull him out of the water?"

Pinkie Whiskers looked at Father Frog and when he saw how big he was, felt rather small and timid himself, but he raised up to his full height and said:

"Is this little tadpole your son? I fished for him just for the sport of it and I did intend to take him home with me."

"Chug-e-rum! chug-e-rum!" roared Father Frog, "drop my son at once."

The way Father Frog demanded Pinkie Whiskers to drop the tadpole made him very determined not to do so. It was very naughty of Pinkie Whiskers, and afterwards he was most sorry for having been so rude, unkind and stubborn, but then it was too late.

Pinkie Whiskers said to Father Frog, "I will not drop your son. He is my little tadpole now and I am going to take him home and fry him for my breakfast."

"Chug-e-rum! chug-e-rum!" growled Father Frog. "You shall do nothing of the kind. Don't you know that frogs and tadpoles have feelings and hearts as well as yourself?"

"Poof! poof!" scoffed Pinkie Whiskers. "I don't care. I am going to take my tadpole home with me anyway."

Father Frog did not say a word. He just jumped against Pinkie Whiskers with such force that the rod flew out of his hand and the little tadpole went flop back into his watery home.

Pinkie Whiskers fell flat upon the stone and when he scrambled to his feet, there beside him stood Father Frog. In his hand he held a long green reed, which he had pulled out of the creek.

Pinkie Whiskers thought that Father Frog intended to whip him with the reed and he begged, "Please do not whip me. I will never touch your little tadpoles again."

"Indeed you will not touch them again, for you will not be here to fish for them."

With these words, the Frog grabbed Pinkie Whiskers and threw him up onto his back. He then put the reed around him so that he could not possibly get away.

Pinkie Whiskers kicked and kicked. He jerked and jerked, but the reed was so strong that he could not break it. He tried to bite it with his teeth, but he could not reach around far enough.

Father Frog hopped up onto a big rock that was hanging right over the creek. Pinkie Whiskers screamed and kicked some more, but it was of no use.

"Oh, please put me down, Mr. Frog," begged Pinkie Whiskers.

"Indeed, I will not. You showed my son no mercy and now you cannot expect me to show you any kindness," replied Father Frog.

"But he is back in the creek with his brothers and sisters now," said Pinkie Whiskers.

"Yes, he is back home with a fish hook in his mouth and I will have a hard time to get it out. Besides it was not you or your kindness that put him back home. It was because I made you drop him," growled Father Frog.

"What are you going to do to me?" cried Pinkie Whiskers.

"I am going to dump you into the water," replied Father Frog.

"Oh, mother! mother! father! father! help me! Come quick and help me!"

screamed Pinkie Whiskers.

Mother Gray and all of the others heard him scream and they ran as fast as they could to his aid. Billy Jay could fly faster than the others could run, and he flew as fast as he could, but even he was too late.

Right before their very eyes, Father Frog leaped into the creek with Pinkie Whiskers on his back.

The last they saw of Pinkie Whiskers was his feet kicking the air and his little red coat-tails flying.