"Thanks," said Charon, calmly. "But the elephants don't patronize my line.
All the elephants I've ever seen in Hades waded over, except Jumbo, and he
reached his trunk across, fastened on to a tree limb with it, and swung
himself over. However, the Ark isn't at all what you want, unless you are
going to man her with a lot of centaurs. If that's your intention, I'd
charter her; the accommodations are just the thing for a crew of that
kind."

"Well, what do you suggest?" asked Raleigh, somewhat impatiently. "You've
told us what we can't do. Now tell us what we can do."

"I'd stay right here," said Charon, "and let the ladies rescue themselves.
That's what I'd do. I've had the honor of bringing 'em over here, and I
think I know 'em pretty well. I've watched 'em close, and it's my private
opinion that before many days you'll see your club-house sailing back
here, with Queen Elizabeth at the hellum, and the other ladies on the
for'ard deck knittin' and crochetin', and tearin' each other to pieces in
a conversational way, as happy as if there never had been any Captain Kidd
and his pirate crew."

"That suggestion is impossible," said Blackstone, rising. "Whether the
relief expedition amounts to anything or not, it's good to be set going.
The ladies would never forgive us if we sat here inactive, even if they
were capable of rescuing themselves. It is an accepted principle of law
that this climate hath no fury like a woman left to herself, and we've got
enough professional furies hereabouts without our aiding in augmenting the
ranks. We must have a boat."

"It'll cost you a thousand dollars a week," said Charon.