"Who stole Admiral Grenville's brooms, because birch rods were dear?"

But proudly he shook his bald head, as a bull shakes off the flies, and
returned to the charge once more.


"Great Alexander, famed commander, wept and made a pother, At conquering
only half the world, but Drake had conquer'd t'other; And Hercules to
brink of seas!--"


"Oh--!"

And clapping both hands to the back of his neck, the schoolmaster began
dancing frantically about, while his boys broke out tittering, "O! the
ochidore! look to the blue ochidore! Who've put ochidore to maister's
poll!"

It was too true: neatly inserted, as he stooped forward, between his
neck and his collar, was a large live shore-crab, holding on tight with
both hands.

"Gentles! good Christians! save me! I am mare-rode! Incubo, vel ab
incubo, opprimor! Satanas has me by the poll! Help! he tears my jugular;
he wrings my neck, as he does to Dr. Faustus in the play. Confiteor!--I
confess! Satan, I defy thee! Good people, I confess! [Greek text]! The
truth will out. Mr. Francis Leigh wrote the epigram!" And diving through
the crowd, the pedagogue vanished howling, while Father Neptune, crowned
with sea-weeds, a trident in one hand, and a live dog-fish in the other,
swaggered up the street surrounded by a tall bodyguard of mariners, and