But the prophet had no such suspicion,
    And that is convincing because
  He was constantly in a position
    To see what the miscreant was.

  And this is what punctures the bubble,
    As JONAH, no doubt, was aware: 
  “A fish” was the cause of the trouble,
    But the whale is a mammal.  So there!

A. P. H.

* * * * *

=THE LIGHT FANTASTIC.=

“Dancers are born, not made,” said John.

“Some are born dancers,” corrected Cecilia, “others achieve dancing.”

“Well, I’m not going to have it thrust on me any way,” retorted John.  “I never have liked dancing and I never shall.  I haven’t danced for years and years and I don’t intend to.  I don’t know any of these new-fangled dances and I don’t want to.”

“Don’t be so obstinate,” said Cecilia.  “What you want doesn’t matter.  You’ve got to learn, so you may as well give way decently.  Come along now, I’ll play for you, and Margery will show you the steps.”

“If Margery attempts to show me the steps I shall show her the door.  I won’t be bullied in my own house.  Why don’t you make your brother dance, if somebody must?” said John, waving his arm at me.

“Come on, Alan,” said Margery; “we can’t waste our time on him.  Come and show him how it’s done.”

“My dear little sister,” I said sweetly, “I should simply love it, but the fact is—­I can’t.”

“Can’t,” echoed Margery.  “Why not?”

“I hate to mention these things,” I explained, “but the fact is I took part in a war that has been on recently, and I have a bad hip, honourable legacy of same.”

“Oh, Alan,” said Margery, “how can you?  Your hip’s absolutely fit, you know it is.  You haven’t mentioned it for months.”

“My dear Margery,” I said, drawing myself up, “I hope your brother knows how to suffer in silence.  But if you suppose that because I don’t complain—­Great heavens, child, sometimes in the long silent watches of the night—­”

“Well, how about, tennis, then?” said Margery.  “You’ve been playing all this summer, you know you have.”

“All what summer?” I asked.

“That’s a good one,” said John; “I bet she can’t answer that.”

“Don’t quibble,” said Margery.

“Don’t squabble,” said Cecilia.

“Yes, stop squibbling,” said John.

“I’m not quabbling,” said I.

John and I leaned against each other and laughed helplessly.

“When you have finished,” said Cecilia with a cold eye, “perhaps you will decide which of you is going to have the first lesson.”

“Good heavens,” said John tragically, “haven’t they forgotten the dancing yet?”

“We may as well give way, John,” I said; “we shall get no peace until we do.”

“I suppose not,” said John dismally “Very well, then, you’re her brother you shall have first go.”