And meanwhile Dagger Bill was feeling quite pleased, because he had found out that Water Babies were good--and safe!--to eat.
"Now the Water Babies, I must tell you, had two nests--one in the waterhouse, a few yards out from shore, and one at the end of the burrow leading up into the dry bank.

Their favorite amusement, as a rule, was playing tag in the quiet water around the house, sometimes on the surface, sometimes beneath it.

They would catch and nip each other by the tails or the hind legs, and sometimes grapple and drag each other down, for all the world like a lot of boys in swimming--but how they could swim! You'd give your eye teeth to swim like they could." "Bet your boots, Uncle Andy," agreed the Babe enthusiastically.
"Specially _these_ teeth, 'cause they're my first, and I'll lose 'em soon, anyway." "Huh!" grunted Uncle Andy, looking at him suspiciously.

"But, as I was saying, the Water Babies _could swim_.

They were no match for Dagger Bill, however, who was quicker than a fish.