Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 22, 2025
Don't suppose it would ha' been so very hard, if the old cow would ha' stood still. Milk would be a fine thing for him, wouldn't it?" "Yes, excellent," said the doctor, with a peculiar smile; "but we have no cow, Bostock." "Tchah! Of course not, sir," said the old sailor, giving himself a slap on the mouth, "and me talking like that. But hi! Look here, sir," he continued, pointing shoreward.
Carey gave a hearty cheer, while Bostock threw down his capstan bar with a rattle on the deck. "Play up, you lubber!" he shouted to an imaginary fiddler, as he folded his arms and then dashed off in the sailor's hornpipe, dancing frantically for a couple of minutes, and ending with three stamps and a bow and scrape.
You're only fiddling about it like an old woman." "Hor, hor!" laughed the man. "Like an old woman!" "Will you fetch me a long fishing-line?" "No good now, sir; tide's going out." "Never you mind about that. I want a line." Bostock carefully placed the auger against one end of a plank, grunted twice over, and then began to turn the handle. "Precious hard bit o' wood, sir."
He did not mentally say what, for he was brought up short by the word "Stop!" roared in a bullying tone. "Here, you," cried the man to Bostock, "light a lanthorn; it's dark on deck. Follow him, and hold it till he's done. And look here, bring it away again, or they'll be setting the ship afire. They can see in the dark like cats. They want no light."
Carey looked at the man with so much disgust painted in his face that Bostock shrugged his shoulders. "Well, p'raps that would be a bit strong, sir, but one must do something, and it won't do to leave him down there shooting at everyone who goes nigh." "Let's get to the doctor first," said Carey.
"Well, yes, you seem to be, sir," said Bostock; "what with the doctor's looking you up and down and me feeding you, we've pretty well made a man of you, and you're nearly all right; but I don't quite take what you mean." "I've passed my last examination now, and Doctor Kingsmead seems to think he can give me up." "I'm glad of it, my lad. Hearty, my lad."
There was a clicking noise, and spark after spark of faint phosphorescent light across the black darkness. This was repeated again and again, but without further effect. "No go, sir," cried Bostock then. "Got my matches wet, sir. If I lives to get through this I'll allus keep 'em corked up in a bottle."
There are plenty of them about, and so tame that I felt satisfied that there were no blacks near." "Then you've seen no signs of any, sir?" asked Bostock. "Not a sign." "That's good, sir, but it don't mean much, for we might have a visit from a big canoe-full at any time." "How far did you go?" asked Carey. "To where the little river glides out of a lake up yonder in the hills.
"Yes, but that was on the water, my lad," said Bostock, shaking his head. "Bob Bob, come along; kedge wallaby snakum ticky-ticky." "Who's to do the cooking if I do?" growled Bostock. "Cookie, come kedge ticky-ticky." "No. I say, my lad, keep your weather eye open." "Both of them, Bob. I'll take care." The paddles were plunged in again, and the boat glided onward.
Bostock's work, neglected as it is, is one which I value very highly as a really learned compilation, full of original references. But Dr. Bostock says: "Much as the naturalist has been indebted to the microscope, by bringing into view many beings of which he could not otherwise have ascertained the existence, the physiologist has not yet derived any great benefit from the instrument."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking