IVv.] THE WITCHES’ ISLAND. 183

 

‘Boil me if I do!’ shouted the fish in reply. ‘Boil
me, and dish me, with lobster sauce into the bargain,
if I tell John Goodchild’s wife how to get back her
husband ! No, no—I know a trick worth two of that.
The rabbits may do as they please, but no fish that is .
worth boiling will help a fisherman’s wife! Sprats and
herrings! the woman must be a fool to ask me!’

‘Fool, yourself, you great ugly fish!’ cried Molly,
now losing her temper. ‘Drat your impudence,
laughing and grinning at other people’s troubles! I
don’t believe a word you say, and I wish you was
cooked and eaten too, that I do!’

At this the Turbot’s fins visibly bristled, and he
answered in the same tone of voice as before : ‘ Believe
or not, as you please, Molly Goodchild, you will find
that the voice of a turbot is as truthful as an angry
woman’s passion is ridiculous; but, anyhow, you can ~
go and see for yourself!’ a

The same thought having crossed Mrs. Goodchild’s
mind while the Turbot was speaking, she had already
determined that her best plan was to go home at once
and ascertain the truth or falsehood of the tale she had
just heard. The instinct of a fisherman’s wife was,
however, still strong within her, and she could not help
thinking how very acceptable a gift-the prophet of
evil would be to her husband. So, having by this
time quite overcome any fear or astonishment which
she might have felt at the first moment of hearing a
fish laugh and speak, she stepped boldly forward
towards the rock on which the creature had placed
himself, exclaiming as she did so, ‘True enough,
Mr. Turbot, I qwd/ see for myself, and you may as well