they'm bootiful ships!

"Hurr, they'm bootiful ships!" "Can us 'ave rowers to row with?" "Oi'm callen moi ship ee Daffydill" "Mine be called Watermouseyl" Blaggut sat dow.n on the pond edge sipping cider that he had drained from the barrel into a bowl before construction began. The searat was as happy as the two Dib-buns. "Haharr, mates, I'm a boatbuilder! All me life I've been called stoopid an' clumsy an' thick as two short planks. But I ain't, I got clever paws, I kin make boats, good 'uns!" "Write our ships' names on 'em, Blackguts, sir. Oh, please!" Blaggut had hoped they would not ask him this. "Er, well, mebbe Sister Sage oughter do that, shipmates. I never learned no writin', bein' a seara梕r, carpenter, there wasn't no need fer such things. Aye, we'll ask the Sister. 'Sides, she prob'ly kin write proper fancy; I bet good ole mouseladies like 'er does writin' a lot. But 'old 'ard, mateys. Wot about our bargain梱ou know, the secret treasure you was gonna show me?'' The mousebabe planted his paws on tiny, fat hips. "Nono, first we wanna sail, see if these ships work right!" Blaggut finished his cider. "Yore an 'ard master, mousebabe. Come on then, let's launch 'em." The Belhnaker 273 The boats were an instant success. They sailed wonderfully on the slightest breeze and in the absence of any wind could be rowed easily with the paddles Blaggut had made. All the Abbey Dibbuns gathered at the pond's edge, anxious to take their turn being ferried about on the Abbey pond. Both mousebabe and mole-maid were in their element, sailing, paddling, and roaring orders. "Hurr, you'm sit yurr an' ee sit thurr. 'Old on naow!" "Two atta time, on'y two atta time. Who's next?" "Oi'll take ee round yon bullyrushers!" "Watch out for big fishes an' pirates!"