"
"Don't disturb me," said the lizard. "I'm dreaming about parsnips.
Did you ever taste a parsnip?"
"We're in a hurry, if it's the same to you, sir," said Cap'n Bill
politely.
"Then climb over me or go around, I don't care which," murmured the
lizard. "When they're little, they're juicy; when they're big,
there's more of 'em; but either way there's nothing so delicious as
a parsnip. There are none here in the Fog Bank, so the best I can do
is dream of them. Oh, parsnips, par-snips, p-a-r-snips!" He closed
his eyes sleepily and resumed his dreams.
Walking around the lizard, they resumed their journey and soon came
to the frog, being guided by its grunts and croaks. Then off it went
again, its tremendous leap carrying it far into the fog. Suddenly,
Cap'n Bill tripped and would have fallen flat had not Trot and
Button-Bright held him up. Then he saw that he had stumbled over the
claw of a gigantic land-crab, which lay sprawled out upon the pebbly
bottom.
"Oh, beg parding, I'm sure!" exclaimed Cap'n Bill, backing away.
"Don't mention it," replied the crab in a tired tone. "You did not
disturb me, so there is no harm done."
"We didn't know you were here," explained Trot.
"Probably not," said the crab. "It's no place for me, anyhow, for I
belong in the Constellations, you know, with Taurus and Gemini and
the other fellows.
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