Ambrose and the Mermaid

By Don Good

''I am surrounded by water, having starting the greatest journey of my life. I have no idea if I can make it alone or if I can even find the ancient city of Coralis.  Somehow, I must find the strength to keep going, to keep swimming.  My name is Ambrose; tragedy has come into my life and now I am on my own.  I must face the biggest test, to cross the ocean in order to find my uncle and my cousin.  All I have to go on are some tall stories and hearsay.  I am beginning to wonder if I will ever see a friendly face again.''

The youngster was sinking fast, into the depths of despair.  He was on his own.  With both his parents gone, he had lost the support he had once taken for granted.  There was only his friend Chloe, who appeared every now and then telling him tales of a place far away, tales that spun his imagination and made him long to travel and find out more.  He had only ever known the security of the round pond.  He longed for adventure.  But how on  earth could he possibly go and do all the things he wanted to do?

The answer can be found in Underwater Publishing's latest release:  'Ambrose and the Mermaid, an Underwater Fable'.  The manuscript was found in a trunk intact, having been stored in an attic for 23 years, since the passing of the author, Southern Evening Echo journalist, Don Good.  A senior reporter for the Southampton newspaper and writer of their weekly 'Sail Trail' column until his retirement in 1986,  Don is also known (along with his brother Roger) for writing the romantic comedy cinema release:  'What The Butler Saw', made in 1950 by Hammer Films.

Ambrose and the Mermaid is the imaginative and heart-warming tale of a country frog who leaves the peace of his home on the Essex marshes to seek his fortune in the world outside.  Ambrose meets the illustrious inhabitants of the glittering under sea world.  Intrigue and mystery follow him as he helps the greatest detective in the world, the K-Fay, to find his missing cousin.  This is a rare and vividly scripted story, where he meets the last of the mermaids.  His adventures mirror the humour of human attributes, the laughter and poignancy of life.........read and see for yourself.  This tale will delight and hold you spellbound, waiting to find out what happens next

• Language: English
• Publisher: Underwater Publishing
• Release date: Dec 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9780995575516

Don Good

The author has drawn on his own varied life experiences, having been forced to go into an orphanage at the age of 7 after he lost his father in a motorcycle accident.  Finding solace in writing, illustrating and making his own books, he used any materials he could find, even cardboard to make the covers.  This was when the very first ideas about  ‘Ambrose and the Mermaid’ came to him.  Don's passion for writing took him straight to a profession in journalism.  The war was in progress and by late 1941 Don was in the army.  Deep in the Burmese jungle, he would keep his spirits up by formulating more of the story of ‘Ambrose and the Mermaid.’  Once war service ended, he would start to write in earnest, thus Ambrose’s voice was born.  Having started writing the book in the late 1940s, it had to be put aside to attend to the pressing need of earning a living.  Fearing he might forget his inspiration, it was carefully recorded in a set of shorthand notes entitled ‘The Underwater Ballet.’  Don worked for many press agencies and Fleet Street newspapers before moving to Southampton (UK) to work for The Southern Evening Echo.   Picking up writing the story again many times throughout his lifetime, ‘Ambrose and the Mermaid’ was completed by 1978, with changes still being made up until 1982.  Don is also known (along with his brother Roger) for writing the romantic comedy cinema release:  ‘What The Butler Saw’, made in 1950 by Hammer Films.  Written in the style of times gone by, it has a timeless appeal which will warm your heart.  This book has everything:  love, war, life, death, right, wrong, romance, failure, achievement, consequences, the power of communication, but most of all it carries a message of hope - for its ‘human’ readers.  No one will fail to be moved by the life lessons portrayed with great humour, so charmingly set beneath the sea, depicted by colourful characters, all with memorable names.  Everyone will have their favourite!   Young, old or somewhere in-between, written for all ages, this is a story you will come to love!

Book preview

ebook-front-coverebook-back-cover001

Underwater Publishing

United Kingdom

Email: [e-mail]

ISBN numbers:-

978-0-9955755-3-0 (paperback)

978-0-9955755-1-6 (epub)

978-0-9955755-0-9 (mobi)

978-0-9955755-2-3 (pdf)

First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Underwater Publishing

Copyright © Don Good 1982 - Original Version

© Underwater Management 2016 - This version

© Underwater Management 2016 - Illustrations

All rights reserved

A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.

No part of this publication may be reprinted, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or utilised in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Underwater Publishing

Don Good has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work

This book is a work of fiction, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is purely co-incidental.

Typesetting and Print Management by Biddles

Illustration Credits

Book cover by Erick Sulaiman

‘Ambrose’ by Billie Hastie

‘Gambio’ by Rose Wilkinson

‘Cosimo Cosette’ by Lleucu Williams

‘Coralis Citizen - The Little Critter’ by Heather Shaw

‘Dena the Hatcheck girl’ and ‘Doldrum’ by Becca Woolmer

‘Mayor Caleb’, ‘The K-Fay’, ‘Cousin Cecil’, ‘Butler Porpoise’, ‘Mick The Rule’ and ‘Boiling Pink’ by Erick Sulaiman

All the characters were created by Don Good and described in his manuscript ‘Ambrose and the Mermaid, an Underwater Fableʼ. The manuscript was found intact 23 years after the authorʼs death, but with sketches of only 3 characters. Don had set a precedent for the style of the illustrations, but others had to be found to continue. Heather Shaw was provided with a copy of the manuscript on yellowing pages typed on a manual typewriter. From this she was able to visualise the entire book, sketching and painting what she saw in her ‘mindʼs eye’. These concept characters were given to illustrators who developed them and produced the final artwork.

You can read more about the illustrators and the characters on the website: www.underwaterpublishing.com

List of illustrations with their captions

Butler Porpoise

"Bread and water’’ he said condescendingly.

Dena the Hatcheck Girl

‘Dena looked like an Arabian Nights princess’ ‘As Dena danced she soon began to sing softly, almost to herself, and the song she was singing was the song of the Coralei.’

Ambrose

‘All his worldly possessions he carried in his travelling bag. He had a pair of striped pyjamas and a few darned socks’ ‘He was feeling tired before he’d even started. He began to wonder whether he could actually complete this quest.’

Madame Cosimo Cossette

‘she moved forward again, in the slow, sinuous movement of the dance.’

Mayor Caleb

‘Uncle Caleb was immensely proud of his home. For a country frog he had achieved great eminence.’ ‘He was highly respected by the creatures of the North Sea community.’

Cousin Cecil

‘....take Cecil away, and see that he goes to sleep in his own bed’

Gambio

‘His other friend was a diminutive Ragworm called Jimmy, who also shared his home.’ ‘Perched on his shoulder was a sea anemone that used Gambio’s shell as a mobile home....... a colourful creature called Annie.’ ‘He was very old and shortsighted. Some said he was blind. But others said that he only saw what he wanted to see.......often in the fourth dimension, Gambio would dream that he was young again, a bright young thing, spending his time playing on the sea bed, without a care in the world’

Doldrum

‘Doldrum, a creature of great beauty. She is directly descended from one of those early Mermaids’

The K-Fay

‘Some way ahead, along the underground tunnels, they were preparing an ambush.’

Boiling Pink

‘Come out and fight, you little pipsqueak!’

Mick The Rule

‘Mick the Rule, was not so easily scared.’

Coralis citizen - The Little Critter

‘It was a great moment for everyone. The atmosphere was electric. A new dawn had come. Hope was born anew.’

‘Oh, come from the wastes

Of the frozen north,

Oh, speed from the south

And the sun;

Oh, come for the love of the Coralei -

The soft sweet song of the Coralei -

Come home -

My beautiful one.’

Contents

Illustration Credits

List of illustrations with their captions

Introduction

Chapter 1 The Great Adventure

Chapter 2 The Dark Threat

Chapter 3 Angel of Mercy

Chapter 4 Hunt for Clues

Chapter 5 Our Beloved Mayor

Chapter 6 A Witness is Silenced

Chapter 7 Evening of Suspense

Chapter 8 The Grand Rescue

Chapter 9 Unforeseen Disaster

Chapter 10 Tunnel of Love

Illustrations

Chapter 11 Trapdoor of Fate

Chapter 12 Voice of the Turtle

Chapter 13 Flight from Danger

Chapter 14 Death of a Potentate

Chapter 15 The Enchantment

Chapter 16 A Secret is Revealed

Chapter 17 Outbreak of the Pollution Wars

Chapter 18 Love Will Find a Way

Chapter 19 The Election

Chapter 20 The Final Chapter

Author's Notes

Acknowledgements

Glossary

INTRODUCTION

There is a place of mystery and imagination that lies hidden beneath the waves of the North Sea. It is quite unknown to many people, even today. Although eight European countries surround the spot, and more than twice that number of European rivers flow into it, nobody knows where to find it.

Deep down within the European waters of the continental shelf, some 100 fathoms below the surface, legend tells of a fabulous city, nestling in the fertile valleys of the seabed, roughly in the centre of the North Sea.

Of course, it is only a legend! But some people have believed it. In recent times, two different people, on separate occasions, have gone in search of it. They hoped to find this fabulous city, which others tell of, flourishing under the sea.

These adventurous souls set out on their quest from the English east coast, and succeeded in discovering the place for themselves. They were the only two that ever did — and it was not because they were particularly clever. Indeed, it was more by accident than design, for they did not know where it was, or what to expect when they saw it. They relied solely upon the legend, tall stories and hearsay from others to guide them, so they were more than lucky to stumble upon it.

But, that was not all. When they finally reached their goal, they each gained a great treasure... They discovered their own individual pathways to happiness, and learnt the secret to the meaning of life, as well. So, for them, it was more than a happy chance. It was a date with destiny.

This is the story of one of them. He also caught up with the other one, during the course of his adventurous journey — although neither returned to prove it.

What he found delighted heart and eye, gave him moments fraught with danger and suspense, sweetened him with romance and favoured him with fame and fortune.

Although he faced a seemingly hostile environment, which kept most souls at bay, this adventurer swiftly adapted, and soon grew accustomed to it. Indeed, he became more at home here than he was in the place where he was raised.

His story starts on dry land…on the solid ground of the celebrated English east coast, where he began his sweet life as a twinkle in his mother’s eye. It was the same area his forerunner had come from... A favoured spot for encouraging dreams and dreamers, and for fostering the courage and the spirit to strive somehow to make one’s dreams come true.

What’s more, our adventurer had one practical advantage over you and I, which prepared him, in a most useful way, for what lay ahead of him.

He was born with gills.

CHAPTER ONE

The Great Adventure

Somewhere along the shingle banks and sandbanks of the English east coast you can find a spot called the Round Pond. It lies a little way inshore, yet within earshot of the waves of the North Sea, encircled by green fields and a ring of stately trees. This is really a magic spot, an enchanted part of nature that brings peace and contentment to anyone lucky enough to find it.

But, usually, it lies hidden from prying eyes.

When the sun rises over the silver sea along this coastline, it plays a trick of the light, causing the coastal fields and hedgerows to merge together, so that the Round Pond vanishes from sight. It disappears all day; only at sunrise or sunset can you see it.

You can tell how kind the welcome is for those who are fortunate enough to visit this place. For, when those icy fingers of Boreas, the North Wind, lay hold of the land, or a Southerly gale blows fiercely from the Essex Marshes, and, turning east by north, blasts the hapless Suffolk countryside, it is then that we see how benign and sheltered is the haven of the Round Pond. Even this inclement weather is turned away at its peaceful boundaries and, more often than not, the inhabitants are left undisturbed by the troubles outside.

Life was bliss for all the creatures who lived there. Everybody knew everyone else, they were all good friends, there was great trust among them and no one ever made any bad assumptions about one another.

Very little could ever alter the constant happiness and joy. Passing visitors made kind comments, such as, ‘Everybody is always smiling here and so friendly.’ The Round Pond had a reputation for making visitors immediately feel at home. They often did not want to leave. This little haven could be described as paradise on Earth by some. But then again, it would not suit everyone; for instance, it would not be big enough for the two-legged land crabs.

In this tranquil atmosphere a baby frog was lovingly raised by his father and mother, and given a good start in life. His parents were diligent in their task and worked together. Mr and Mrs Greenback wanted their son to do well in the world. They felt that there was no need for him to suffer the hardships and struggles which had been their lot before they found the haven of the Round Pond.

At the same time, they realised that their dream of a happy life for him would come to nothing if he turned out to be misguided and idle. So, they taught him to appreciate his home, to be glad that he was a European frog and to be keen to improve his fortune by his own good efforts.

Most important of all, they felt, was to nurture within him worthy sentiments. He might not understand properly, at first, the need for this. But, having absorbed this knowledge, it would strengthen him in later life, when he would have to stand alone, on his own two feet, and would find himself in need of sound thinking and a good character.

Mr Greenback chose what he thought was a distinguished name for his son. A name that he hoped would inspire him to do great deeds. He named him Ambrose Greenback.

Meanwhile, his mother, Mrs Greenback, a gentle soul who was devoted to her family, managed to persuade his father to include a second name in his Christening — or naming ceremony — which would bring to mind the constant need for the right approach to life’s troubles. He was christened Ambrose Hope Greenback. It was a touching thought.

In a serene atmosphere, the young frog passed his carefree days, until he had grown in strength and favour and blossomed into a comely youth.

Bright-eyed and intelligent, he was full of fun and loved adventure. However, he never boasted; in fact, he was often quite shy and modest, being a humble creature at heart, accustomed to a quiet and well-ordered life. This added greatly to his charm and fetching ways. He soon became the apple of his mother’s eye and his father’s pride and joy. He was their dream child.

Ambrose had a fantastic relationship with his parents. Whilst slightly strict, they were very communicative and always willing to take time to explain things to him. When they wanted him to do something differently, they did not force him to do their bidding; instead, he was given a choice, but they always managed to make their preferred choice sound like the best choice. He never needed to fear being reprimanded, for disagreements were always sorted out with a long discussion to gently ease Ambrose over to his parents’ point of view. Soon he developed his own ability to go through all options and make wise choices of his own. He was rewarded with fewer long discussions, which, although not really a punishment, could take hours and so could become somewhat boring for a young frog. The thought now automatically popped into his green head: Do I really want to have to talk about this for hours later on?

Who could have guessed what would happen next to their dream? Even in the quiet corners of the Earth, nobody escapes from sorrow. It is written in the Good Book that everybody must eat from the fruit of the Tree of Opposites, and taste the knowledge of both good and evil, before they die. So we must be brave!

Now Ambrose had to be brave. One day, quite suddenly and without warning, Ambrose’s mother died in her sleep. The little frog felt the first pangs of grief.

At first, it was simply a surprise. All his relatives spoke in whispers. He could hardly understand it. He missed her terribly. But somehow he was able to accept that it was a normal process in life. His mother had often explained that eventually our bodies just wear out and can’t continue.

Ambrose’s father took him along to see Sweet Chloe. ‘If anything should happen to me, Sweet Chloe will look after you,’ he said.

His words concealed an odd feeling, a premonition. Not long afterwards, Ambrose’s father failed to return home. An anxious wait followed. Then two hedge sparrows found him.

He had been run down by a car, and now lay motionless on the highway.

A closer look revealed that his soul had departed from his body. It was terribly sad. It had happened far from the kind shelter of the Round Pond. What could two small sparrows do? They said a prayer for his peaceful passage and moved his poor remains to the quiet shade of the grassy verge, out of the way of the heedless traffic.

Ambrose faced a double burden of sorrow early in his young life. He was weighed down with his grief. The worthy sentiments taught to him by his wise parents stood him in good stead. He clasped them tightly. What else could he hold on to? Then, it happened; Sweet Chloe came to him and showed him a way to live up to his name, Ambrose Hope Greenback.

It is hard to describe Chloe. She was immensely tall, but loveable, like human women. She had long chestnut-red hair, tied back, which fell down to her waist, and wore a short, shimmering dress of light apple green, which finished above her knees. She wore no shoes or stockings. She laughed easily and often. Everybody loved her. She was so cheerful. She was kind to all the wild creatures. What was strange about her was her ability to suddenly appear, and then to disappear again just as suddenly. One moment she was there; the next moment she had vanished!

Nobody knew where she came from. So far as any creature could remember, she had always been there, somewhere near, along the banks of the Round Pond. Ambrose’s father once told him that Chloe was a spirit, a nature spirit. She was the Spirit of the Round Pond, he had said. Ambrose was too young to know what he meant. To him, Chloe was Chloe. He trusted her. She was his friend.

When Ambrose had become a poor orphan, without family of his own, playing alone along the banks of the Round Pond, Sweet Chloe came to see him more often. She would tell him stories of all the wonders that could be found in the wide world beyond the boundaries of the Round Pond. They were fascinating tales that moved his feelings. He longed to travel. From these casual conversations there grew within him a fervent desire to go forth and seek his fortune in the world outside.

It was not long before Ambrose learnt something that fired his enthusiasm, and made him want to begin his travels.

It was the news that in his family there once lived an Uncle Caleb, who also wanted to see the world. A long while ago, he left the Round Pond and set off alone to seek his fortune overseas.

He heard the news from distant cousins, who lived on the other bank and did not visit very often. They said they never found out what happened to Uncle Caleb. They thought he might have perished; they imagined him lying sick, alone and miserable, gasping his last breath among unfriendly strangers.

It was disappointing for Ambrose. Then he heard that the migrating seabirds often brought back stories from distant parts. To his joy he found that the seabirds could tell him what had happened to Uncle Caleb. They said they knew where he lived, and that he had succeeded in finding a rich fortune. He had become a prominent citizen in a great city across the sea. He had created an honourable life for himself, and all the other creatures looked up to him.

When Ambrose also heard that he had a son who was about the same age as Ambrose, Cousin Cecil, he was determined to go and find his relatives, no matter what dangers lay ahead.

The seabirds gave Ambrose his address. Two storm petrels offered to fly on ahead, across the North Sea, and pass on a message via other creatures, saying that Ambrose was leaving the Round Pond and hoped to join his uncle and cousin in the great city of Coralis when the moon was full in May.

The timing was a bold guess by Ambrose. Most likely, it would take him much longer. The great city was said to be located in the North Sea basin, and lay hidden deep down beneath the waves. Why, he might never be able to find it!

But he was going to have a good try. He thought that he would just keep going and hope that he got there!

He said his goodbyes and set off on his long journey with his heart in his mouth. All his worldly possessions he carried in his travelling bag. He had a pair of striped pyjamas and a few darned socks, which was very little when you come to think of it. The bag was half empty, yet it seemed rather heavy to Ambrose. He was feeling tired before he’d even started. He began to wonder whether he could actually complete this quest.

He had not gone far before Sweet Chloe appeared, walking at his side. Ambrose heaved a sigh of relief. Chloe spoke softly to him, calming his fears. Her voice had a soothing effect on Ambrose. He could feel that she believed in his venture and was confident that he would get there. She was more confident than he was.

‘When you reach the seashore,’ she said, ‘swim away from the land until you are surrounded by water. Then stop and look up at the sky. You will notice the bright star, Stella Polaris, twinkling above you in the distance. Keep heading towards it. That is the way you want to go. Sooner or later you will reach the big, ancient city of Imperial Coralis, lying beneath the waves. It was built in the days of the empire, when the city was very rich and the buildings very grand and beautiful. It is a republic now, but everyone still calls it Imperial Coralis. You will see the creatures around you who are going there, or coming from there. They will tell you where it is.’

Sweet Chloe embraced Ambrose. She told him to take care and promised that the bright star would watch over him. Then she vanished. Ambrose was on his own now. He was setting out on a great adventure.

It was just as Sweet Chloe had said it would be. Ambrose swam out into the North Sea and there he found, twinkling overhead, the bright star that Sweet Chloe had mentioned. All he had to do was follow that twinkling light. It was really quite easy. He just had to keep going in the direction of the star.

He looked so tiny. A forlorn and diminutive figure surrounded by so much water, such a vast expanse of sea. His little head was bobbing up and down, buoyed up with hope.

Every so often, he would look up at the bright star overhead to make sure it was still there — still watching over him. Yes! It was still twinkling overhead. Why, it seemed to him that, every time he looked up, that great star nodded and winked at him!

How could that be? The star, a great, Heavenly body, was winking at him, a small and timid creature? But, just in case, and so as not to appear impolite, Ambrose winked back.

Day followed night and night followed day. It began to seem as though he was doomed to swim forever. When would the end be in sight? Maybe he had misunderstood? Was he expected to keep on swimming until he dropped to the bottom from sheer exhaustion?

There was no hope of his swimming back to the shore he had left behind. It was too far away now. Somehow, he had to keep swimming — and hoping! Hoping for the moment when the sea creatures would appear and tell him that he had arrived in Coralis. Oh, what a joy that would be!

Ambrose wondered whether he would ever again see a friendly face, somebody he once knew. His hand ached from holding onto his bag, so he took off his tie and his belt, knotted these together, and then lashed his bag to his neck. Both his hands were now free for swimming. It was a relief.

The angels must have been watching over him, that was what Ambrose believed. He just had to keep that thought in his mind and keep believing, above all else, in order to take his mind off how tired he was and just to keep going. But Ambrose really did believe that he could not do this fantastic journey on his own. The angels his parents had told him about must be watching over him right now, keeping him safe.

At that moment, the sun shone out of the clouds. Then Ambrose caught sight of a school of dolphins with their satchels on their backs. They were hurrying by, heading straight for their college under the sea. They did not have much time to stop and talk. They were going to Coralis, they told him. These were really well-educated mammals; they were in their second year at the University of Coralis, and were keen to get ahead.

Ambrose became aware that the sea all around him was alive with creatures, of all shapes and sizes, coming and going. He could not keep up with those young and sophisticated dolphins, but that did not matter now. He knew the way. The shoals of fish and scurrying creatures were all coming to the same spot, near the surface, and then taking a turn downwards into the depths.

He waved goodbye to his friend Stella Polaris, not visible at that moment, but somewhere overhead, and dived down among the fish, heading for that great city, Imperial Coralis.

Deep down among the valleys of the seabed lay the long straight lines of coral and limestone which marked out the route to the centre of the citadel. Ambrose followed the stream coming in from the south and passed through the outlying districts.

It was quite a distance, but even here, in the outskirts, he was amazed to see so many creatures, so much bustling and ceaseless activity.

As they approached the central part of the metropolis, he noticed the sudden blaze of light. High above his head, one hundred twinkling phosphor lamps streamed their light upon this multitude of hurrying creatures. He was both delighted and bewildered by it all.

In the strange glow of the North Sea basin, little Ambrose stood upon the great steps of the majestic Terminus Building, with its huge portals and its balcony over the entrance, and wondered what to do. He was a stranger in a strange place. But he did not realise how conspicuous he was, at that moment, with the dazzling phosphor lamps shining upon him.

Suddenly, he became aware of a pair of sharp eyes staring at him quizzically with evident amusement. The owner of the eyes was a young and insolent fellow with a debonair look about him. He was seated in a magnificent coral and mother of pearl, beautiful, silvery carriage drawn by six white seahorses.

Ambrose was impressed. He must be a creature of note, he thought to himself. You can imagine how surprised he was by what followed next. The young fellow leant forward, opened the door, and stepped out of the carriage. Then, with an extravagant bow and a flourish of his hand, he cheerfully said, ‘Cousin Ambrose! Welcome to Coralis, the home of the free!’

So this was his Cousin Cecil! Ambrose nearly fell over his bag trying to get into the carriage. What a stroke of luck that Cecil had recognised him! Indeed, Cousin Cecil had been looking out for Ambrose ever since receiving the message from the storm petrels that he was on his way.

Cecil explained confidentially to Ambrose that he had a little call to make before he took Ambrose back to his ‘ancestral home’, as he called it. It was a business call and would only take a few moments, he said.

He asked the driver to turn the carriage off the main avenue. Then the seahorses were driven at breakneck speed through a number of back streets. They arrived at a brightly lit building adorned with colourful sea anemones. Cecil whispered something to the driver who then drove away. This was a bit strange, Ambrose thought, considering Cecil said they would only be a few moments. The sound of music came from the bright interior. ‘This is one of the most exclusive clubs in town,’ said Cecil. ‘You could not get in here without my personal recommendation, so you are lucky. It is called the Mermaid Cavern. Here you will see some genuine city nightlife! So follow me — and do as I do.’

Ambrose had not had much practice in the ways of polite society. At the Round Pond, where he had come from, creatures were homelier and easy-going. Nobody tried to interfere with anybody else without a very good reason. If they did so, that would be fighting talk, and they would soon regret it. So, when Ambrose followed Cecil through these august portals and an elegant flunkey with tentacles grabbed his travelling bag, Ambrose hung on like grim death.

He had not brought his bag all this way across the wild sea, to have some stranger whisk it out of his hand! He refused to let go. He dug his heels into the sandy floor and tugged his hardest; the flunkey, in pursuit of his duty, tugged harder than ever, using all his tentacles, showing increasing signs of alarm. Both became highly excited and grew red in the face with exasperation.

This unseemly tussle might soon have produced an awful scene. Fortunately, Cecil realised what was happening and, not wishing to be delayed himself, decided that something must be done to put an end to it. In a loud whisper that everybody could hear, Cecil spoke confidentially to