"Well, that'll be all the better.

Heave ahead with it now you're on the tack." "All right, then," replied Jorrocks.

"Here goes.

You must know as how this old lady were going over the Atlantic for the fust time, being on a voyage from Falmouth to Saint Kitts, in the West h'Indies; and she were mighty curious, when she had rekivered from sea-sickness, about all the strange sights o' the h'ocean, pestering the cap'en to death with questions.
"One day she tackled the old man 'bout flying fish.

`Bless me, Mr Capting,' she says, `is it really true as how there be fishes as fly hereabouts ?' "Now, it were just on to noon that day, and the old man was busy 'bout taking a sight o' the sun, the same as you're so handy with, Mister Leigh; so he says to the old lady, `I'm engaged, mum, at present, but if you axes that man there at the wheel while I goes below, he'll tell you all about it.' "So, as soon as he dives down the companion to take the time of the chronometer below, the old lady goes up to the helmsman--all bridling up and curtseying down, the same as a ship in a heavy head sea.
"`Good-morning, Mr Sailor,' says she.
"`Mornin',' says the man at the wheel, who was a rough old shellback, and didn't waste his words like Pat Doolan here.
"`Is it really true, Mr Sailor,' says the old lady, `as how there are fishes in the sea in these latitoods, as can fly in the air, like birds?
The capting told me to ax you, or I wouldn't trouble you.' "`Bless you, mum, no trouble at all,' answered the man.