"'I don't think it'll do no 'arm,' ses the skipper, peering over the
side, and speaking as though he knew all about sea-sarpints and their
ways.
"'S'pose it puts its 'ead over the side and takes one o' the men,' ses
the mate.
"'Let me know at once,' ses the skipper firmly; an' he went below agin
and left us.
"Well, I was jolly glad when eight bells struck, an' I went below; an'
if ever I hoped anything I hoped that when I go up that ugly brute would
have gone, but, instead o' that, when I went on deck it was playing
alongside like a kitten a'most, an' one o' the chaps told me as the
skipper had been feeding it agin.
"'It's a wonderful animal,' ses the skipper, 'an' there's none of you
now but has seen the sea-sarpint; but I forbid any man here to say a
word about it when we get ashore.'
"'Why not, sir?' ses the second mate.
"'Becos you wouldn't be believed,' said the skipper sternly. 'You might
all go ashore and kiss the Book an' make affidavits an' not a soul 'ud
believe you. The comic papers 'ud make fun of it, and the respectable
papers 'ud say it was seaweed or gulls.'
"Why not take it to New York with us?' ses the fust mate suddenly.
"'What?' ses the skipper.
"'Feed it every day,' ses the mate, getting excited, 'and bait a couple
of shark hooks and keep 'em ready, together with some wire rope.
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