Page 247 - Adventures in shadow-land

a sea goddess, do you suppose she'd stand there in

all weathers? Besides, there are no nymphs."
“ Then you won’t sink the ship?" said the mer­

man.
“ Certainly notj she's only a merchant ship.

If she was a whaler, I would with pleasure.
I ’ve done it before now, but that was in self-de­

fence, I'm not going to drown a lot of folks be­
cause you have lost your wits. Come, come, my

young friend, go home to your family, I dare say
your mother don't know you’re out. You are too

tired to swim after that ship, and you are hurt be­
sides. Let me take you home on my back \ I’d

just as soon swim your way as any other."
The merman was a little affected by the whale's

tone of kindness, but he was too much possessed
with his wooden love to accept the offer.

“ N ol no!” he cricd, “ I must follow her to
the ends of the earth. Something tells me she

will yet be mine."
“ And suppose she should be?" said Moby Dick.

“ Why, she's only a stick cut and painted- What
would the ladies of your family think if you brought

home a wooden wife ?”