Blacky chuckled hoarsely. "I didn't, " said he. "I simply thought
there might be something going on I didn't know about over here in
the pond of Paddy the Beaver, so I came over to find out. Mr. Quack,
you and Mrs. Quack are looking very fine this fall. And those
handsome young Quacks, you don't mean to tell me that they are your
children!"

Mrs. Quack nodded proudly. "They are," said she.

"You don't say so!" exclaimed Blacky, as if he were very much
surprised, when all the time he wasn't surprised at all. "They are a
credit to their parents. Yes, indeed, they are a credit to their
parents. Never have I seen finer young Ducks in all my life. How
glad the hunters with terrible guns will be to see them."

Mrs. Quack shivered at that, and Blacky saw it. He chuckled
softly. You know he dearly loves to make others uncomfortable. "I
saw three hunters over on the edge of the Big River early this very
morning," said he.

Mrs. Quack looked more anxious than ever. Blacky's sharp eyes noted
this.

"That is why I came over here," he added kindly. "I wanted to give
you warning."

"But you didn't know the Quacks were here!" spoke up Peter.

"True enough, Peter. True enough," replied Blacky, his eyes
twinkling. "But I thought they might be. I had heard a rumor that