Part 33 (2/2)

”Hold on a bit there,” the sponge-buyer said, ”I never saw a vampire

What does it look like?”

”Some calls 'em sea-bat or devil-ray,” was the reply, ”an' the're twenty, thirty feet 'cross so ray Ah don' wan' to see 'em”

”Isn't that a harpoon down there in the boat?” the capitalist asked calmly

”Yes, sah, oh, yes, sah, but Lordy, sah, yo' can' do nuffin wif a sea va schooneh towed out to sea by a vampa”

”A schooner?”

”Yes, sah, a seven'y-ton schooneh Yes, sah Hehe struck de anchoh chain wif his hohns

It ht mad, it did, an' he jes' heave up dat hyeh anchoh an' toted it off to sea, draggin' de shi+p wif hihed

”Can you beat that? That's the worst fish story I've heard, Colin You tell soood ones, too!”

”It's an old story,” the boy answered, ”and I believe it's true They have often run aith boats”

The capitalist took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves

”I've harpooned dozens of porpoises from the _Falcon_,” he said, ”but I never had a chance at a sea va”

”The devil ray, or ive you a run for your money,” said Colin, ”and after all we can cut the line”

”We'll not cut any line,” was the response ”Now, Pete, get after hiro fairly blubbered in terror

”Lordy, lordy,” he cried, ”an' what yo' goin' t' do to a po' ol' niggeh

Ah'll do an'thin' yo' say, Ah'll tell yo' de troof about de sponge faho afteh dat vae farms, eh?” the prospective buyer re to put up a crooked deal

I'll attend to you e get ashore Now you row after that 'vampa,'

as you call it, and as quick as you kno”

The negro was about to refuse, but he did not dare

”Oh, Lordy, boss,” he cried, ”don' go any neaheh Yas, sah, yas, sah,”

he added as he saw the yachtsman wine to be sain, close at hand, caro shi+vered Colin was conscious that his heart was pounding a little and he caught hi that it were theThen out of the water not ten feet from the boat a dark witch-like specter swooped into the sky, black, horned, with bat-like wings and a long naked tail like a gigantic rat

Pete gave a squeal of fright