TheCaptainspokewithallcomposureandattentiontothegame，butsuddenlyhiscardsdroppedoutofhishand，hismouthandeyesopenedwide，hislegsdrewthemselvesupandstuckoutinfrontofhischair，andhesatstaringatthedoorwithblankamazement。Lookingrounduponthecompany，andseeingthatnoneofthemobservedhimorthecauseofhisastonishment，theCaptainrecoveredhimselfwithagreatgasp，struckthetableatremendousblow，criedinastentorianroar，`SolGillsahoy！\'
andtumbledintothearmsofaweather-beatenpea-coatthathadcomewithPollyintotheroom。
Inanothermoment，Walterwasinthearmsoftheweather-beatenpea-coat。Inanothermoment，Florencewasinthearmsoftheweather-beatenpea-coat。Inanothermoment，CaptainCuttlehadembracedMrs。RichardsandMissNipper，andwasviolentlyshakinghandswithMr。Toots，exclaiming，ashewavedhishookabovehishead，`Hooroar，mylad，hooroar！\'TowhichMr。Toots，whollyatalosstoaccountfortheseproceedings，repliedwithgreatpoliteness，`Certainly，CaptainGills，whateveryouthinkproper！\'
Theweather-beatenpea-coat，andanolessweather-beatencapandcomforterbelongingtoit，turnedfromtheCaptainandfromFlorencebacktoWalter，andsoundscamefromtheweather-beatenpea-coat，cap，andcomforter，asofanoldmansobbingunderneaththem；whiletheshaggysleevesclaspedWaltertight。Duringthispause，therewasanuniversalsilence，andtheCaptainpolishedhisnosewithgreatdiligence。Butwhenthepea-coat，cap，andcomforterliftedthemselvesupagain，Florencegentlymovedtowardsthem；andsheandWaltertakingthemoff，disclosedtheoldInstrument-maker，alittlethinnerandmorecarewornthanofold，inhisoldWelshwigandhisoldcoffee-colouredcoatandbasketbuttons，withhisoldinfalliblechronometertickingawayinhispocket。
`Chockfullo\'science，\'saidtheradiantCaptain，`aseverhewas！SolGills，SolGills，whathaveyoubeenupto，forthismanyalongday，myouldboy？\'