"Don't you trouble about that."
"You sees, sir," says the lad, "I can't help you none. I got a pa o' my own."
"That's good," says the skipper. "I'm glad o' that."
"Moreover, sir," says the lad, "I'm content with the pa I got. Yes, sir—I'm wonderful proud o' my pa, an' I 'low my pa's wonderful proud o' me, if the truth was knowed. I 'low not many lads on this coast is got such a wonderful pa as I got."
"No?" says I. "That's grand!"
"No, sir-ee! Is they, Anthony Lot?"
Anthony Lot begun t' titter an' chuckle. I fancied he cast a wink. 'Twas a broad joke he was playin' with, whatever an' all; an' I wished I knowed what amused the dolt.
"You got it right, Sammy," says he.
The lad slapped his knee. "Yes, sir-ee!" says he. "You jus' bet I got it right!"
"You got a wonderful ma, too?" says I.