Page:C Q, or, In the Wireless House (Train, 1912).djvu/132



ICKY dreamed, at the last, strange dreams. “’T was brillig and the slithy toves” were clinging like huge leeches to the sides and stern oi the ship, and trying to climb on board, while he, alone, in the moonlight, pushed their white jelly-like tentacles off the rail. But they came all about him and one larger than the rest swarmed its white pulpy body over and grasped him round the waist and legs and arms and held him helpless and smothered—and laughed a silvery, glittering laugh and dragged him to the stern, while Cloud sat cross-legged on the deck-house roof and played, “Ah ’l lend yo’ ma’ hat; Ah ’l lend yo’ ma’ flat!” on a tinkling mandolin. Then the “tove” pulled him gently over and they plunged swiftly downward into the boiling froth of the wake and were tossed around and