[Illustration]
Her sister-in-law, Mrs. Rebeccah Puddle-duck, was perfectly willing to
leave the hatching to some one else--"I have not the patience to sit on a
nest for twenty-eight days; and no more have you, Jemima. You would let
them go cold; you know you would!"
"I wish to hatch my own eggs; I will hatch them all by myself," quacked
Jemima Puddle-duck.
[Illustration]
She tried to hide her eggs; but they were always found and carried off.
Jemima Puddle-duck became quite desperate. She determined to make a nest
right away from the farm.
[Illustration]
She set off on a fine spring afternoon along the cart-road that leads over
the hill.
She was wearing a shawl and a poke bonnet.
[Illustration]
When she reached the top of the hill, she saw a wood in the distance.
She thought that it looked a safe quiet spot.
[Illustration]
Jemima Puddle-duck was not much in the habit of flying. She ran downhill a
few yards flapping her shawl, and then she jumped off into the air.
[Illustration]
She flew beautifully when she had got a good start.
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.
[Illustration]
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.
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