"Caw, caw, caw,"
replied Blacky, hurrying a little faster.
As soon as he reached the Big Hickory-tree, Sammy told the whole
story over again, and Blacky was quite as glad as the others. While
they waited for Mrs. Quack he told how he had hunted and hunted
along the farther bank of the Big River and how he had seen the
hunters with their terrible guns hiding and had warned Mrs. Quack
just where each one was.
Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was getting ready to go to bed behind
the Purple Hills and the Black Shadows were beginning to creep out
over the Green Meadows before Mrs. Quack came. In fact, Sammy Jay
and Blacky were getting very uneasy. It was almost bed-time for
them, for neither of them dared stay out after dark. They had almost
made up their minds to leave Peter to tell the news when they saw
Mrs. Quack coming swiftly from the direction of the Big River. She
looked so sad and discouraged that even Blacky the Crow was sorry
for her, and you know Blacky isn't much given to such feelings.
"What's the news, Mrs. Quack?" asked Peter, his eyes dancing.
"There isn't any," replied Mrs. Quack.
"Oh, yes, there is!" cried Sammy Jay, who couldn't possibly keep
still any longer.
"What is it?" demanded Mrs. Quack eagerly, and it seemed to Peter
that there was a wee bit of hope in her voice.
"Did you happen to notice that just before the Laughing Brook joins
the Big River it flows through a little swamp?" asked Sammy.
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