and they all had a grand frolic together.

Little Johnny laughed too, as he stood on the dry ground; but, when his
Father said, "Come, Johnny, now it is your turn," he made a terrible
face, and cried "Dear Papa, dear Mamma, please let me go home. I shall
never see you again if you put me in that great big water." But his
Mamma said he must go in, because it would do him a great deal of good,
and she undressed him, and put him into his Father's arms.

Johnny now began to scream as loud as he could, and cried out, "Mamma,
Mamma, I want to go back to you." But his Father did not mind him a bit,
and holding him by his arms, he plunged him under the water.

The poor little fellow came up gasping and panting, and sobbed out, "Oh!
my dear Mamma, come and kiss me 'fore I die."

Every body laughed--for there was no danger--except his kind Mother. A
tear stared to her eye, for she knew her dear little son really thought
he was dying, and would never see her again. But in a little while he
felt better, and, after his Mother had taken him, and had rubbed him all
over and dressed him, and he had run up and down the beach with William
and the other children, he felt such a nice warm glow all over him, that
he forgot all about his fright.

Pretty soon he said, "Mamma, I am so hungry--I am as hungry as a little
bear."

"That is because you have been in the water," replied his Mother.

"Are the fishes always hungry?--does the water make them hungry too?"
said Johnny.

"I believe they are always ready to eat," replied his Mother; "you know
that they are caught by bait. This bait is a bit of a clam or a little
worm, put upon a sharp hook. The fish snap at the bait, and the hook
catches them in the mouth. Come, little hungry fish," added his Mother,
"and I will give you something to eat; but I will not put it on a hook
to hurt you."

The next day the little boys went into the water again, and, although
Johnny made up a doleful face, he did not think he should die this time;
and, when he saw the other children laughing and splashing each other,
and crying "Duck me again--what fun we are having," he tried to like it
too, and after a little while did begin to like it; for, when children
_try_ to overcome their foolish fears, they will almost always succeed,
and be rewarded as Johnny was, by the pleasure they enjoy, and the
happiness they give to their parents.

After a few days, Johnny got to be so brave, that he was the first to