Freddy Rides Again Read Online Free PDF

parties because of his genteel appearance and behavior. He was invariably polite, particularly to the more elderly animals, and was often invited to their homes.
    Among the homes where he was a frequent caller was the little house up by the pond, where Alice and Emma, the two white ducks, lived with their Uncle Wesley. Emma, the more timid of the sisters, was still a little afraid of Arthur, but they were both impressed by the elegance of his manners, and pompous Uncle Wesley was completely sold on the handsome visitor.
    Jinx disapproved of this friendship. He was very fond of the sisters, though as for Uncle Wesley, he said he didn’t see why they gave him house room. “Just a bag of wind surrounded with feathers,” he said to Freddy, “floating around with the rest of the scum on the pond. But the girls think he’s wonderful. So when Arthur says he’s wonderful too, they begin to think Arthur’s pretty wonderful. Goes right around in a circle. Because Arthur sure thinks they are wonderful—or would be if he could have ’em for supper. A nice plump duck—mm m’m !” He smacked his lips.
    â€œOh, I don’t think Arthur’s up to anything like that,” said Freddy.
    â€œYeah? Well, maybe not,” said Jinx. “But—ever see the way he looks at ’em? Or at those rabbits he’s always being so thoughtful of?—taking ’em little bouquets of lettuce and such. It ain’t the way to look at a friend, Freddy; it’s the way Mr. Bean looks at the roast turkey when he tucks the napkin under his chin on Thanksgiving.”
    The two friends were out riding together. They rode nearly every day, after Jinx had persuaded Bill that he would make a good cow pony. Bill had been easy to persuade, for a goat can gallop over broken ground where a horse would have to pick his way with great care, and can climb where a horse couldn’t possibly follow. And Jinx of course needed neither saddle nor stirrups; he could hook his claws into the burlap sacks strapped to Bill’s back, and nothing could shake him loose. It was quite a sight to see Jinx, waving his hat and yelling “Yippee!” as he rode Bill at a gallop along the top of a rough stone wall.
    â€œMaybe we’d better speak to the ducks about Arthur,” Freddy said, and they turned their horse’s heads (or rather, one horse’s head and one goat’s head) towards the pond.
    Alice and Emma were doing their powder-puff act, floating around on the water, and Uncle Wesley was sitting on the bank in the shade of a burdock leaf, grumbling as usual about the weather. There was nothing wrong with the weather, but it was always there and so saved him the trouble of thinking up something else to grumble about.
    Freddy and Jinx dismounted, and then the horses and their riders all sat down on the bank as Alice and Emma swam towards them. Uncle Wesley went right on grumbling.
    â€œHi, girls,” said Jinx breezily. “Seen any good shows lately?”
    The ducks tittered. They liked Jinx, because he always pretended that they were very bold and dashing characters, out every night at a party or a dance.
    â€œWell, maybe I’m speaking out of turn,” said the cat, with a glance at the burdock leaf from under which came Uncle Wesley’s discontented quacks. “But who was that duck I saw you with down at the movies the other night?”
    Most of the farm animals did go down to the movies in Centerboro occasionally. Mr. Muszkiski, who managed the theatre, made a special low price for them, as he felt that animals, particularly such famous ones as Mr. Bean’s animals, in the audience, were an added attraction. But the ducks never went.
    â€œYou didn’t see us, Jinx,” said Alice.
    â€œStrange,” said the cat. “I could have sworn it was you. With a handsome young duck I’d never seen before. Dark-complected fellow, with a very high polish on