and even finding shelter among the white waves of his beard. We sat cross-legged on the grass before him eagerly awaiting the song.
At last, in a voice rich with emotion, he sang to a strange lilting tune:
"I be in a terr'ble fix,
Wife have I and childer six.
"I'd got married just for fun,
When in popped Baby Number one—
"I'd got an easy job to do,
When in strolled Baby Number Two—
"I was fishin' in the sea,
When up swum Baby Number Three—
"My boat had scarcely touched the shore,
When in clumb Baby Number Four!
"I was the scaredest man alive,
When wife found Baby Number Five.
"The cradle was all broke to sticks
When in blew Baby Number Six—
"And now I'm praying hard that Heaven
Will keep a grip on Number Seven."
"And did Heaven keep a gwip on it?" inquired The Seraph as soon as the last notes died away.
[201]
