Who’s in the Club?

By Gloria E. Hatrick

Let’s start a secret club,” said Goose.

“What a good idea!” exclaimed Squirrel. “Who will be in the secret club?”

“That will be the secret,” said Goose. “Anyone with feathers may be in our club.” Goose ruffled her snow-white feathers.

“Oh,” said Squirrel. He shook his long tail.

Goose smiled. “Anyone with feathers or a long tail may be in our club,” said Goose.

“Good,” said Squirrel. “Let’s tell my friend Turtle.” They went off to find Turtle.

“Hello, Turtle,” said Squirrel. “This is my friend Goose. We have a secret club.”

“Terrific!” said Turtle. “Who’s in it?”

“Goose and I,” Squirrel replied.

“And anyone with feathers or a long tail.”

“Oh,” said Turtle. She pulled her head into her shell.

Squirrel looked at Goose. They smiled.

“Anyone with feathers, a long tail, or a shell may be in our secret club,” said Squirrel.

“That’s fine,” said Turtle. “Let’s tell my friend Dog.” They all went off to find Dog.

“Hello, Dog,” said Turtle. “These are my friends Goose and Squirrel. We have a secret club.”

“Do you?” said Dog. “Who’s in it?”

“Goose and Squirrel and I,” said Turtle. “And anyone with feathers, a long tail, or a shell.”

“Oh,” barked Dog. He looked at his own short tail.

Turtle looked at Squirrel and Goose. They all smiled.

“Anyone with feathers, a long tail, or a shell, or anyone who barks may be in our secret club,” said Turtle.

“Good,” barked Dog. “Let’s tell my friend Frog.” They all went off to find Frog.

“Hello, Frog,” said Dog. “These are my friends Goose, Squirrel, and Turtle. We have a secret club.”

“Really?” asked Frog. “Who’s in it?”

“Goose, Squirrel, Turtle, and I,” Dog answered. “And anyone with feathers, a long tail, or a shell, or anyone who barks,” explained Dog.

“Oh,” said Frog. He stuck out his tongue and caught a fly.

Dog looked at Goose, Squirrel, and Turtle. They all smiled.

“Anyone with feathers, a long tail, or a shell, or anyone who barks or eats flies,” said Dog.

“Fine,” said Frog, swallowing the fly. “Let’s tell my friend Rabbit.” They all went off to find Rabbit.

“Hello, Rabbit,” said Frog. “These are my friends Goose, Squirrel, Turtle, and Dog. We have a secret club.”

“Really?” said Rabbit. “Who’s in it?”

“Goose, Squirrel, Turtle, Dog, and I,” said Frog. “And anyone with feathers, a long tail, or a shell, or anyone who barks or eats flies.”

“Oh,” said Rabbit. She twitched her long ears.

Frog looked at Goose, Squirrel, Turtle, and Dog. They all smiled.

“Anyone with feathers, a long tail, or a shell, or anyone who barks, eats flies, or has long ears,” said Frog.

“Super!” cried Rabbit. “Let’s tell my friend Pig.” They all went off to find Pig.

“Hello, Pig,” said Rabbit. “These are my friends Goose, Squirrel, Turtle, Dog, and Frog. We have a secret club.”

“You do?” asked Pig. “Who’s in it?”

“Goose, Squirrel, Turtle, Dog, Frog, and I,” said Rabbit. “And anyone with feathers, a long tail, or a shell, or anyone who barks, eats flies, or has long ears,” said Rabbit.

“Oh,” said Pig. He rolled over in the mud.

Rabbit looked at Goose, Squirrel, Turtle, Dog, and Frog. They all smiled.

“Anyone with feathers, a long tail, or a shell, or anyone who barks, eats flies, has long ears, or likes to roll in the mud,” said Rabbit. She was out of breath!

“Perfect,” said Pig. “Let’s tell my friend—”

“Wait a minute,” interrupted Goose.

“Remember, this is a secret club. Does your friend have feathers?”

“No,” said Pig, “she doesn’t have feathers.”

“Or a long tail?” asked Squirrel.

Pig shook his head.

“Does she have a shell?” asked Turtle.

“No,” Pig replied.

“Does she bark?” barked Dog.

“No, she doesn’t,” said Pig.

“Then she must eat flies,” said Frog.

“Never,” said Pig wearily.

“Well, does she have long ears?” asked Rabbit.

“No,” answered Pig, “her ears are very small. She doesn’t like to roll in the mud either.” Pig looked sadly at his friend Rabbit as he brushed some mud from his nose. “But she’s still my friend,” Pig said at last.

Rabbit twitched her long ears at her friend Frog.

Frog ate a fly that buzzed around his friend Dog.

Dog barked softly at his friend Turtle.

Turtle poked her head way out of her shell to look at her friend Squirrel.

Squirrel shook his bushy tail at his friend Goose.

Goose pulled a long white feather from her tail and gave it to Pig. They smiled at each other.

“Pig knows the secret of this club,” said Goose. “It’s not feathers, tails, shells, barking, flies, ears, or mud. The secret is friendship.”

And they all went off to find Pig’s friend.

Illustrated by Dick Brown