The Hot Swamp | Page 8

look over the side,

where the rippling sea gleamed with phosphoric brilliancy.
"Exactly so," continued Maikar in an eager tone, "and of course these
also must have had two grandfathers besides a mother each, and it is
more than likely that the great sea-serpent himself is the father of a
large family."
"Which implies a wife," suggested one of the seamen.
"Not necessarily," objected an elderly seaman, who had once been to
the lands lying far to the north of Albion, and had acquired something
of that tendency to object to everything at all times which is said to
characterise the people of the far North. "Not necessarily," he repeated,
"for the serpent may be a bachelor with no family at all."
There was a short laugh at this, and an illogical man of the group made
some irrelevant observation which led the conversation into a totally
different channel, and relegated the great sea-serpent, for the time being,
to oblivion!
While the men were thus engaged philosophising in the bow, Bladud
and the captain were chatting in subdued voices in the stern.
"It is impossible," said the latter, in reply to a remark made by the
former, "it is impossible for me to visit your father's court this year,
though it would please me much to do so, but my cargo is intended for
the south-western Cassiterides. To get round to the river on the banks
of which your home stands would oblige me to run far towards the cold
regions, into waters which I have not yet visited--though I know them
pretty well by hearsay. On another voyage I may accomplish it, but not
on this one."
"I am sorry for that, Arkal, because things that are put off to another
time are often put off altogether. But the men of the Tin Isles often visit
my father's town in their boats with copper and tin, and there are tracks
through the forest which horses can traverse. Could you not visit us
overland? It would not be a journey of many weeks, and your trusty
mate might look after the ship in your absence. Besides, the diggers

may not have enough of the metal ready to fill your ship, so you may
be idle a long time. What say you?"
Captain Arkal frowned, as was his wont when considering a knotty
question, and shook his head.
"I doubt if I should be wise to venture so much," he said; "moreover,
we are not yet at the end of our voyage. It is of little use troubling
one's-self about the end of anything while we are only at the
beginning."
"Nevertheless," rejoined Bladud, "to consider the possible end while
yet at the beginning, seems not unreasonable, though, undoubtedly, we
may never reach the end. Many a fair ship sets sail and never returns."
"Ay, that is true, as I know to my cost," returned the captain, "for this is
not my first venture. A long time ago I loaded a ship about the size of
this one, and sent her under command of one of my best friends to the
Euxine sea for gold. I now think that that old story about Jason and his
ship Argo sailing in search of the golden fleece was running too strong
in my youthful brain. Besides that, of course I had heard the report that
there is much gold in that direction, and my hopes were strong, for you
know all the world runs after gold. Anyhow, my ship sailed and I never
saw her or my friend again. Since then I have contented myself with
copper and tin."
A slight increase in the wind at that moment caused the captain to
dismiss his golden and other memories, and look inquiringly to
windward.
"A squall, methinks?" said Bladud.
"No, only a puff," replied his friend, ordering the steersman to alter the
course a little.
The squall or puff was only strong enough to cause the Penelope to
make a graceful bow to the controlling element and cleave the
sparkling water with her prow so swiftly that she left a gleaming wake

as of lambent fire astern. It was short-lived, however, and was followed
by a calm which obliged little Maikar and his comrades to cease their
story-telling and ply their fifty oars. Thus the pace was kept going,
though not quite so swiftly as if they were running before a stiff breeze.
"The gods are propitious," said the captain; "we are going to have a
prosperous voyage."
"How many gods are propitious?" asked Bladud.
"That is a question much too deep for me to answer."
"But not too deep to think of--is it?"
"Of what use would be my thinking?" returned the captain, lightly. "I
leave such matters to the learned."
"Now, mate," he added, turning