The Burgess Seashore Book for Children by Thornton W. Burgess

Author:Thornton W. Burgess
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780486117577
Publisher: Dover Publications
Published: 2012-10-22T00:00:00+00:00

COMMON SEA SPIDER. Anoplodactylus lentus. See page 139.

24. Graywing’s Little Joke

REDDY Fox had seen Jellyfishes that were not jelly and sea flowers that were not flowers and moss that was not moss. Do you wonder that he was getting to be a little suspicious of new things? No one likes to be thought ignorant. Two or three times Graywing the Gull had laughed at Reddy, so now Reddy was a little slow about asking questions.

Graywing, whose sharp eyes missed very little, and who has great knowledge of things of the sea and of the seashore, had really enjoyed telling Reddy about things. He was like most other people in this respect, for most people enjoy airing their knowledge. Indeed, this is a failing with some people. They are so fond of airing their knowledge that they become tiresome. Graywing, however, wasn’t as bad as all this.

After a bit Graywing noticed that Reddy was not asking as many questions as he had in the past and he wondered if Reddy were losing interest in the things of the seashore. So Graywing kept a watchful eye for things which he thought might interest Reddy. So it was that one day, happening to look down into a quiet little pool, he saw something that made his own eyes open a trifle wider.

“Well, well,” exclaimed Graywing, “I wonder how this little fellow happened to get here! Reddy Fox must see him. Yes, sir, Reddy Fox must see him.” At once Graywing went looking for Reddy. From high up in the sky he could look long distances in every direction. Presently he discovered Reddy taking a sun bath in a little hollow between the sand dunes. Reddy did not see him. You see, Reddy was half asleep. Graywing sailed down until he was just over Reddy and very close to him. Then he screamed. Reddy bounced to his feet as if he were on springs. He fairly glared as he looked up at Graywing. He was cross. Yes, sir, he was cross. To be startled in such a way often makes people cross.

“Well,” he snarled, “what is all this rumpus about?”

“I was looking for you,” said Graywing. “I have found something I think you would like to see. I’m sorry I startled you so, Neighbor Fox, but I must say that I admire the way in which you can jump. Yes, sir, I do so! I believe you used to live inland.”

“I do now, some of the time,” replied Reddy rather ungraciously. “What of it?”

“Then you must know what a Horse is,” said Graywing.

“Of course I know what a Horse is,” retorted Reddy. “Goodness knows, I’ve seen enough horses.”

“But all the Horses you’ve ever seen were on land, weren’t they?” Graywing asked.

Reddy grinned. “No,” said he, “I once saw a Horse that wasn’t on land.”

Graywing looked at Reddy suspiciously. “If he wasn’t on land, where was he?” he demanded.

“In the water,” chuckled Reddy. “He was swimming across a river.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Graywing. “Well, he was a land Horse just the same, even if he was in the water.

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