She skimmed along over the
tree-tops until she saw an open
place in the middle of the wood,
where the trees and brushwood
had been cleared.

JEMIMA alighted rather
heavily, and began to
waddle about in search of a
convenient dry nesting-place.
She rather fancied a tree-stump
amongst some tall fox-gloves.

But--seated upon the stump,
she was startled to find an
elegantly dressed gentleman
reading a newspaper.

He had black prick ears and
sandy coloured whiskers.

"Quack?" said Jemima
Puddle-duck, with her head
and her bonnet on one side--
"Quack?"

THE gentleman raised his
eyes above his newspaper
and looked curiously at
Jemima--