Chapter 2

See Fishy-Winkle drive in state Across the shining sand; With Yama-Guchi yoked in front, A Twin on either hand!

But soon each weary back is humped, And bowed each jetty pate; For Fishy, though he looks so small, Is _not_ a feather-weight!

At last they reach a cavern cool, And sit down in a bunch, Declaring they won't budge an inch, Till they have had some lunch.

The food-stuffs are a trifle mixed, From joggling in the cart; There's jam spread on the slim sardine, Salt on the pumpkin tart!

Right in the middle there appears An unexpected guest; Who kindly makes himself at home, And feeds upon the best.

The children look at him with awe, And whisper: "Who is that?" "Why, don't you know?" says Fishy-Wink, "That is the HADDOCK-CAT!"

The Haddock-Cat is very kind, And when the meal is done Cries: "Get upon my back, you four, I'll take you for a run."

He crouches down upon the sand, And up the children jump; Then he gets up--contrairy wise, The children fall down flump!!

But nothing daunted, up they get, And cling with might and main; I fear they must have caused that Cat Con-si-der-able pain!

They joggled for a mile or more, Then gasped out: "Th-that's enough: We th-thank you kindly--now let's have A game of Blind Man's Buff."

That _was_ a game, the children shrieked And laughed until they cried; The Cat could never catch at all, However hard he tried.

He chased them up, he chased them down, He chased them all about; He chased them round and round and round, Until his strength gave out.

They led him to a shady wood, To sniff the cooling breeze, And watch the poly-poddy frogs A-jumping in the trees.

The frogs were shiny, fat and green; They sat about in rows, And held on to the branches by Their multifarious toes!

While there they sat, a cheerful shout Rang out across the sea; And Fishy-Winkle sighed and said: "I guess they're calling me.

"The tide is in, my time is up, I must go home again; My brothers six are beckoning me Across the rolling main."

The children followed in his train As far as they could get, Until the water got too deep, And all their clothes too wet.

"Be sure and come again," they cried, "To play, some other day." And Fishy waved a friendly hand, From very far away.