At first, when he
took me unawares, he nearly succeeded, and I had to shoot to the
surface in order to laugh; but afterwards I became aware of his
intentions, and being naturally of a grave disposition, I had no
difficulty in restraining myself. I used often to wonder how poor
Peterkin would have liked to be with us; and he sometimes expressed
much regret at being unable to join us. I used to do my best to gratify
him, poor fellow, by relating all the wonders that we saw; but this,
instead of satisfying, seemed only to whet his curiosity the more, so
one day we prevailed on him to try to go down with us. But although a
brave boy in every other way, Peterkin was very nervous in the water,
and it was with difficulty we got him to consent to be taken down, for
he could never have managed to push himself down to the bottom without
assistance. But no sooner had we pulled him down a yard or so into the
deep clear water, than he began to struggle and kick violently; so we
were forced to let him go, when he rose out of the water like a cork,
gave a loud gasp and a frightful roar, and struck out for the land with
the utmost possible haste. Now all this pleasure we were to forego, and
when we thought thereon, Jack and I felt very much depressed in our
spirits. I could see, also, that Peterkin grieved and sympathised with
us, for when talking about this matter he refrained from jesting and
bantering us upon it.
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