XVIII.
A BEAR STORY.
“What a lie!” growled Daniel, as soon as the shark story was ended.
“Have my doubts;” suggested the somnolent Peter Probasco, with all the solemnity of a man who knows his situation; at the same time shaking his head and spilling his liquor.
“Ha! ha! ha! Ha! ha! ha!” roared all the rest of the boys together.
“Is he done?” asked Raynor Rock.
“How many shirks was there?” cried long John, putting in his unusual lingual oar.
“That story puts me in mind,” said Venus Raynor, “about what I’ve heerd tell on Ebenezer Smith, at the time he went down to the North Pole on a walen’ voyage.”
“Now look out for a screamer,” laughed out Raynor Rock, refilling his pipe. “Stand by, Mr. Cypress, to let the sheet go.”
“Is there anything uncommon about that yarn, Venus?”
“Oncommon! well, I expect it’s putty smart and oncommon for a man to go to sea with a bear, all alone, on a bare cake of ice. Captain Smith’s woman used to say she couldn’t bear to think on’t.”