"Well," said Sally, as they proceeded on their way, "whatever senti--
senti--"
"Mental," said Adams.
"Whatever sentimental is, I'm not that, because I'm just the same as
ever I was, for I often want to be quiet and alone, and I often am quiet
and alone in the bush."
"And what do you think about, Sall, when you're alone in the bush?" said
the seaman, looking down with more interest than usual at the innocent
face beside him.
"Oh, about heaps and heaps of things. I couldn't tell you in a month
all I think about; but one thing I think most about is a man-of-war."
"A man-of-war, Sall?"
"Yes; I would give anything to see a man-of-war, what you've so often
told us about, with all its masts and sails, and bunks and guns and
anchors, and officers and men. I often wonder _so_ much what new faces
would be like. You see I'm so used to the faces of yourself and Mr
Young, and Mainmast and Susannah, and Toc and Matt and Dan and--"
"Just say the rest o' the youngsters, dear," interrupted Adams.
"There's no use in goin' over 'em all by name."
"Well, I'm so used to them that I can't fancy how any other faces can be
different, and yet I heard Mr Young say the other day that there's no
two faces in the world exactly alike, and you know there must be
hundreds and hundreds of faces in the world."
"Ay, there's thousands and thousands--for the matter o' that, there's
millions and millions of 'em--an it's quite true that you can't ever
pick out two that would fit into the same mould. Of course," continued
Adams, in an argumentative tone, "I'm not goin' for to say but that you
could find a dozen men any day with hook noses an' black eyes an' lanky
hair, just as you can find another dozen with turn-up noses an' grey
eyes an' carroty hair; but what I mean to say is, that you won't find no
two of 'em that han't got a difference of some sort somewheres. It's
very odd, but it's a fact."
"Another puzzler," said Sally, with a laugh.
"_Just_ so. But what else do you think about, Sall?"
"Sometimes I think about those fine ladies you've told us of, who drive
about in grand carriages with horses. Oh, these horses; what I would
give to see horses! Have they got tails, father?"
"Tails!" cried Adams, with a laugh, "of course they have; long hairy
ones, and manes too; that's hair down the back o' their necks, dear.
See here, fetch me that bit of red stone and I'll draw you a horse."
Sally brought the piece of red stone,
|