5 Row, Row, Row Your Boat

CHAPTER 5 ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT Half an hour later, Terry and I are on a boat in the middle of the lake, fishing. Sure, it's relaxing, but it's not quite as relaxing as I'd hoped because… EVERYBODY ELSE IS ON THE BOAT TOO!!!

We are packed in like sardines, which is kind of funny, really, because sardines are what we're using for bait. But there's nothing especially funny—or very relaxing —about fishing on a boat built for two with an inquisitive reporter, a snap-happy photographer, two enthusiastic robots, an enormous boxing elephant, a kind scarecrow, three talkative owls, a pinchy crab, a fancy fish and a bunch of overexcited penguins jumping around, playing badminton and trying to steal our bait. We're all squashed together so tightly there's barely room to cast our lines in. To make matters worse, the boat is so low in the water that it feels like we could sink at any moment. 'BARAAAAAAAGH!' trumpets The Trunkinator, and

he blasts a fountain of water into the air for the penguins to play in. 'Do that again!' says Jimmy, snapping away. The Trunkinator doesn't need any encouragement. 'BARAAAAAAAAAAAGH!' The penguins fly even higher this time. 'I thought this was supposed to be a luxury cruise,' says Fancy Fish. 'Not a floating water park!' 'Oh, do cheer up, Fancy, you old stick-in-the-mud,' says Pinchy, clacking his pincers together in Fancy

Fish's face. 'We're supposed to be having a holiday, and holidays are supposed to be fun!' 'Smile!' says Jimmy. CLICK! Despite the crowded conditions, everybody (apart from Fancy Fish, that is) seems to be having a good time, especially Edward and Mary, who are so happy they start singing a song together.

'Row, row, row your boat, Gently down the stream, Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream! Row, row, row your boat, Gently down the stream. If you see a crocodile, Give it some ice-cream!

Row, row, row your boat, Row and never stop. If you're getting hungry, Then suck a lollipop!' 'Row, row, row your boat, Gently on the lake. Don't forget to bring along A really big—'