"Just like. Well, by 'n' by there were twelve o' the Little Men in green coats, and they sat under the mango-tree all in a row and looked at me, and the one at the head o' the row puts up one finger, with his head to one side and his little round eye rolling out at me, and he says: 'Did Sonnie-Boy's godfather send him that steam-engine from Japan yet, what you told us about? 'Cause if he did, we have a fine pome about it.' "'Yes, he did send him a fine steam-engine from Japan,' I said, 'and you go on and let me hear your pome, and if it's a good pome I'll give you all a fine ripe mango to eat.' And so they all puffs out their fat little cheeks and they begins: "'Godfather bought him an engine, red and black, It wabbles slightly and the wheels don't track----'" "But it don't, papa, 'n' the wheels do track." "But that's what they said. "'But Sonnie-Boy felt prouder than England's queen When it puffed real smoke and sure-enough steam.'" "But it's a king in England, papa." "I know, but that's the way the Little Green Men told me. Some things they don't know yet, they're so little. "'He named it Lightning 'cause of its speed, And the 'casional spills he did not heed. All big roads had accidents, people knew-- There was danger sure when the whistle blew.'" "It's true, 'bout th' accidents, isn't it, papa?" "Nothing truer. Now, let me see. What else? Oh, yes: "'The Lightning Express is coming back, Clear the way there, people, off the track! Or Sonnie-Boy's engine, red and black, Will knock you down and hit you whack!'" "How's that?" "That's great, papa. And did they have a band with them?" "No. No band, but one little six-toed fellow--I 'most forgot him--was playing on a hook-a-zoo. That's a sausage-shaped thing, with things like rabbit's ears on it. The music comes out the ears." "And what kind of music, papa?" "Oh, like a jew's-harp something, only being bigger 'twas louder. Zoo-zoo, zoo-zoo-zoo it went." "I like those Little Green Men, papa, but where was the Little Blue Men to-day, did they say?" "Oh, they'd gone to a wedding, the hook-a-zoo player said." "They know everything, don't they, papa?" "M-m-most everything." "And will the Little Men tell me things when I'm a big man, papa?" "If they don't, I won't let 'em have any more mangoes." "An' what the bugle men play 'n' what the flags say when they hoists them up in the air on the big gun-ships, papa?" "If you're a good boy, they will. And now what d'y' say if we go in and you tell Diana your papa wants some hot water out of the kettle. And while you're doing that and auntie and godfather are talking things over to themselves, I'll be laying out my razor and my soap 'n' things all ready to shave. There you are, there's the boy!" * * * * *