"I don't know. Who is your friend with a face like a hair-brush?"
"That's Sea Urchin, and he is trying to drown me."
"You must not do that, you know," said Umberufen, "it's very wrong." Then turning to Billy he whispered, "Leave him to me; I'll give him a good talking to."
"That's all you can do," said Billy desperately—"talk, talk, talk! I don't want words, I want help."
"Come down, come down. Oh! why be so obstinate?" cried the Eel, lashing the water.
"Gentlemen," said Umberufen, sticking one hand in the breast of his coat and bowing very low—almost too low, for just at that moment the plank twisted and he came very near going overboard—"gentlemen, you are doing very, very wrong."
"Bravo!" cried the Sea Urchin, "thank you for the compliment."
"Stop it and get away," cried Billy.
"Ingrate," cried Umberufen, "can't you see that already I have won their hearts—did you not hear the applause?"