the water-babies-第24章

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；　and　yet　remain　little　better　than　children　after　all。

But　they　had　not　got　half　the　spikes　away　when　they　saw　a　great　dark　cloud　over　them：　　and　lo；　and　behold；　it　was　the　otter。

How　she　did　grin　and　grin　when　she　saw　Tom。　　〃Yar！〃　said　she；　〃you　little　meddlesome　wretch；　I　have　you　now！　　I　will　serve　you　out　for　telling　the　salmon　where　I　was！〃　　And　she　crawled　all　over　the　pot　to　get　in。

Tom　was　horribly　frightened；　and　still　more　frightened　when　she　found　the　hole　in　the　top；　and　squeezed　herself　right　down　through　it；　all　eyes　and　teeth。　　But　no　sooner　was　her　head　inside　than　valiant　Mr。　Lobster　caught　her　by　the　nose　and　held　on。

And　there　they　were　all　three　in　the　pot；　rolling　over　and　over；　and　very　tight　packing　it　was。　　And　the　lobster　tore　at　the　otter；　and　the　otter　tore　at　the　lobster；　and　both　squeezed　and　thumped　poor　Tom　till　he　had　no　breath　left　in　his　body；　and　I　don't　know　what　would　have　happened　to　him　if　he　had　not　at　last　got　on　the　otter's　back；　and　safe　out　of　the　hole。

He　was　right　glad　when　he　got　out：　　but　he　would　not　desert　his　friend　who　had　saved　him；　and　the　first　time　he　saw　his　tail　uppermost　he　caught　hold　of　it；　and　pulled　with　all　his　might。

But　the　lobster　would　not　let　go。

〃Come　along；〃　said　Tom；　〃don't　you　see　she　is　dead？〃　　And　so　she　was；　quite　drowned　and　dead。

And　that　was　the　end　of　the　wicked　otter。

But　the　lobster　would　not　let　go。

〃Come　along；　you　stupid　old　stick…in…the…mud；〃　cried　Tom；　〃or　the　fisherman　will　catch　you！〃　　And　that　was　true；　for　Tom　felt　some　one　above　beginning　to　haul　up　the　pot。

But　the　lobster　would　not　let　go。　　Tom　saw　the　fisherman　haul　him　up　to　the　boat…side；　and　thought　it　was　all　up　with　him。　　But　when　Mr。　Lobster　saw　the　fisherman；　he　gave　such　a　furious　and　tremendous　snap；　that　he　snapped　out　of　his　hand；　and　out　of　the　pot；　and　safe　into　the　sea。　　But　he　left　his　knobbed　claw　behind　him；　for　it　never　came　into　his　stupid　head　to　let　go　after　all；　so　he　just　shook　his　claw　off　as　the　easier　method。　　It　was　something　of　a　bull；　that；　but　you　must　know　the　lobster　was　an　Irish　lobster；　and　was　hatched　off　Island　Magee　at　the　mouth　of　Belfast　Lough。

Tom　asked　the　lobster　why　he　never　thought　of　letting　go。　　He　said　very　determinedly　that　it　was　a　point　of　honour　among　lobsters。　And　so　it　is；　as　the　Mayor　of　Plymouth　found　out　once　to　his　cost　…　eight　or　nine　hundred　years　ago；　of　course；　for　if　it　had　happened　lately　it　would　be　personal　to　mention　it。

For　one　day　he　was　so　tired　with　sitting　on　a　hard　chair；　in　a　grand　furred　gown；　with　a　gold　chain　round　his　neck；　hearing　one　policeman　after　another　come　in　and　sing；　〃What　shall　we　do　with　the　drunken　sailor；　so　early　in　the　morning？〃　and　answering　them　each　exactly　alike：

〃Put　him　in　the　round　house　till　he　gets　sober；　so　early　in　the　morning〃　…

That；　when　it　was　over；　he　jumped　up；　and　played　leap…frog　with　the　town…clerk　till　he　burst　his　buttons；　and　then　had　his　luncheon；　and　burst　some　more　buttons；　and　then　said：　　〃It　is　a　low　spring…　tide；　I　shall　go　out　this　afternoon　and　cut　my　capers。〃

Now　he　did　not　mean　to　cut　such　capers　as　you　eat　with　boiled　mutton。　　It　was　the　commandant　of　artillery　at　Valetta　who　used　to　amuse　himself　with　cutting　them；　and　who　stuck　upon　one　of　the　bastions　a　notice；　〃No　one　allowed　to　cut　capers　here　but　me；〃　which　greatly　edified　the　midshipmen　in　port；　and　the　Maltese　on　the　Nix　Mangiare　stairs。　　But　all　that　the　mayor　meant　was　that　he　would　go　and　have　an　afternoon's　fun；　like　any　schoolboy；　and　catch　lobsters　with　an　iron　hook。

So　to　the　Mewstone　he　went；　and　for　lobsters　he　looked。　　And　when　he　came　to　a　certain　crack　in　the　rocks　he　was　so　excited　that；　instead　of　putting　in　his　hook；　he　put　in　his　hand；　and　Mr。　Lobster　was　at　home；　and　caught　him　by　the　finger；　and　held　on。

〃Yah！〃　said　the　mayor；　and　pulled　as　hard　as　he　dared：　　but　the　more　he　pulled；　the　more　the　lobster　pinched；　till　he　was　forced　to　be　quiet。

Then　he　tried　to　get　his　hook　in　with　his　other　hand；　but　the　hole　was　too　narrow。

Then　he　pulled　again；　but　he　could　not　stand　the　pain。

Then　he　shouted　and　bawled　for　help：　　but　there　was　no　one　nearer　him　than　the　men…of…war　inside　the　breakwater。

Then　he　began　to　turn　a　little　pale；　for　the　tide　flowed；　and　still　the　lobster　held　on。

Then　he　turned　quite　white；　for　the　tide　was　up　to　his　knees；　and　still　the　lobster　held　on。

Then　he　thought　of　cutting　off　his　finger；　but　he　wanted　two　things　to　do　it　with　…　courage　and　a　knife；　and　he　had　got　neither。

Then　he　turned　quite　yellow；　for　the　tide　was　up　to　his　waist；　and　still　the　lobster　held　on。

Then　he　thought　over　all　the　naughty　things　he　ever　had　done；　all　the　sand　which　he　had　put　in　the　sugar；　and　the　sloe…leaves　in　the　tea；　and　the　water　in　the　treacle；　and　the　salt　in　the　tobacco　（because　his　brother　was　a　brewer；　and　a　man　must　help　his　own　kin）。

Then　he　turned　quite　blue；　for　the　tide　was　up　to　his　breast；　and　still　the　lobster　held　on。

Then；　I　have　no　doubt；　he　repented　fully　of　all　the　said　naughty　things　which　he　had　done；　and　promised　to　mend　his　life；　as　too　many　do　when　they　think　they　have　no　life　left　to　mend。　　Whereby；　as　they　fancy；　they　make　a　very　cheap　bargain。　　But　the　old　fairy　with　the　birch　rod　soon　undeceives　them。

And　then　he　grew　all　colours　at　once；　and　turned　up　his　eyes　like　a　duck　in　thunder；　for　the　water　was　up　to　his　chin；　and　still　the　lobster　held　on。

And　then　came　a　man…of…war's　boat　round　the　Mewstone；　and　saw　his　head　sticking　up　out　of　the　water。　　One　said　it　was　a　keg　of　brandy；　and　another　that　it　was　a　cocoa…nut；　and　another　that　it　was　a　buoy　loose；　and　another　that　it　was　a　black　diver；　and　wanted　to　fire　at　it；　which　would　not　have　been　pleasant　for　the　mayor：　but　just　then　such　a　yell　came　out　of　a　great　hole　in　the　middle　of　it　that　the　midshipman　in　charge　guessed　what　it　was；　and　bade　pull　up　to　it　as　fast　as　they　could。　　So　somehow　or　other　the　Jack…tars　got　the　lobster　out；　and　set　the　mayor　free；　and　put　him　ashore　at　the　Barbican。　　He　never　went　lobster…catching　again；　and　we　will　hope　he　put　no　more　salt　in　the　tobacco；　not　even　to　sell　his　brother's　beer。

And　that　is　the　story　of　the　Mayor　of　Plymouth；　which　has　two　advantages　…　first；　that　of　being　quite　true；　and　second；　that　of　having　（as　folks　say　all　good　stories　ought　to　have）　no　moral　whatsoever：　　no　more；　indeed；　has　any　part　of　this　book；　because　it　is　a　fairy　tale；　you　know。

And　now　happened　to　Tom　a　most　wonderful　thing；　for　he　had　not　left　the　lobster　five　minutes　before　he　came　upon　a　water…baby。

A　real　live　water…baby；　sitting　on　the　white　sand；　very　busy　about　a　little　point　of　rock。　　And　when　it　saw　Tom　it　looked　up　for　a　moment；　and　then　cried；　〃Why；　you　are　not　one　of　us。　　You　are　a　new　baby！　　Oh；　how　delightful！〃

And　it　ran　to　Tom；　and　Tom　ran　to　it；　and　they　hugged　and　kissed　each　other　for　ever　so　long；　they　did　not　know　why。　　But　they　did　not　want　any　introductions　there　under　the　water。

At　last　Tom　said；　〃Oh；　where　have　you　been　all　this　while？　　I　have　been　looking　for　you　so　long；　and　I　have　been　so　lonely。〃

〃We　have　been　here　for　days　and　days。　　There　are　hundreds　of　us　about　the　rocks。　　How　was　it　you　did　not　see　us；　or　hear　us　when　we　sing　and　romp　every　evening　before　we　go　home？〃

Tom　looked　at　the　baby　again；　and　then　he　said：

〃Well；　this　is　wonderful！　　I　have　seen　things　just　like　you　again　and　again；　but　I　thought　you　were　shells；　or　sea…creatures。　　I　never　took　you　for　water…babies　like　myself。〃

Now；　was　not　that　very　odd？　　So　odd；　indeed；　that　you　will；　no　doubt；　want　to　know　how　it　happened；　and　why　Tom　could　never　find　a　water…baby　till　after　he　had　got　the　lobster　out　of　the　pot。　　And；　if　you　will　read　this　story　nine　times　over；　and　then　think　for　yourself；　you　will　find　out　why。　　It　is　not　good　for　little　boys　to　be　told　everything；　and　never　to　be　forced　to　use　their　own　wits。　They　would　learn；　then；　no　more　than　they　do　at　Dr。　Dulcimer's　famous　suburban　establishment　for　the　idler　members　of　the　youthful　aristocracy；　where　the　masters　learn　the　lessons　and　the　boys　hear　them　…　which　saves　a　great　deal　of　trouble　…　for　the　time　being。