\"They\'retakin\'stocko\'themtwofellerssoastogabbleabout\'emwhentheirbacksisturned,\"saidJohnMiltongloomilytohimself,withadismalpremonitionoftheprolongedtea-tablegossiphewouldbeobligedtolistentolater.
\"Wewereveryfortunatetomakealandingatalllastnight,\"saidRice,lookingdownuponthestillswollencurrent,andthenraisinghiseyestoClementina.\"Stillmorefortunatetomakeitwherewedid.Isupposeitmusthavebeenthesingingthatluredusontothebank,——as,youknow,thesirensusedtolurepeople,——onlywithlessdisastrousconsequences.\"
JohnMiltonheredetectedthreeglaringerrors;first,itwasNOT
Clementinawhohadsung;secondly,heknewthatneitherofhissistershadeverreadanythingaboutsirens,buthehad;thirdly,thattheyoungsurveyorwasglaringlyignorantoflocalphenomenaandshouldbecorrected.
\"It\'snothin\'butthecurrent,\"hesaid,withthatfeverishyouthfulhastethatbetraysafatalexperienceofimpendinginterruption.