und one end of it, he was startled at seeing an enormous
whale lying stretched out on the sand basking in the sun, and lazily
fanning himself with the flukes of his tail. The great creature had on a
huge white garment, buttoned up in front, with a lot of live seals
flopping and wriggling at one of the button-holes, and with a great
chain cable leading from them to a pocket at one side. Before Davy could
retreat the Whale caught sight of him and called out, in a tremendous
voice, "How d'ye do, Bub?"

"I'm pretty well, I thank you," said Davy, with his usual politeness to
man and beast. "How are you, sir?"

"Hearty!" thundered the Whale; "never felt better in all my life. But
it's rather warm lying here in the sun."

"Why don't you take off your"--Here Davy stopped, not knowing exactly
what it was the Whale had on.

"Waistcoat," said the Whale, condescendingly. "It's a canvas-back-duck
waistcoat. The front of it is made of wild duck, you see, and the back
of it out of the fore-top-sail of a brig. I've heard they always have
watches on board of ships, but I couldn't find any on this one, so I had
to satisfy myself with a bit of chain cable by way of a watch-guard. I
think this bunch of seals rather sets it off, don't you?"

"Yes, rather," said Davy, doubtfully; "only they slobber so."

"Ah, that reminds me that it's wash-day," said the Whale; and here he
spouted a great stream of water out of the top of his head and let it
run down in a little cascade all over the front of his waistcoat. The
seals seemed to enjoy this amazingly, and flopped about in an ecstasy.

"What do whales eat?" said Davy, who thought it was a good time for
picking up a little information.

"Warious whales wants warious wiands," replied the Whale. "That's an old
sea-saw, you know. For my part I'm particularly fond of small buoys."

"I don't think that is a very nice taste," said Davy, beginning to feel
very uneasy.

"Oh! don't be frightened," bellowed the Whale, good-naturedly. "I don't
mean live boys. I mean the little red things that float about in the
water. Some of 'em have lights on 'em, and _them_ are particularly nice
and crisp."

"Is it nice being a Whale?" said Davy, who was anxious to change the
subject.

[Illustration: "'I'M AS NIMBLE AS A SIXPENCE,' SAID THE WHALE."]

"Famous!" said the Whale, with an affable roar. "Great fun, I assure
you! We have fish-balls every night, you know."

"Fish-balls at night!" exclaimed Davy.