human
I'm a-listening, sir. Heave ahead.
gpt
Yes, cried Rodd desperately.
human
Look here, Joe; were you making fun of me?
gpt
Fun of you? No, sir. It was only my way, just to make things a bit more cheery, for every one on deck seems to be in the doldrums, all on account of that great squirmy thing.
human
No, no, I don't mean that, cried Rodd.
gpt
I mean, making fun of me when you told the men I wasn't frightened.
human
Fun on you? No, sir. Why, it was as I said. You quite capped me, to see you standing facing that thing without shrinking a bit. I should have expected to see you frightened to death.
gpt
Then it was because you didn't look well, Joe, said Rodd, in a low hoarse voice, as he made a brave effort to set himself right with the man.
human
I was frightened--so horribly frightened that I couldn't stir.
gpt
Well, and no wonder, sir. Enough to make you. Why, it would have frightened a brass monkey, let alone a man. Look at Ikey Gregg. I believe if you'd ha' 'eard him you would have found he was calling `Mother!' Poor old chap. There aren't no way of proving it, as one don't know how heavy he was afore, but I believe he melted away a bit. Why, we was all like it, sir. It was a regular startler and no mistake.
human
Do you mean honestly that all the men were very much frightened?
gpt
Why, of course, sir. I telled you I was as bad as bad could be, and my hair stood right up on end--leastwise, it felt as if it did; and I can tell you this: I didn't feel like that when we were going into action, and that's saying a good deal, when a fellow didn't know whether the first sixty-four pounder that was fired wouldn't send its shot right into his chest. And so you felt regular skeart, did you, sir?
human
Yes, Joe; and it made me ashamed to hear you talking about me to the men as you did.
gpt
Oh, well, I don't know as it matters, sir. I said just what I thought, and I rather like to hear what you say, because it seems to brighten me up a bit.
human
Why? How?
gpt
Oh, because it makes me feel that I wasn't quite such a cur as I thought I was. There, it's all right, sir, and I suppose it's quite nat'ral for any one to feel afraid when there's something really worth feeling afraid on. I dare say we should both be just as bad again if that thing was to shove its head out of the water again close by here.
human
Then you don't think I was such a coward, Joe?
gpt
You! You a coward! Tchah! Let me hear any fellow say you are, and I'll hit him in the eye. But there, it's just as if that thing knowed we were all ready and waiting for it, and so it won't show. I'm beginning to wish that the skipper would send everybody but the watch for their spell below; but I don't suppose he will, and so we must make the best of it. But if I was you, sir, and didn't belong to the crew, I should just slip off below and turn into my bunk till breakfast-time in the morning. What do you say?
human
No,