Brubby plans to tag along with Hitty Rose and the cousins when they go to the creek. Usually Mother says 'no', he's too young, but Grandpa plans to be around there. Grandpa is digging up some of the willows around the creek, and transplanting them near the inlet. Brubby is torn--should he play in the sandy creek, catch tadpoles, or help Grandpa?

Brubby has a pair of red swim trunks with purple stars. He likes to wear them all the time--not only when he is swimming! He has to wear a life jacket when he is around the water, because he is only learning to swim. So far, Brubby can swim underwater and do a rather splashy dog-paddle. Mother says that's not good enough to be without adult supervision, but his big sister, Hitty Rose has promised to teach him to really swim.

He has a collection of tadpoles in a jar, and plans to take them home. Dad says he will fill the old aquarium and they can watch the tadpoles turn into frogs! Brubby wants the aquarium in his bedroom, and Mother says if he gets it cleaned up, she'll let him have it there. He thinks it would be fun to lay in bed at night and talk to the tadpoles.