aredmulletanddisappearedintothesea.SamphireStarboardloweredfishingnetsandpulledthembackupfullofgurnard,sturgeon,anddentex.Thelasthaulproducedtheredmullet,shakinglikealeaf.Samphireraisedhisoartokillit,butinsteadoftheredmullethestrucktheseagullflyingoutofthenetandbrokeitswing.Thegullthenchangedbackintoanoctopus,whosewoundedtentaclesspurteddarkredblood.Samphirewasuponitinstantlyandbeatittodeathwiththeoar.Thekingsdaughtergavehimadiamondringasatokenofthegratitudeshewouldalwaysfeeltowardhim.
"ComeandIlltakeyoutoyourfather,"hesaid,showingherintohisboat.Buttheboatwastinyandtheywereoutinthemiddleofthesea.Afterrowingandrowingtheyspiedashipinthedistance.Samphiresignaledtoitwithanoardrapedwiththekingsdaughtersgown.Theshipspottedthemandtookthemaboard.ItwasthesameshipthathadearlierdischargedandabandonedSamphire.Seeinghimbackwiththekingsdaughter,thecaptainsaid,"PoorSamphireStarboard!Herewethoughtyouwerelostandnow,afterlookingalloverforyou,weseeyoureturnwiththekingsdaughter!Thatcallsforarealcelebration!"ToSamphireStarboard,whodnottouchedadropofwineformonthsonend,thatseemedtoogoodtobetrue.
TheywerealmostinsightoftheirhomeportwhenthecaptainledSamphiretoatableandplacedseveralbottlesofwinebeforehim.Samphiredrankanddrankuntilhefellunconscioustothefloor.Thenthecaptainsaidtothekingsdaughter,"Dontyoudaretellyourfatherthatdrunkardfreedyou.TellhimthatIfreedyoumyself,sinceImthecaptainoftheshipandorderedhimtorescueyou."
Thekingsdaughterneitheragreednordisagreed."IknowwhatIlltellhim,"sheanswered.
Tobeonthesafeside,thecaptaindecidedtodoawaywithSamphireStarboardonceandforall.Thatnight,theypickedhimup,stillasdrunkascouldbe,andthrewhimintothesea.Atdawntheshipwasinsightofport.Withflagstheysignaledtheywerebringinghomethekingsdaughtersafeandsound.Abandplayedonthepier,wherethekingwaitedwiththeentirecourt.
Adatewaschosenforthekingsdaughtertowedthecaptain.Onthedayofthewedding,themarinersinportsawamanemergefromthewater.Hewascoveredfromheadtofootwithseaweed,andoutofhispocketsandtheholesinhisclothesswamfish
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