“It’s a good size,” said Tim, “but nothing out of the common for a sea-serpent, you know.”
“Now I come to think of it, though,” said Tidswell, “it didn’t say that the serpent was a mile and a half long; it was a mile and a half from the ship when it was seen, wasn’t that it?”
“Yes, a mile and a half from the ship. I thought you were drawing the long bow in saying it was so big as all that.”
“They saw it a mile and a half off, and just fancy feeling its breath at that distance?”
“I’m not astonished at that,” said Tim, “for all those beasts have enormous lungs.”
“How absurd of me! I should have said it seemed to all appearances lifeless when they saw it,” said Tidswell.
“Yes; dead, in fact,” put in Tim, getting into difficulties.
“And then suddenly it stood erect on its tail, and shot forward towards the vessel.”
“Shows the strength of their backs. I couldn’t help thinking that when I saw the account.”
“What am I talking about?” exclaimed Tidswell, hastily correcting himself; “it was the ship stood in towards the monster and shot at him.”