THE PLOT
Of all the creatures that walked or swam or flew, Timothy Turtle likedboys the least of all. He said that if they ever did anything exceptthrow stones he had never caught them at it.
"It's a wonder"--he often remarked--"it's a wonder that there's a stoneleft anywhere along this creek. I've lived here a good many years; andno boy ever spied me sunning myself on a rock in the water withouttrying to hit me."
Once in a great while some youngster was skillful enough to bounce astone off Mr. Turtle's back. And when the old scamp flopped into thewater he always heard a great whooping from the bank.
At such times as likely as not Timothy had been awakened from a soundsleep. But when that jeering noise greeted his ears he knew at once whathad struck him.
It was a good thing for him that he had a hard back. Nevertheless italways made him angry to be disturbed when he was taking a nap. And somepeople said that if Timothy Turtle ever grabbed a boy by his great-toe,when he was in swimming, that youngster would limp for many a daythereafter.
But the boys went in swimming just the same. Black Creek would have hadto be alive with turtles to keep them out of it on a hot summer's day.Indeed Farmer Green often said that he wished his son Johnnie wouldspend half the time in the hayfield that he wasted around the creek.
When questioned by his father, Johnnie said that there was an old turtlein Black Creek that he wanted to catch.
"What are you going to do with him--make soup of him?" Farmer Greeninquired solemnly.
Johnnie shook his head.
"I want to cut my initials on his shell and let him go," he explained."Then if I catch him again when I'm grown up I'll know him when I findhim.... I'll put the date under my initials, too," Johnnie added.
Farmer Green laughed.
"When you're grown up," he said, "you'll have something else to dobesides catching snapping turtles. This afternoon you may carve yourinitials on the hay-rake and then take it over to the big meadow andplay with it."
For a few moments Johnnie Green couldn't help looking glum. He hadintended to visit the creek that very afternoon. But now he knew thathis father expected him to work--to work on one of the finest days ofthe whole summer!
"I'll let you off all day to-morrow," Farmer Green said. "And you knowthere's that calf I told you I'd give you if you helped me with thehaying."
And then Johnnie actually smiled.
* * * * * * *
Well, the next morning was just as fine as the afternoon before. AndJohnnie Green set off early for Black Creek, with his pockets stuffedfull of cherries, because he was afraid he might get hungry. He ate afew of them on the way to the creek. But when he reached that delightfulplace he found something that made him forget what he had in hispockets. For there near the top of the bank, too far from the water toescape him--there lay Timothy Turtle himself, taking a sun-bath on thewarm sand.