«A TRAVELLER'S TALES' 



199 



the sea, and with all its evil and enticing ways, and 

 I intend to live as a landlubber for the future.' 



That was the end of my friend's yarn. I have 

 had to tone his language down a little, and I 

 am afraid that he was also a bit of a braggart, 

 though I dare say that the greater part of his story 

 was true. For one thing, if I remember right, 

 he boasted somewhere in the course of his narrative 

 that his life at sea had made him very handy with 

 his teeth, but when the time came for me to 

 try conclusions with him I cannot honestly say 

 that he fought very scientifically. I should be 

 sorry to think — being a very patriotic rat myself — 

 that they have a low standard of fighting in the 

 navy, and therefore I can only conclude that my 

 friend had been drawing the long-bow. Peace to 

 his ashes — if he has got any ashes ! I rather doubt 

 it. He was a bit scattered about when I had done 

 with him, and I fancy that the beetles must have 

 found it rather a difficult job to give his remains 

 decent burial. Fresh meat was selling cheap on that 

 day beside the river, and the various scavengers of 

 earth and air must have had a rare treat. But 

 as for ashes — well, what do you think ? He 

 had vowed to be a landlubber for the rest of his 

 days, and so Fate took him by the hind leg, and 



