Mousy found a boat under a pile of leaves near the edge of Sunshine Lake. “Yippee!”
Mousy squeaked. He clapped his front feet and swished his tail back and forth. Today was his lucky day. Now he could go sailing.
“Quack. Sigh. Quack.”
Mousy looked around.
“Quack, quack.”
Oh no! Here came Dilly Duck. Dilly might want the boat for herself. She always liked new things.
Mousy slid the boat back under the leaves and stepped into the open.
“Ah,” said Dilly, waddling up. “There you are, Mousy.”
“Yes,” said Mousy, “here I am.”
“We need your help,” Dilly said.
“We who?” asked Mousy.
“The Frog family and I.”
“Oh.” Mousy twitched his nose. “What kind of help?” he asked slowly.
“Help looking for the Frog family's boat. It was lost in last night’s storm. It would be kind of you if you joined our search team.”
“Oh,” Mousy said again. Why did the Frog family need a boat? They could swim. Maybe they liked new things just like Dilly.
“Will you help us?” Dilly asked.
“Well...maybe later,” Mousy said. “Right now I'm busy thinking.”
“Okay.” Dilly smiled at him. “Good luck with your thinking. Maybe you’ll think of an idea where to look for the boat. The Frog family uses it to take Grandmother Frog to the island on picnics and special occasions. She can’t swim that far anymore.”
So that’s why they needed the boat. That was a good reason. Mousy opened his mouth to speak, but Dilly had already waddled away.
Mousy thought hard. Should he keep the boat for a while? Then he could sail on the lake.
Mousy looked at Sunshine Lake. Then he looked at Dilly waddling along the shoreline.
Dilly was waddling funny. She would take several steps and stop. When she stopped she would look this way and that way. Then she would shake her head.
Mousy saw the Frog family hopping behind Dilly. Father Frog. Mother Frog. Daughter Frog. When Dilly stopped, the Frog family stopped. When Dilly shook her head, the Frog family shook their heads.
Aha! Mousy nodded. They were all looking for the boat.
Mousy peeked under the leaves. Then he swished his tail back and forth and smiled. He would tell Dilly and the Frog family he had found the boat. That was both the kind and the right thing to do.
“Dilly!” Mousy called. “Frog family! Wait!” He ran down the path, dragging the boat with his tail. He paused to catch his breath then called again. “Dilly! Frog family!”
“What?” Father Frog turned in mid-hop. “Is someone calling?”
