"Now tell me that there is not just one more fish in the sea that never was caught," said Ne'er Do Eel triumphantly.
Billy didn't answer, for he knew that he must save his breath. But when he saw a plank floating just within reach he could not resist a feeble "Hurrah."
It required but a second for him to throw his arms over it and cling on for dear life.
"That's what comes of having planked white fish for dinner," said Ne'er Do Eel.
The Sea Urchin, seeing what Billy had done, swam madly about trying to find another opportunity for stinging him with his bristles, but was unable to make any impression through his wet clothes.
Ne'er Do Eel thrashed the water into a perfect foam in his efforts to drag Billy and the plank down, but barring giving Billy an occasional ducking and making Barker yelp with fright he could do nothing.
Suddenly Billy felt the plank sink deeper into the water so that his chin was barely above the surface. At the same moment a voice said "Umberufen."
And there balancing himself on the plank stood Umberufen.
"Get off, you're sinking us!" cried Billy.