"That is to say, I don't--I can't believe it is what it appears, at this distance, to be.

If it is, it is the most--" He paused.

Captain Elisha waited for him to go on and, when he did not do so, asked another question.
"The most what ?" he demanded.

"Is it likely to be very bad ?" "Why--why--well, I can't say even that yet.

But there! as I told you, I'm not going to permit it to worry me.