for my return to put
to sea, we instantly made sail and stood out of the harbour with our
faithful shark in company. I dare say to this day the Patagonian chief
fully believes that we carried off his daughter; so, in a certain sense,
we did, but not exactly in the way he supposes. Poor man, it was better
that he should not. It was very dreadful."

Jonathan was silent; he took a long pull at his tumbler, and gave a deep
sigh, which sounded not unlike a peal of thunder along the decks.
Gogles' eyes had been growing larger and larger, and rounder and
rounder, and his mouth had been gaping more and more.

"What a dreadful thing!" he exclaimed, drawing his breath. "I wonder
you could bring yourself to sit on the shark's back after what he'd
done."

Mr Johnson did not answer; he only sighed. He was meditating on the
tragic fate of his loving Oilyblubbina.

We again began to be afraid that, overcome by the recollections which he
had been conjuring up, he might not continue his narrative.

"That was, indeed, a dreadful way to lose your intended wife," observed
Grey, wishing to rouse him up.

Mr Johnson's eyes twinkled.

"It was--it was," he answered emphatically. "Poor Oilyblubbina! I
would rather have found a pleasanter for her sake, but it was sure.
There was little chance of her coming to life again. Dreadful! I
believe you, it was dreadful. I was not sorry when we lost sight of the
high land of Patagonia, so full of painful recollections to me. For two
or three days the weather was fine, but our ill-luck had not deserted
us, for another gale sprang up and drove us back again very nearly into
the very harbour near which the family of Oilyblubbina resided. I never
felt so uncomfortable in my life lest I should fall into their hands,
and they might insist on my marrying another daughter. To do her
justice, my poor lost Oilyblubbina was by far the best looking of the
female members of the family. However, we managed to keep the sea, and
at length recovered our lost ground. Once well round the Cape, we
steered north, putting into several ports, but nothing extraordinary
happened. Our pet shark followed us and always kept watch round the
ship. I invariably used to ride him about the harbours, just as if he
had been a sea-horse, and astonished the Dons not a little, I calculate.
In fact I had some thoughts of having a high saddle made to fit his
back, so as to keep my feet out of the water. In calms he w