water，anditflewnearontoahundredyards。ButIsay，oldgentleman，Iha’gottenonedried，andifyou’lltakeit，whyI’llgiveityou；only，“
headdedinalowertone，“I’dwishyou’djustgiemecreditfortheMermaidicus。“Ireallybelieve，iftheassumingfaithinthestoryofthemermaidhadbeenmadetheconditionofreceivingtheflyingfish，JobLegh，sinceremanthatbewas，wouldhavepretendedbelief；hewassomuchdelightedattheideaofpossessingthisspecimen。Hewonthesailor’sheartbygettinguptoshakebothhishandsinhisvehementgratitude，puzzlingpooroldAlice，whoyetsmiledthroughherwonder；forsheunderstoodtheactiontoindicatesomekindlyfeelingtowardshernephew。Jobwantedtorovehisgratitude，andwaspuzzledhowtodoit。HefearedtheyoungmanwouldnotappreciateanyofhisduplicateAraneides；noteventhegreatAmericanMygale，oneofhismostprecioustreasures；orelsehewouldgladlyhavebestowedanyduplicateonthedonorofarealdriedExocetus。Whatcouldhedoforhim？HecouldaskMargarettosing。
Otherfolksbesideherolddoatinggrandfatherthoughtadealofhersongs。
SoMargaretbeganSomeofhernobleo]d-fashionedsongs。Sheknewnomodernmusic，forwhichherauditorsmighthavebeenthankful，butshepouredherrichvoiceoutinSomeoftheoldcanzonetsshehadlatelylearntwhileaccompanyingthemusicallectureronhistour。Marywasamusedtoseehowtheyoungsailorsatentranced；mouth，eyes，allopen，inordertocatcheverybreathofsound。Hisverylidsrefusedtowink，Iasifafraidinthatbriefproverbialintervaltoloseaparticleoftherichmusicthatfloatedthroughtheroom。ForthefirsttimetheideacrossedMary’smindthatitwaspossibletheplainlittlesensibleMargaret，soprimanddemure，mighthavepowerovertheheartofthehandsome，dashing，spiritedWillWilson。Job，too，wasrapidlychanginghisOpinionofhisnewguest。Theflyingfishwentagreatway，andhisundisguisedadmirationforMargaret’ssingingcarriedhimstillfurther。Itwasamusingenoughtoseethesetwo，withinthehoursobarelyciviltoeachother，endeavouringnowtobeultra-agreeable。Will，assoonashehadtakenbreathalong，deepgaspofadmirationafterMargaret’ssong，sidleduptoJob，andaskedhiminasortofdoubtingtone，“Youwouldn’tlikealiveManxcat，wouldye，master？““Awhat？“exclaimedJob。“Idon’tknowitsbestname，“saidWill，humbly。“Butwecall’emjustManxcats。They’recatswithouttails。“NowJob，inallhisnaturalhistory，hadneverheardofsuchanimals；soWillcontinued，“BecauseI’mgoing，aforejoiningmyship，toseemother’sfriendsintheisland，andIwouldgladlybringyouone，ifsobeyou’dliketohaveit。
Theylookasqueerandouto’natureasflyingfish，or“——hegulpedthewordsdownthatshouldhavefollowed。“Especiallywhenyouseeemwalkingaroof-toprightagainthesky，whenacat，asisapropercat，issuretostickhertailstiffoutbehind，likeaslack-ropedancera-balancing；