Duck, Cat, and Squirrel visit town to purchase salt for their trademark pumpkin soup. Duck, the smallest of the trio, "had a habit of wandering off," and it's not long before an enticing window display of peppers catches his attention and he loses his friends in the crowd. A concerned mother hen leads panicky Duck back to the point of separation, while the others retrace their steps to enfold their missing friend in a warm embrace. Some adults may be troubled by Duck's ready acceptance of help from a stranger who is not a police officer, but little listeners will pay less attention to plot specifics than to Cooper's dramatic narrative and warm, dreamlike watercolors. An attractive choice for autumnal story hours and for discussions of personal safety.