human
Who's there?
gpt
Hist!
human
Oh, it's you, he said.
gpt
I had just lain down, and the noise of the waves prevented my hearing you.
human
I thought you were asleep,
gpt
Asleep? Well, perhaps I was nearly. You've come to tell me that all the water will be tossed out of those trays. Oh, my poor fish!
human
I hadn't, I said,
gpt
Mr Frewen wants to speak to you. He has a pistol for you ready for when we try to escape.
human
Oh dear! oh dear! he sighed.
gpt
We shall never try to escape. We're shut in here, and shall be drowned. Is the ship going down?
human
No, no; she'll ride it out.
gpt
But those men don't know how to manage her, do they?
human
I think so, I replied.
gpt
I don't half understand big ships, but they seem to be doing what my father would do with a yacht.
human
Let me come, Dale,
gpt
Take it, and be careful. When it is light, you had better make sure that there is no moisture in the chambers.
human
But when are we going to try and do something? said Mr Preddle, in quite an ill-used tone.
gpt
I thought you were going to saw out one of these boards.
human
We are going to act as soon as the word comes from our friends outside. We can do nothing better than be ready.
gpt
Quick,--lie down!