human
Ah, cried Uncle Paul that evening, as he strolled out into his garden, in company with Rodd, who was carrying a telescope that looked like a small cannon;
gpt
Well--yes, uncle, replied the boy, smiling and screwing up his face till it was all wrinkled about the eyes;
human
Afraid, sir? What of?
gpt
That I shan't turn out such a good sailor as I should like to be.
human
Why, what do you mean? Now, look here, Rodd; don't you tell me that you want to back out of going upon this trip.
gpt
Oh no, uncle, cried the boy eagerly.
human
I want to go, of course!
gpt
But what are you afraid of?
human
Well, you see, uncle, coasting about with you in a fisherman's lugger for a few days, and always keeping within sight of land, is one thing; going right away across the ocean is quite another.
gpt
Well, sir, who said it wasn't? cried Uncle Paul.
human
What then?
gpt
Suppose I turn ill, uncle?
human
Well, sir, suppose you do. Am I not doctor enough to put you right again?
gpt
Oh, I don't mean really ill, uncle. I mean sea-sick; and it would seem so stupid.
human
Horribly; yes. You'd better be! Pooh! Rubbish! Nonsense! You talk like a great Molly. Now, no nonsense, Rodney. Speak out frankly and candidly. You mean that now it has come to the point you think it too serious, and you want to shirk?
gpt
I don't, uncle; I don't, indeed, and I do wish you wouldn't call me Rodney!
human
I shall, sir, _as long as I live, if you play me false now_.
gpt
Oh, uncle, what a shame! cried the boy passionately.
human
Play you false! Who wants to play you false? I only wanted to tell you frankly that I felt a bit afraid of not being quite equal to the sea. I want to go, and I mean to go, and you oughtn't to jump upon me like this, and call me Rodney.
gpt
You talk to me, uncle, as if you thought that I was a regular coward and afraid of the sea.
human
Then you shouldn't make me, sir. Who was it said afraid? Why, you have been out with me for days together, knocking about, in pretty good rough weather too.
gpt
Yes, uncle, but that was all within sight of land.
human
What's that got to do with it? It's often much rougher close in shore, especially on a rocky coast, than it is out on the main.
gpt
I wish I hadn't spoken,
human
So do I, sir.
gpt
I couldn't help thinking I might turn very sick for days, and get laughed at by the crew and called a swab.
human
Oh, said Uncle Paul, laughing,
gpt
Well, yes, uncle, I suppose that that really is it.
human
Humph! Then why didn't you say so, and not talk as if you, the first of my crew that I reckoned upon, were going to mutiny and give it all up?
gpt
Give it up, uncle? cried the boy.
human
Why, you know that I am longing to go.
gpt
Ah, well, that sounds more like it, Pickle, said Uncle Paul, looking sideways at the boy through his half-closed eyes.
human
Then I suppose it is all a false alarm.
gpt
Of course it is, uncle,
human
Well, we may as well make sure, you know, because once we are started it won't be long before we are out of sight of land, and there'll be no turning back.
gpt
Well, I don't want to turn back, uncle.
human
Then you shouldn't have talked as if you thought you might. Are you afraid now?
gpt
Not a bit, uncle. I am ready to start to-morrow morning.
human
Ah, well, you won't, my boy, for there's everything to do first.
gpt
Everything to do?
human
Of course. It's not like taking a few bottles and pill-boxes and a net or two to go up on the moor. Why, there's our ship to find first, and then to get her fitted with our nets and sounding-lines and dredges and all sorts of odds and ends, with reserves and provisions for all that we lose. Then there's to collect a crew.
gpt
Oh, there'll be plenty of fellows down by the Barbican or hanging about down there who will jump at going.
human
Don't you be so precious sanguine, my fine fellow. This will be all so fresh that the men won't be so ready as you expect. The first thing a seaman will ask will be, `Where are we bound? What port?'
gpt
Well, uncle; tell them.
human
Tell them what I don't know myself unless I say Port Nowhere on the High Seas! It will be all a matter of chance, Pickle, where we go and what we do, and I may as well say it now, if any one gets asking you what we are going to do, your answer is included in just these few words--We are going to explore.
gpt
All right, uncle; I'll remember, he cried promptly.
human
Then you are going to hire a ship and engage a crew?
gpt
Well, said Uncle Paul thoughtfully,
human
Why, you won't go all that way in a lugger, uncle?
gpt
Bah! Rubbish! cried Uncle Paul shortly.
human
Here, give me hold of that glass.