"The boy stood on the burning deck"--then he had to stop, for Mr. Stuck-up, the Turkey, was taking his afternoon parade right near him. Mr. Stuckup didn't seem to like that piece at all. Neither did Jehosophat, for that matter.
"'The boy'"--he began again.
"Gobble, gobble," shrieked the Turkey.
"'Stood on the burning--'"
"Gobble, gobble," again rudely interrupted Mr. Stuckup.
So Jehosophat went around to the side of the house by the Lilac Bush. He stood up straight and tried it all over again.
"'The boy stood on the burning deck'--get down, get down!" he yelled. Now that was strange. It sounded as if he were telling the boy to get down off that deck. But it was only Wienerwurst he was talking to. For, when he made that fine gesture which Teacher had shown them, Wienerwurst, who had crept up behind him, thought his master was playing some game, and jumped up at his outstretched fingers.
So once more Jehosophat picked up his reader, and walked over to the Crying Tree, whose green willow branches trailed in the Pond.
He practised his fine bow for a while, then began. This time he actually got through the first verse all right, and was quite pleased with himself. But no sooner had he stopped than he heard behind him--
A loud