‘Junior, don’t! Do you want to hurt your mother, who would give every fluke in her body for you?’
Then she saw Raphael. ‘Why, Mr. Raphael! How nice to see you up here! Junior’s such a bad boy,’ she apologized proudly. ‘He’s getting his strainers. Don’t you think he looks like the President? Stop it, Junior! Do you want me to slap you? There, shake a fluke with Mr. Raphael. Mr. Raphael comes from the Land, where they say we once lived. What is the world coming to!’
Junior said nothing, but bumped his mother again as if by accident.
‘Now, Junior, do stop!’ she exclaimed almost tearfully. ‘Where are your manners? Children are so difficult! I always try to reason with my little ones, but sometimes it seems as though Junior just won’t listen. My husband always laughs at me, but he spoils Junior just as badly as I do. What do you think, Mr. Raphael?’
Raphael did not have time to say what he thought, for just then a small voice fluted, ‘Mr. President, the Navy has formed in review.’ It was the sea horse.
‘I have enjoyed my blow,’ said the President more calmly. ‘And now I must leave you two to chat.’
‘Your Excellency,’ begged Raphael, ‘I want to know what happens. May I go down with you?’
‘Why, certainly, Mr. Raphael. I should be delighted. Good-bye, dear,’ called the President to his wife; ‘don’t go too far away.’ Then he turned to Raphael. ‘If you will catch hold of my fluke, we’ll be down in a moment.’
Raphael did as he was told. The whale rounded his back, lifted his tail out of water, and sounded with a splash.
Down they shot into the twilight world of the ocean. Raphael did not dare to breathe, and for a long time did not even open his eyes.