Jack did not notice it himself, but others did: he ate about twice as much as he was accustomed to, and all the while, after looking upon the dinner and the visitors as being an infliction, he found himself listening attentively to Captain Bradleigh, who was set going by a few questions from the doctor, and proved to be full of observation.
“Oh no,” he said, “I’m no naturalist, but I can’t help noticing different things when I am at sea, and ashore, and if they’re fresh to me, I don’t forget them. Let me say now, though, Sir John Meadows, how glad I am that you will buy the yacht and go on this cruise. The lads are half wild with excitement, for we’ve all been, as the Irishmen call it, spoiling for something to do. It has seemed to be clean and polish for no purpose, but I told them they ought to feel very glad to have had the yacht in such a state. I trust, Sir John, that you will never have cause to regret this day’s work.”
“I have no fear,” said that gentleman. “I shall be glad, though, as soon as you receive notice of the transfer to me, if you will do everything possible toward getting ready for sea.”
“Getting ready for sea, sir? She is ready for sea. Fresh water on board, coal-bunkers full. Nothing wanted but the provisions—salt, preserved, and fresh—to be seen to, and that would take very little time. As soon as you have done your business with the owner, send me my orders, and there’ll be no time lost, I promise you.”
Jack bent over his plate, and was very silent, but he revived and became attentive when the doctor changed the subject, and began to question the captain about some of his experiences, many of which he related in a simple, modest way which spoke for its truth.
“I suppose,” said Sir John merrily, after glancing at his son, “you have never come across the sea serpent?”
The captain looked at him sharply, then at the mate, and ended by raising his eyebrows and frowning at his plate.
“That’s a sore point for a ship captain, sir,” he said at last, “one which makes him a bit put out, for no man likes to be laughed at. You see, we’ve all been so bantered about that sea serpent, that when a mariner says he has seen it, people set him down for a regular Baron Munchausen, so now-a-days we people have got into the habit of holding our tongues.”
“Why, you don’t mean to say that you have ever seen it, captain?” cried the doctor.
“Well, sir, I’ve seen something more than once that answered its description pretty closely.”