The Exploits of Moominpappa (Moominpappa's Memoirs) by Tove Jansson

'Something's scared them.'
    'They'll eat us,' said little My.
    'I'd better put the kiddies to bed,' remarked the Mymble. 'Hurry up, please!'
    Her children formed a circle to help each other with the back buttons.
    'Count yourselves tonight,' said the Mymble. 'This excitement's made me so tired.'
    'Aren't you going to read to us?' the kiddies cried.
    'Yes, of course,' said the Mymble.
    'Where did we stop last time?'

    The kiddies chorused: 'This-is-one-eyed-Bob'san-guinary-work-remarked-Inspector-Twiggs-pulling-a-three-inch-nail-from-the-ear-of-the-corpse-it-must-have-happened.'
    'I know, I know,' said the Mymble. 'Hurry into bed now and we'll say your prayers first.'
    Just then we caught sight of the Sea-Hound on the starboard.
    It looked so terrifying that Hodgkins switched off all the lamps at once.
    But his surprise was so great that he wasn't able to handle the ship properly, and instead of rising to the surface the Amphibian dived down like a stone to the bottom of the sea and started to crawl forward on her caterpillar chains.
    The sea-weed brushed our sides and clawed at our port-holes like ghastly fingers. In the silent dark we heard the panting of the Sea-Hound chasing us. Now his grey snout with the long drooping whiskers appeared, horribly lighted by his evil yellow eyes. They were like a couple of search-lights that found the Amphibian and held it...
    'Under the covers, children!' the Mymble cried. 'Here he comes!'
    There was a crash and a sickening wrench astern. The Sea-Hound had started with the rudder.
    And then followed a terrible upheaval. The Amphibian suddenly rose tail upwards and was thrown over on its back, loose sea-weed whirled around us in the churning water, and the general rush and roar drowned our wild shouts. We were thrown head over heels, all the cupboards flew open, the crockery came crashing out and was mixed on the floor with oatmeal, rice and tea, kiddies' boots, wool, knitting needles, and the Joxter's tobacco. And from outside came a blood-curdling, tafl-bristling howling and roaring.

    Then all was silent.
    Quite silent.
    'Deaimedearmedearme,' said the Mymble. 'How many children have I left? Count them, dearest daughter!'
    But before the Mymble's daughter had even begun her task we heard a well-known terrible voice that shouted: 'I see! Here you are, you dish-rags! By all that's grokely! Did you think you could give me the slip, what? Always forgetting to tell me where you're going, aren't you?'
    'Who's that, now?' the Mymble asked.
    'I'll give you three guesses,' said the Joxter.
    And Edward the Booble thrust his head under water and looked in at us through a port-hole. We looked back at him as composedly as possible, and then we noticed a few small pieces of Sea-Hound floating about: a bit of tail and a bit of whisker and some flat pieces. Because Edward the Booble had happened to tread on him.
    'Edward! My true friend!' Hodgkins cried.
    'We'll never forget this! You saved us at the last moment!' I said.
    'Give the kind gentleman a kiss, kiddies,' said the Mymble and started to cry.
    'What's that?' Edward the Booble said. 'No kiddies, please. They always get in my ears. You gnats! I've stubbed my toes looking for you everywhere, and you're talking through your hats as usual.'
    'You've trod on the Sea-Hound!' the Joxter cried.
    'Eh?' said the Booble and jumped back. 'Somebody again? Believe me, it wasn't my fault. And I really haven't the money for any more funerals...'
    He continued angrily: 'Anyway, why don't you keep



your old dogs out of harm's way! I simply refuse to pay for it'
    And Edward the Booble went wading away. He looked deeply hurt. After a while he turned round and shouted: 'I'm coming for tea in the morning. And make it strong!'
    Suddenly something happened.
    All the sea lit up.
    'We're burning,' said little My.
    A million billion fishes came swimming from everywhere with blazing lanterns, pocket lights, searchlights, bull's-eyes, bulbs and acetylene lamps. The