human
Why, what's that?
gpt
Croc, grunted the skipper gruffly.
human
Thousands of them along here.
gpt
Almost as bad as you tacking out of the harbour, Morny,
human
Oh no, replied the French lad.
gpt
There is no tremendous storm of wind blowing, threatening to tear the sails to ribbons, no soldiers in boats using their muskets, no big guns sending heavy balls from the forts.
human
No, said the skipper, who had overheard the remarks;
gpt
Oh, you would get off again next tide,
human
Mebbe, said the skipper.
gpt
As the old country chaps at home say, we mought and we moughtn't.
human
Look, Morny, cried Rodd.
gpt
There's another of those great crocs. What a thick one! Why, that one must be five-and-twenty feet long.
human
Fourteen,
gpt
No, no; it must have been twenty,
human
Fourteen, outside, growled the skipper.
gpt
How can you tell when you only catch sight of them on the move?
human
Well, it was a tremendous thickness,
gpt
Ay, it was thick enough, and heavy enough; and they are stronger than horses. And just you look here, youngster, while we are up this river, where I dare say they swarm, you had better keep your eyes open, for those chaps will pull a deer or a bullock into the water before the poor brute knows where it is, and as to human natur', they lie waiting close to the banks for the poor niggers, men, women or children, who come down to get water, and they nip them off in a moment.
human
Ugh! Horrible!
gpt
Yes, and what made me speak to you was that we are going to settle down for a bit up here in the forest where the sun will be very hot, and where there'll be no end of great shady trees hanging over the river side and seeming to ask folks to jump in and have a nice cooling swim.
human
I say, captain!
gpt
Oh, I'm not laughing at you, my lads, said the skipper sharply.
human
When we are lying moored or at anchor up here it's just the sort of thing that you might make up your minds to do without saying a word to anybody. I know I should have done so when I was your age. But I just say to you now solemn like--don't you do it. For if there's anything one of these great reptiles likes it's a nice clean French or English boy.
gpt
Oh, come now, cried Rodd merrily,
human
Well, no, he said;
gpt
he shouted, with both hands to his mouth, and the schooner curved round and went off on another tack in obedience to the helm.--
human
It's rather an awkward job, my lads, continued the skipper.
gpt
You see, we have to sail to all points of the compass, and one minute you have got the wind blowing gently fair and free from right ahead or dead astarn, and the next you are going into shelter and got no wind at all.
human
But we keep on going steadily up the river, captain,
gpt
Yes, my lad; we have got this strong tide in our favour. I am reckoning that if we drop anchor soon we shall be able to get as far as we want next tide.
human
But how far do you mean to go?
gpt
Oh, a good way up yet,
human
But why not keep on now?
gpt
Because I want to pick a good berth before the dark comes down and catches and leaves us nohow. Got any more questions to ask?
human
Hundreds,
gpt
Humph! Then I think I ought to have my pay raised. I joined the _Maid of Salcombe_ to sail her, not to give you lessons in jography, etymology, syntax, and prosody, as it used to say in my lesson book when I was a little 'un.
human
Ah, well, I won't bother you any more to-day, captain, said Rodd;