Dodsworth in New York (2 page)

Dodsworth arrived at the train station.

He bought a ticket to New York.

From there he would sail across the ocean.

He was very excited.

The train started chugging along, over hills and under bridges, through fields and forests.

It was the start of a grand adventure.

Two hours later, Dodsworth went to open his trunk.

As he lifted the lid, the duck jumped out.

"Finally!" said the duck. "I could hardly breathe!"

Dodsworth couldn't believe it.

"What are you doing here?!" he shouted.

"Looking for excitement," said the duck.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

Dodsworth was not happy.

"WE are not going anywhere!" he shouted.

"I'M going on an adventure! Alone!

YOU are going back on the next train!"

The duck just looked out the window.

"This is fun," he said.

Dodsworth went up to the conductor.

"Can you please stop this train?" he asked.

"Not until New York," said the conductor.

Dodsworth was very upset.

He marched back to his room.

The duck had taken all of Dodsworth's clothes out of the trunk.

He was lying on them.

"This is the life," he said.

Dodsworth was very angry.

"Get off my clothes!" he shouted.

"Look at the mess you made!"

"Whoa," said the duck, "calm down there, partner."

"I will not calm down!" shouted Dodsworth. "And I am not your partner!"

The next morning, the train pulled into New York City.

Dodsworth bought a ticket for the duck to go home.

He turned to give the duck the ticket.

He saw the duck getting on the subway.

Again, Dodsworth was very mad.

"Fine!" he shouted. "Good luck to you!"

He started walking to the boatyard.

"Paris, here I come," he grumbled.

He walked for a mile, but then he stopped.

He knew how worried Hodges must be.

He knew he had to find the duck.

"All I wanted was a simple little adventure," he said.

He walked around New York City all day.

Across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Up to Yankee Stadium and down to Wall Street.

There was no sign of the duck, but Dodsworth was amazed at the giant buildings.

He headed over to Washington Square.

There were a lot of ducks and they all looked the same.

A lady was feeding them bread.

Only one duck was throwing bread back at the lady.

"Aha!" shouted Dodsworth.