Page:Story of the robins.djvu/169



next place Mrs. Wilson took her guests to was a barnyard, in which was a large horse-pond. Here her young visitors were delighted with the appearance of a number of geese and ducks; some were swimming in the water, some diving, others routing in the mud to see what fish or worms they could find.

"It appears very strange to me," said Harriet, "that any creatures can take delight in making themselves so dirty." "And yet," replied Mrs. Benson, "how many children do the same, without having any excuse for it! The ducks and geese grub about so in search of the necessaries of life; but I have seen boys do it merely for diversion, and sometimes at the hazard of their lives."