How is it that the petrel you are aiming at does not come and perch itself quietly on the barrel of your rifle ?" "Jack, Jack, you are incorrigible." "Did you ever see a hare or a pheasant come and stare you in the face when you were going to shoot it ?" "Stunsails and tops!" cried Willis, "if I do not see something stranger than that staring us in the face." "The sea-serpent, perhaps," said Jack.
"I thought it was a sea-bird at first," said Willis, "but they do not increase in size the longer you look at them." "They naturally appear to increase as they approach," observed Fritz.
"Yes, but the increase must have a limit, and I never saw a bird with such singular upper-works before.

Just take a cast of the glass yourself, Master Fritz." "Halls of AEolus!" cried Fritz, "these wings are sails." "So I thought!" exclaimed Willis, throwing his sou'-wester into the air, and uttering a loud hurrah.
"If it is the _Nelson_" said Jack, "it would be a singular encounter." "_The Nelson_!" sighed Willis, "in the latitude of Hawai; no, that is impossible." "She is bearing down upon us," said Fritz.
"Just let me see a moment whether I can make out her figure-head," said Willis.

"Aye, aye!" "Can you make it out ?" "No; but, from the sheer of the hull, I think the ship is British built." "Thank God!" exclaimed both the young men.
"Yes, you may say 'Thank God;' but, if it turns out to be a man-of-war, I must report myself on board, and I doubt whether my story will go down with the captain." "But if it is the _Nelson_ ?" insisted Jack.
"Aye, aye; the _Nelson_," replied Willis, "is not going to turn up here to oblige us, you may take my word for that." "I have better eyes than you, Willis; just let me see if I can make her out.

No, impossible; nothing but the hull and sails." "It is just possible," persisted Jack, "that the _Nelson_ may have been detained at the Cape, and afterwards blown out of her course like ourselves." "All I can say is," replied Willis, "that if Captain Littlestone be on board that ship, it will make me the happiest man that ever mixed a ration of grog.

But these things only turn up in novels, so it is no use talking." "She has hoisted a flag at the mizzen," cried Fritz.
"Can you make it out ?" "Well, let me see--yes, it must be so." "What, the Union Jack ?" cried Willis.
"No, a red ground striped with blue." "The United States, as I am a sinner!" cried Willis.