"Hum!" grunted the skipper. "And what do you know about the sea?"
"Oh, lots!" replied Tad, with vivid recollections of the sea-stories he had read.
"Ever been to sea before?"
"No, but—"
"Is your father a sailor?"
"No, but—"
"But what?" questioned the man roughly.
"I've read lots about it, and always thought I'd like it of all things."
The skipper gave a little short laugh, which emboldened Tad to remark:
"What I'd like best to be, is a pirate."