muskrat, and if it bites you it will make a bad sore. Let it alone!"

Daddy Brown struck at something in the water, and Bunny and Sue, running
down to the edge of the lake, saw a large, brown animal, with long hair,
swimming out toward the middle. Splash started to follow but Mr. Brown
caught the dog by the collar.

"No you don't!" cried Bunny's father, "You let that muskrat alone,
Splash. He's so big, and such a good swimmer, that he might pull you
under the water and drown you. Let him alone."

Bunker Blue, who had come down to the edge of the lake, threw a stone at
the swimming muskrat. The queer animal at once made a dive and went
under the water, for muskrats can swim under the water as well as on
top, and Bunny and Sue saw it no more.

Splash rushed around, up and down the shore, barking loudly, but he did
not try to swim out. I think he knew Mr. Brown was right in what he
said--that it was not good to be bitten by a muskrat.

"Is that what it was, Daddy--a rat?" asked Bunny.

"Yes," answered his father. "Splash must have seen the muskrat swimming
in the water, and tried to get it. The muskrat didn't want to be caught,
so it fought back. But I'm glad it got away without being hurt, and I'm
glad Splash wasn't bitten."

"What's a muskrat?" Sue wanted to know.

"Well, it's a big rat that lives in the water," said Daddy Brown. "It is