The author who would become famous as Mark Twain started out in life as Samuel Clemens. Born and raised along the Mississippi River, Clemens would start out in life as a steamboat pilot. This book, which was written after he was a famous writer, tells the story of his life on the river. In the first part, he is a cub pilot under his mentor, Horace Bixby, who teaches him how to navigate the treacherous river. The very very wordy Twain mixes it up in this part of the book, describing both the river, steamboats, steamboating, etc., and what happens to him as a pilot. This is an interesting part of the book because it includes a fair amount of commentary about life in America after the Civil War, reflecting on the differences between the North and the South.
The Duck will sit silently on the Kangaroo, cover her wet webbed feet with woolen socks, and be on her best behavior, doing nothing but "Quack".
Explanation:
In the story of the Duck and the Kangaroo, a bored Duck wanted to explore the world outside of the pond where she lives. So, she made a request to a Kangaroo to carry her on his back while he hops to different parts.
Although agreeing to the Duck's plan, the Kangaroo had one objection- the Duck's wet, cold feet might affect his joints. So, the duck got woolen socks to cover her wet webbed feet, smoke cigars to keep herself warm, and also use a cloak. Moreover, she also promised to sit quietly on his back and do nothing but "Quack" so that the Kangaroo will feel comfortable.
