ask her the questions he was so full of, but closed it again as he
remembered people are usually better natured when their stomachs
are full, and Mrs. Quack had not yet breakfasted. So he waited as
patiently as he could, which wasn't patiently at all. At last Mrs.
Quack finished her breakfast, and then she had to make her toilet
all over again. Finally Peter hopped to the edge of the bank where
she would see him.

"Good morning, Mrs. Quack," said he very politely. "I hope you had
a good rest and are feeling very well this morning."

"Thank you," replied Mrs. Quack. "I'm feeling as well as could be
expected. In fact, I'm feeling better than I have felt for some
time in spite of the sore place made by that terrible gun yesterday.
You see, I have had a good rest and two square meals, and these
are things I haven't had since goodness knows when. This is a very
nice place. Let me see, what is it you call it?"

"The Smiling Pool," said Peter.

"That's a good name for it," returned Mrs. Quack. "If only I could
be sure that none of those hunters would find me here, and if only
Mr. Quack were here, I would be content to stay a while." At the
mention of Mr. Quack, the eyes of Mrs. Quack suddenly filled with
tears. Peter felt tears of sympathy in his own eyes.

"Where is Mr. Quack?" he asked.

"I don't know," sobbed Mrs. Quack. "I wish I did. I haven't seen
him since one of those terrible guns was fired at us over on the