The Missing Prince

ig

way of getting back to the shore again. He had just decided to return to Sand Castle and see if he could not find something to make a raft of wh

ed Boy he exclaimed i

ming little human creature!

b if he could suggest a way back to the shore, when a great wave rolled up unexpectedly and carried Boy and the Crab

the Crab, smoothing down his coat as the

or two, but at last he managed to say, "I think it is horrid, and I am sure I shall be drowned soo

back," said the

all certainly be drown

ld you be if you would only try it. Here comes another wave. Now don't be frightened and don't let yourself be carried away; just stop on the sand and let the water go over you-give me your claw;" and grasping Boy's hand He held him, do

ght; for there is no disguising the fact that he had been frightened, although he was a brave little fell

claimed Boy. "Do

b, "I am the Head Mast

name!" said

funnier than Eaton-Eaton on land a

then he noticed to his great surprise a number of fishes about his own size, in sh

ig

ight-the fishes, swimming in a perfectly upright position, raised th

rning, P

ittle creature covered all over with little prickly spikes called out rudely,-"Ya

ins; they are very rude and ill behaved. I do

sked Boy, who felt greatly impr

. "All schoolmasters are, you kn

't think my schoolmaster is a Professor;

s to know more than he really does, and all schoolmasters do that more or less, whether they

part of the Crab, but he was too much interested

anted at regular intervals on either side, and in the di

me houses!" he exc

fessor Crab. "What did y

sticklebacks; I know they build a kind of nest with sticks and thin

might as well refer to the time when human creatures dwelt in caves and huts. No, my dear sir, the spr

ly at the end of the procession amused Boy very much indeed, and he was still watching him when he heard a voice exclaiming, "Cab, sir?" and, turning around, beheld the most curious vehicle you can p

ig

n Company, and told the cabman to stop a moment so that Boy might watch one of the boats which was just starting out of the Station. A very curious affair it turned out to be: shaped like an enormous Cigar, with a screw propeller at one end of it a deck on top with rails around it, on which a number of various kinds of fishes were sitting about on deck-chairs, chatting and reading, while through the large plate-

ON CO

l: Profe

a large building just through the gates. A long corridor ran right through the building

give the First Class in Molluscs thei

d, was soon surrounded by a number of young fishes, all dre

swer another one had asked, "What's your father? and how much pocket money do you h

had such a jolly time, and one day I went out in a boat and caught such a lot of---" (Fortunately he re

asked one of the lit

shells, you know, and er-er-seaweed,

eaweed, wasn't it?" remarked one of the fish

he thought that he could see a way out of the

s looked

your oars stick in the water and you can't draw them out again; that's c

stood staring at him suspiciously for some time, t

oing to be captain of our eleven next t

?" demanded one

e's eleven and ever so much taller than me

the fishes, leading the way to the end of the

" he cried, ha

out the slightest warning, all the rest of the fishes began throwing balls at him as hard as they could

ire?" they shout

"Out," and the others threw their caps up into the ai

cricket," cried Boy, throw

emanded one of the fis

maintained

you for it," declared the

," said Boy, laughi

the fishes, dancing around him. "Afra

taunts and walked back to the College, leavin

and looking in at the window he saw the Crab standing beside a blackboard with notes on it

aw Boy, and Boy went round to

rofessor Crab. "Perhaps you would

aid Boy, taking a sea

ig

ting time with his b?￠ton, and the Oyst

R LITTLE

ittle Oyster, livin

d and, consequently

as tidy and as cl

make the beds they

d she possessed a

ing then became h

tised she her less

ained the medal gi

al

was far too good to

e

gave her up to gra

icely packed, was

skilful care beca

ong, which the First Class in Molluscs

ing," said the Professor, loo

s, and the Oysters went out of the room in single file,

said the Crab, when they had all gone, for there is a half-holi

emembered that that was where One-and

king the class-room door set out with Boy for t