Rolling in the sea were huge black porpoises. Over and over they rolled like great footballs. Flying fish rose out of the water, and overhead the gulls sailed back and forth on their great wings. The breeze was blowing strong and steady, and now and then the salt spray came over the railing. Some of it wet Puss, Junior's, whiskers.
"Did you get wet?" asked Alice.
"Not much," said Puss. "Besides, I don't care for a little spray, anyway."
"Come over here and sit down on this coil of rope," said the Rock-a-By-Baby's Mother, and I'll sing you a song:
"Rock-a-by, rock-a-by on the deep blue,
Sailor Boy, Mother is dreaming of you.
Thinking of Sailor Boy out on the foam,
Hoping that Sailor Boy soon will be home."
CUSTARD AND MUSTARD
FOR several days the good ship, with the four and twenty sailor mice and the duck captain, sailed over the big blue sea. Puss, Junior, learned to climb the mast and to run out to the very tip of the great boom to tie a rope for Captain Duck when it was blowing a gale. The Rock-a-By-Baby's Mother made a most delicious cake with the flour which the 'rusty, dusty' miller had sent on board, and altogether it was a most enjoyable trip, and when the good ship put into port on the fifth day everybody was sorry.
Even the little girl who was waiting for Bobby Shafto to come home told Puss she had forgotten all about him.