]

Fishing

He took a stick, he took a cord,
He took a crooked pin,
And went a-fishing in the sand
And almost tumbled in.
But just before he tumbled in,
By chance it came about,
He hooked a whiting and a sole,
And made them tumble out.

Hide and Seek

When the clean white cloth is laid,
And the cups are on the table,
When the tea and toast are made,
That's a happy time for Mabel.

Stealing to her mother's side,
In her ear she whispers low,
"When papa comes I'll hide;
Don't tell him where I go,"

On her knees upon the floor,
In below the sofa creeping;
When she hears him at the door,
She pretends that she is sleeping.

"Where is Mabel?" father cries,
Looking round and round about.
Then he murmurs in surprise,
"Surely Mabel can't be out."

First he looks behind his chair,
Then he peers beneath the table,
Seeking, searching everywhere
All in vain for little Mabel;

But at last he thinks he knows,
And he laughs and shakes his head,
Says to mother, "I suppose
Mabel has been put to bed."

But when he sits down to tea,
From beneath the sofa creeping,
Mabel climbs upon his knee,
Clasps her hands: "I was not sleeping."

When he asks, "Where is my girl's
Very secret hiding-place?"
Mabel only shakes her curls,
Laughing, smiling, in his face.

[Illustration: Johnny Giving his Sister a Ride.]

[Page 84--Play Land]

[Illustration: Our Playhouse Coach.]

Little Sailors

Now, Harry, pull the chairs up,
And, Fanny, get the shawl;
We'll play that we are sailors,
And that we're in a squall.

The fire will be a lighthouse,
To warn us off the shore;
And we will place the footstools
For rocks, out on the floor.

Now this chair is the stern
And that one is the bow;
But there, you must be careful,
And not lean hard, you know.

Now, sailors, pull that sail up,
And tuck the corners in--
Well if you want it tighter,
Ask mother for a pin.

Now couldn't we sing something
About the "Ocean Blue"?
Well, never mind, "By-baby"
Or anything will do.

Take care, you careless sailors,
And mind what you are about,
You know the sea will drown you,
If you should tumble out.

Brother Playing

Up and down the play-room,
Then behind the door,
Now upon the sofa,
Now upon the floor.