"Oh no," persisted the Turtle. "They won't have to wait for the males, because we are going aboard in pairs."
"Can't we carry the poor things?" suggested Tommy. "It would be too bad if they got left."
The Turtle looked up at the little boy with an expression of overwhelming gratitude. This was all that was needed to persuade the ex-Pirate, and so he and Tommy leaned over and each picked up a Turtle and tucked it under his arm.
"This reminds me of a conversation I overheard once," said the ex-Pirate, as they started off again. "I made a classic out of it; and as the Sheep is not here to object now, I will recite it to you:
"'It is much to be regretted,'
Said the Turtle to the Snail,
'That as rapid-transit creatures
We so signally must fail.
"'But yet we should be thankful
That Nature still allows us
To carry on our weary backs
The wherewithal to house us.'"
"Correct!" blurted out the Turtle from under the ex-Pirate's arm. "Is there any danger of these pistols going off?"
"WHY, THAT ARK IS JUST LIKE MINE!" EXCLAIMED TOMMY.
"No," replied the ex-Pirate; "they are loaded."
"That's all right, then," he said, with a sigh of relief; "I was afraid they were not loaded."