Page 218 - Adventures in shadow-land

44 Th4 Merman and the Figure-Head.

“ Come, come, grandfather/* said the young

merman, smiling. “ You arc not angry with,
me I know j I presume you’ve felt just so your­

self.1 ’
The professor was silent, and swam thoughtfully

two or three times up and down the room. The
two little kitten fish went and sat on his head.
“ I won’t say but I have,” he remarked at

length, but it’s best not to mention it* Where
do you mean to go for your vacation ?”

,f I thought I should go North along the coast/’
said the young merman. “ I can’ t help having

a curiosity about the lamlj and if I am in aw ay to
observe any human creatures, I may pick up some

facts to support your theory that they are undevel­
oped walruses.”

f ‘ Any one can see that who has ever seen them
floundering about in the water/’ said the old pro­

fessor, scornfully.
“ But the men drown and the walruses don’t.”
** That’s because the men have not yet acquired

the habit of not being drowned,” said the pro^
fessor. “ When are you going?”

“ To-morrow, I thought.”