The Chief Contractor was in a great state of consternation and stood gazing from one to the other of the important officials of the Wig Republic as though for assistance, while even the crowd began uneasily to feel the effect of his dismay.
Suddenly the Chief Contractor noticed that the eye slung round the neck of the Crow was winking at him to approach. He accordingly went towards the Mother of the Crow, who spoke into his ear.
Beneath his mask the Chief Contractor's mouth began to smile. Quickly putting on the mask of "Good-Humour," he announced:
"A band of our Rats will each morning copiously water our fleet, for, believe me, no fleet is quite complete without water."
Here the Crow took two steps towards the Chief Contractor, and putting on his ebony spectacles, whispered a few words to him. The Chief Contractor thereupon added in a loud voice:
"They will not use the water of Soy."
Suddenly he perceived it was necessary to change the mask of "Good-Humour" for that of "Anger," for several audacious Wigs were busy writing their names upon the hulls of the white ships; but he had no time to give vent to his just indignation, for upon all sides the well-known cry arose:
"The prison is coming, the prison is coming."
"A band of our rats will each morning copiously water our fleet"