There was Sappho, now; she ran and cast herself off a rock.
And Medea, she murdered her children in revenge. But we are over
hasty, to talk of children."
Billy groaned aloud, "I meant no harm to the woman."
"Nor did these heroes. As I was saying, on board this ship I find
myself back in the world's dawn, ready for any marvels, but
responsible (there's the beauty of it) only to my ledger.
As supercargo I sit careless as a god on Olympus. My pen is trimmed,
my ink-pot filled, and my ledger ruled and prepared for miracles.
_Item_, a Golden Fleece. _Item_, A king's runaway daughter, slightly
damaged:
"Whatever befel the good ship _Argo_
It didn't affect the supercargo,"
who whistled and sat composing blank verse, having discovered that
Jason rhymed most unheroically with bason:
"Neglecting the daughter of Aeson
Sat Jason, a bason his knees on--"
"You don't help a man much, sir, so far as I understand you,"
grumbled Billy, with a nervous glance around the horizon.
"Well, then I'll prescribe you another way. Nobody believes me when
I tell the following story: but 'tis true nevertheless.
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