human
Who are you?
gpt
I'm Cap'n Joe, was the reply.
human
Cap'n Joe Weedles, formerly o' the brig 'Gladsome' an' now a slave o' Zog at the bottom o' the sea.
gpt
J--J--Joe Wee--Weedles! gasped Cap'n Bill, amazed;
human
Joe Weedles o' the 'Gladsome'! Why, dash my eyes, mate, you must be my brother!
gpt
Are _you_ Bill Weedles? asked the other. And then he added:
human
But, no; you can't be. Bill wasn't no merman. He were a human critter, like myself.
gpt
That's what _I_ am, said Cap'n Bill, hastily;
human
I'm a human critter, too. I've jes' borrered this fishtail to swim with while I'm visitin' the mermaids.
gpt
Well, well, said Cap'n Joe, in astonishment;
human
Why, as fer that, replied Cap'n Bill,
gpt
You don't look it, to all appearances, remarked Cap'n Joe, in a reflective tone of voice.
human
But I'll agree it's many a year since I saw the top o' the water, an' I'm not expectin' to ever tramp on dry land again.
gpt
Are you dead, or drownded, or what?
human
Neither one nor t'other, was the answer.
gpt
But Zog gave me gills, so's I could live in the water like fishes do, an' if I got on land I couldn't breathe air any more 'n a fish out o' water can. So I guess as long as I live I'll hev to stay down here.
human
Do you like it?
gpt
Oh, I don't objec' much, said Cap'n Joe.
human
There ain't much excitement here, fer we don't catch a flock o' mermaids ev'ry day; but the work is easy an' the rations fair. I might 'a' been worse off, you know, for when my brig was wrecked I'd 'a' gone to Davy Jones's Locker if Zog hadn't happened to find me an' made me a fish.
gpt
You don't look as much like a fish as Cap'n Bill does,
human
P'raps not, said Cap'n Joe;
gpt
I won't have two legs, asserted Cap'n Bill,
human
Oh; I hadn't heard o' that, Bill; but I'm not surprised, replied Brother Joe.
gpt
Many a sailor gets to wear a wooden leg, in time. Mine's hick'ry.
human
So's mine, said Cap'n Bill, with an air of pride.
gpt
I'm glad I've run across you, Joe, for I often wondered what had become of you. Seems too bad, though, to have you spend all your life under water.
human
What's the odds? asked Cap'n Joe.
gpt
I never could keep away from the water since I was a boy, an' there's more dangers to be met floatin' on it than there is soakin' in it. An' one other thing pleases me when I think on it: I'm parted from my wife--a mighty good woman with a tongue like a two-edge sword--an' my pore widder'll get the insurance money an' live happy. As fer me, Bill, I'm a good deal happier than I was when she kep' scoldin' me from mornin' to night every minute I was home.
human
Is Zog a kind master?
gpt
I can't say he's kind, replied Cap'n Joe,
human
Could you help us to escape?
gpt
Why, I don't know how, admitted Cap'n Joe.
human
There's magic all around us, and we slaves are never allowed to leave this great cave. I'll do what I can, o' course; but Sacho is the boy to help you, if anyone can. That little chap knows a heap, I can tell you. So now, if nothin' more's wanted, I must get back to work.
gpt
What work do you do?
human
I sew buttons on Zog's clothes. Every time he gets mad he busts his buttons off, an' I have to sew 'em on again. As he's mad most o' the time, it keeps me busy.
gpt
I'll see you again, won't I, Joe?
human
No reason why you shouldn't--if you manage to keep alive, said Cap'n Joe.
gpt
But you mustn't forget, Bill, that Zog has his grip on you, an' I've never known anything to escape him yet.