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."

"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.

"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."

Then he waddled off to catch fish for himself, and left
Little Black Mingo alone beside the big pile of eggs.