He was halfway across the lake when he came up that time.

Next time he was _all_ the way across; but, being very cunning indeed, he came up under a grassy bank, where his black bill was hidden among the stems.
"He was not more than twenty paces now from the place where the Water Babies were splashing and racing and squeaking, and having such a good time on the smooth, sunny water, under the blue, blue sky.

They were very happy.

Dagger Bill sank back into the deep water so noiselessly, you would have said it was a shadow sinking.

Then he rushed forward like a swordfish, down there in the brown glow, and darted up right into the game of tag.
"He had aimed his cruel thrust at the Water Baby who, at that particular moment, was IT.