"Now look here," said Toby. "We've got to sit in the middle of this here raft, or else she'll tilt over. Why don't you sit in the middle, Warden?" "I _am_ sitting in the middle," said the Churchwarden. "I wonder what the Vestry would say if they could--" "I wish it distinctly understood," said the Sly Old Fox, "that I am here under protest. If I had for one moment imagined--" "Now listen to me," said Aunt Amanda. "There's got to be a captain of this expedition, and as there's nobody here but a lot of helpless men-creatures, I suppose I've got to be the captain myself. All those in favor say aye. I'm elected. That's done. Warden, sit a little bit over to the right." "Ay, ay, sir; ay, ay, ma'am; certainly," said the Warden. "Now everybody sit up close to the Warden," said Aunt Amanda. "There. Is the raft balanced now?" "Ay, ay, sir," said the Churchwarden. "I mean, ay, ay, ma'am." "Then my orders as captain is, to sit still and see what's going to happen." Nothing happened. Freddie grew sleepy, and leaned his head against Aunt Amanda's shoulder. As he was falling off to sleep, a slim dark object rose from the sea near by and whirred across the ocean and plopped into the water. "Bless me heyes," said Mr. Punch, "hit's a flying-fish, as ever was." "Is it, really?" said Freddie. "Did he really fly?" "How wonderful is nature!" said the Sly Old Codger. "Such an opportunity to improve the mind! My little friend, I trust you will profit by what you have seen. It is very educational; very educational indeed." "Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg. "What do you suppose--er--ahem!--if you will pardon me--what are those little things sparkling out there on the surface of the water?" "Hit's a school of sardines!" said Mr. Punch. "Hi know them wery well; when I was a lad--" "There must be millions of them," said Freddie. "Just look!" The tiny fish were leaping by thousands on the surface of the water, immediately in the path of moonlight; and they flashed and sparkled as they leaped. "Hi believe there's a great fish arfter them," said Mr. Punch. "Maybe a whole regiment of big fish," said Toby. "By crackey, there's one now!" As he spoke, a black fin cut the water near the sardines, and they became more agitated than ever; from the size of the fin, it must have been a very great fish indeed; and along the upper edge of the fin was a row of long sharp saw-teeth, looking big and strong enough to have sawed through a wooden plank. "There's another one!" cried Freddie. "And another! and another!" cried Aunt Amanda. There must have been five or six of the great fish. "I hope they won't come near this boat," said Toby. "One of 'em would just about turn us upside down if he struck us." "Mercy!" said Aunt Amanda. "Don't say such a terrible thing."