THE SEA-SEEPENT. Ill 



The captain had no sooner reached the wharf, 

 and disclosed his startling intelligence, than the 

 whole town was aflame with excitement ! 



" What is this ?" said a fine looking burly gen 

 tleman, who came bustling down with an air of 

 official authority about him. " What hoar are you 

 playing off on us ? The sea-serpent in Broad Kiver ! 

 Tell that to the marines !" 



" As sure as you live," said the captain, " I saw 

 him two hours ago." 



"The hell you did! Why did you not hawser 

 him, and bring him up to town?" 



" He was as large round as my yawl boat, and as 

 long as the steamer," said the captain, explanatorily. 



" The oid one of course/*' said the stout gentle- 

 man. " But what should the devil or any of his vice- 

 gerents find to do in these waters ? I should be glad 

 to know ! Didn't the Saints make such a clean 

 sweep of us some years back, that devil a subject 

 can now be found among us, fit for his majesty's 

 - service ?" 



" I don't know that," said a keen looking, ascetic 

 man, in a quiet tone, " he might get some, from 

 what I hear, by voluntary enlistment !" 



"The captain took an afternoon obs-ervation," 

 hinted one. 



u Twilight magnifies," said another. But in spito 



