"What do you expect me to look for, if not insects ?" "Insects! Faith, I must agree with you; but it is not at sea that you will enrich your collection." "And why not, sir?
It is not impossible to find on board some specimen of----" "Cousin Benedict," said Mrs.Weldon, "do you then slander Captain Hull?
His ship is so well kept, that you will return empty-handed from your hunt." Captain Hull began to laugh.
"Mrs.Weldon exaggerates," replied he.

"However, Mr.Benedict, I believe you will lose your time rummaging in our cabins." "Ah! I know it well," cried Cousin Benedict, shrugging his shoulders.
"I have had a good search----" "But, in the 'Pilgrim's' hold," continued Captain Hull, "perhaps you will find some cockroaches--subjects of little interest, however." "Of little interest, those nocturnal orthopters which have incurred the maledictions of Virgil and Horace!" retorted Cousin Benedict, standing up straight.

"Of little interest, those near relations of the 'periplaneta orientalis' and of the American kakerlac, which inhabit----" "Which infest!" said Captain Hull.
"Which reign on board!" retorted Cousin Benedict, fiercely.
"Amiable sovereignty!" "Ah! you are not an entomologist, sir ?" Never at my own expense." "Now, Cousin Benedict," said Mrs.Weldon, smiling, "do not wish us to be devoured for love of science." "I wish, nothing, Cousin Weldon," replied, the fiery entomologist, "except to be able to add to my collection some rare subject which might do it honor." "Are you not satisfied, then, with the conquests that you have made in New Zealand ?" "Yes, truly, Cousin Weldon.

I have been rather fortunate in conquering one of those new staphylins which till now had only been found some hundreds of miles further, in New Caledonia." At that moment Dingo, who was playing with Jack, approached Cousin Benedict, gamboling.
"Go away! go away!" said the latter, pushing off the animal.
"To love cockroaches and detest dogs!" cried Captain Hull.

"Oh! Mr.
Benedict!" "A good dog, notwithstanding," said little Jack, taking Dingo's great head in his small hands.
"Yes.