П’ятнадцятирічний капітан

           Greatheaven!WhatacryofdespairheutteredthefirsttimeheusedthemtostudythesinglespecimenfurnishedbytheAfricanentomology!

           The"HexapodesBenedictus"wasnotahexapode!Itwasacommonspider!Andifithadbutsixlegs,insteadofeight,itwassimplybecausethetwofrontlegsweremissing!Andiftheyweremissing,thesetwolegs,itwasbecause,intakingit,Herculeshad,unfortunately,brokenthemoff!Now,thismutilationreducedthepretended"HexapodesBenedictus"totheconditionofaninvalid,andplaceditinthemostordinaryclassofspiders—afactwhichCousinBenedict’snear-sightednesshadpreventedhimfromdiscoveringsooner.Itgavehimafitofsickness,fromwhich,however,hehappilyrecovered.

           Threeyearsafter,littleJackwaseightyearsold,andDickSandmadehimrepeathislessons,whileworkingfaithfullyathisownstudies.Infact,hardlywasheathomewhen,realizinghowignoranthewas,hehadcommencedtostudywithakindofremorse—likeamanwho,forwantofknowledge,findshimselfunequaltohistask.

           "Yes,"heoftenrepeated;"if,onboardofthe’Pilgrim,’Ihadknownallthatasailorshouldknow,whatmisfortuneswewouldhaveescaped!"

           ThusspokeDickSand.Attheageofeighteenhefinishedwithdistinctionhishydrographicalstudies,and,honoredwithabrevetbyspecialfavor,hetookcommandofoneofMr.Weldon’svessels.

           Seewhatthelittleorphan,rescuedonthebeachatSandyHook,hadobtainedbyhisworkandconduct.