So Little Black Mingo took the dhobi's great big chatty, and started
again to go to the river. But first she went to a little bank above the
river, and peeped up and down, to see if she could see the old Mugger
anywhere. But she could not see him, for he was hiding under the very
bank she was standing on, and though his tail stuck out a little she
never saw him at all.

She would have liked to run home, but she was too much afraid that
Black Noggy would beat her.

So Little Black Mingo crept down to the river, and began to fill the big
chatty with water. And while she was filling it the Mugger came creeping
softly down behind her and caught her by the tail, saying, "Aha, Little
Black Mingo, now I've got you."

And Little Black Mingo said, "Oh! please don't eat me up, great big
Mugger."

[Illustration]

"What will you give me, if I don't eat you up?" said the Mugger. But
Little Black Mingo was so poor she had nothing to give. So the Mugger
caught her in his great cruel mouth and swam away with her to an island
in the middle of the river and set her down beside a huge pile of eggs.

[Illustration]

"Those are my eggs," said he; "to-morrow a little mugger will come out
of each, and then we will have a great feast, and we will eat you up."