great big beard, to take me too. So he took me on board, and I was a little
cabin boy. But bye and bye I got to be a real sailor, and I sailed all
over the world in the ship, and saw lots of people, yellow, and black, and
brown, and funny places and queer houses and--"

"Be careful, Frank!"

They all turned at once. There was Mother, standing right near them. All
the time she had been listening, near the Crying Tree.

"Now, Frank," she repeated, "be careful or you'll put _notions_ in
those children's heads, and some day they'll be running away from
_me_."

Still she didn't look cross, and she smiled at the Toyman, especially when
he answered:

"Not from a mother like you, Mis' Green. How about it, kiddies?"

And Marmaduke and Jehosophat were very sure they never could run away--not
even to sea in a beautiful ship. So they kissed her and hugged her too.

Now the froggies were singing their evening song. The sun was getting close
to his home in the west. Little Duckie and his real mother and father came
out of the water and waddled off towards the barn. The Swans folded their
wings and came to the shore. So the Toyman brought the ship to the harbour
and anchored her for the night.