Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack, The by Thornton W. Burgess (1874 - 1965)

"Hello, Jerry Muskrat! We'd forgotten all about you," said Mrs. Quack. "What was that you said?" Jerry good-naturedly repeated what he had said. Mrs. Quack's face brightened. "Do you really mean it?" she asked eagerly. "Do you really mean that you know of a pond where we could live and not be likely to be seen by these two-legged creatures called men?" "That's what I said," replied Jerry briefly. "Oh, Jerry, you're not joking, are you? Tell me you're not joking," begged Mrs. Quack. "Of course I'm not joking," returned Jerry just a little bit indignantly, "I am not the kind of a fellow to joke people who are in such trouble as you and Mr. Quack seem to be in." (Summary by Burgess)