Then he met a ship , far larger than he had ever seen -- a gallant ocean-steamer , with a long cloud of smoke trailing behind ; and he wondered how she went on without sails , and swam up to her to see . A school of dolphins were running races round and round her , going three feet for her one , and Tom asked them the way to Shiny Wall : but they did not know . Then he tried to find out how she moved , and at last he saw her screw , and was so delighted with it that he played under her quarter all day , till he nearly had his nose knocked off by the fans , and thought it time to move . Then he watched the sailors upon deck , and the ladies , with their bonnets and parasols : but none of them could see him , because their eyes were not opened , -- as , indeed , most people 's eyes are not . At last there came out into the quarter-gallery a very pretty lady , in deep black widow 's weeds , and in her arms a baby . She leaned over the quarter-gallery , and looked back and back toward England far away ; and as she looked she sang : I. `` Soft soft wind , from out the sweet south sliding , Waft thy silver cloud-webs athwart the summer sea ; Thin thin threads of mist on dewy fingers twining Weave a veil of dappled gauze to shade my babe and me . II . `` Deep deep Love , within thine own abyss abiding , Pour Thyself abroad , O Lord , on earth and air and sea ; Worn weary hearts within Thy holy temple hiding , Shield from sorrow , sin , and shame my helpless babe and me . '' Her voice was so soft and low , and the music of the air so sweet , that Tom could have listened to it all day . But as she held the baby over the gallery rail , to show it the dolphins leaping and the water gurgling in the ship 's wake , lo ! and behold , the baby saw Tom . He was quite sure of that for when their eyes met , the baby smiled and held out his hands ; and Tom smiled and held out his hands too ; and the baby kicked and leaped , as if it wanted to jump overboard to him . `` What do you see , my darling ? '' said the lady ; and her eyes followed the baby 's till she too caught sight of Tom , swimming about among the foam-beads below . She gave a little shriek and start ; and then she said , quite quietly , `` Babies in the sea ? Well , perhaps it is the happiest place for them ; '' and waved her hand to Tom , and cried , `` Wait a little , darling , only a little : and perhaps we shall go with you and be at rest . '' And at that an old nurse , all in black , came out and talked to her , and drew her in . And Tom turned away northward , sad and wondering ; and watched the great steamer slide away into the dusk , and the lights on board peep out one by one , and die out again , and the long bar of smoke fade away into the evening mist , till all was out of sight . And he swam northward again , day after day , till at last he met the King of the Herrings , with a curry-comb growing out of his nose , and a sprat in his mouth for a cigar , and asked him the way to Shiny Wall ; so he bolted his sprat head foremost , and said : `` If I were you , young Gentleman , I should go to the Allalonestone , and ask the last of the Gairfowl . She is of a very ancient clan , very nearly as ancient as my own ; and knows a good deal which these modern upstarts do n't , as ladies of old houses are likely to do . ''
Tom asked his way to her , and the King of the Herrings told him very kindly , XXXXX he was a courteous old gentleman of the old school , though he was horribly ugly , and strangely bedizened too , like the old dandies who lounge in the club-house windows .
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