human
Why, in the old times the sea was one constant glorious adventure, he continued.
gpt
A boy left school and became a midshipman, and in a few weeks was cruising after Spanish galleons or locking yard-arms with a French privateer, or--doing lots of things.
human
Well--there _are_ adventures today,
gpt
And today we go from school to high school, and from high school to college, and then we go into the office or become doctors and things, and the only adventures we know about are the ones we read in books. Why, just as sure as I'm sitting here on the stern of the sloop _Mist_, just so sure am I that we wouldn't know what to do if a real adventure came along. Now, would we?
human
Oh, I don't know,
gpt
Well, you wouldn't be a coward, would you?
human
But you don't have to be a coward to lose your head, do you?
gpt
Well, then, Paul summed up, with a note of regret in his voice,
human
The adventure hasn't come yet, I answered, not caring to see him down in the mouth over nothing. You see, Paul was a peculiar fellow in some things, and I knew him pretty well. He read a good deal, and had a quick imagination, and once in a while he'd get into moods like this one. So I said,
gpt
The adventure hasn't come yet, so there's no use worrying about its being spoiled. For all we know, it might turn out splendidly.
human
Just imagine, Bob Kellogg, as we're sailing along now, just as we are, and never mind what for, that a boat should bear down upon us with armed men in it, what would you do to repel boarders? Think you could rise to it?
gpt
What would _you_ do? I asked pointedly.
human
Remember, we haven't even a single shotgun aboard.
gpt
You would surrender, then? he demanded angrily.
human
But suppose they were going to kill you?
gpt
I'm not saying what I'd do, I answered stiffly, beginning to get a little angry myself.
human
I'm asking what you'd do, without weapons of any sort?
gpt
I'd find something,
human
Then the adventure wouldn't be spoiled, would it? And you've been talking rubbish.