“Disgusting! Shameful!” cried the doctor. “What a miserable piece of trickery! The people who do it ought to be exposed.”
“Nonsense!” said the captain. “As Jakobsen says, it is very good for sick people. Why, my dear sir, the good effects of cod-liver oil do not depend upon its being extracted from a cod, but upon its being a rich fish oil, strongly impregnated with the peculiar salts, or whatever you call them, found in sea water. I daresay the oil of any fish liver would be as good.”
“And quite as nasty,” suggested Steve. “Right, my lad, quite as nasty, and would do for doctors to trim the wick of the lamp of life when it is burning low.”
“Humph! perhaps you are right,” said the doctor thoughtfully.
“Can’t we have some shark-fishing, Jakobsen?” cried Steve eagerly.
“Why, you don’t want your lamp trimmed, Steve?” said the captain.
“No, sir; but Mr Handscombe might like some of the oil,” replied Steve, with a laughing look at the frowning doctor, who was evidently thinking deeply.
“Eh? No, my lad, I don’t want any. But I’ve been thinking that perhaps this shark oil may be good.”
“Couldn’t catch sharks here, sir, unless we found a bank.”
“Wait a little longer, Steve,” said the captain, “and I daresay we shall find you something better than fishing for sharks.”