The captain
puffed at his pipe, while Mrs. Britt began to clear away the dishes.
"Kin ye swim, lad?" Captain Josh suddenly asked, in his deep gruff
voice.
"No, I can't," was the somewhat nervous reply.
"Ever been in the water?"
"Oh, yes. Lots of times."
"And ye can't swim. Well, ye'll have to git over that if ye're round
where I am."
"Can you swim, Captain Josh?" Rod asked.
"Ho, ho," and the old man leaned back in his chair and shook with
laughter. "Kin I swim? Why, boy, I could swim before I was as old as
you. When I was fifteen I could swim across the river."
"You could!" and Rod's eyes shone with admiration. "Did you ever swim
across the ocean, captain?"
"Not quite, lad. Not quite that far."
"Well, then, I will some day, Captain Josh," Rod cried, as he rose to
his feet, and stood erect. "When I'm a man, I'll swim across the ocean
and back again before breakfast, see if I don't."
"That'll be quite an undertakin', lad," and the captain's eyes
twinkled. "I hope I'll be standin' on the shore when ye git back. I
guess ye'll have more cause fer thankfulness then than ye did after
eatin' yer dinner to-day. But come," and he rose suddenly to his feet;
"I want ye to help me put out my net.
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