Noah rolled his eye again and moved through the water toward the ducks. One of the mama ducks quacked in an offended manner when he swam too close by, but he swam silently and he must have been familiar enough, because none of the ducks scattered when he got within touching distance.

The yellow and brown duckling he scooped out of the water chirped in alarm. Mama Duck honked again, but Noah waved her back. "I ain't gonna hurt your baby, mama. Go on." He cradled the duckling carefully in his free hand as he swam over to April.

"Quiet now," he told her, handing the duck over softly. He knew April's tendency to get high pitched.

Ally started giggling. "The ducks followed you, Daddy," she said, pointing over his shoulder.

He pivoted in the water to find Mama Duck and the rest of her nest bobbing in the water behind him. As if waiting for him to notice her, Mama Duck quacked her displeasure loudly, flapping her wings and splashing water until the duckling in April's hands started to chirp and let her know it was okay.

All four of them were laughing at him now, and it was his luck for him to be scolded by a duck.