I've heard my dear husband say, again and again! But the most
curious thing at sea, as all sailors tell me, is crossing the line,
and I do hope we shall cross the line, Rosy, that you and I may see
it."

"What is the line, aunty, and how do vessels cross it."

"The line, my dear, is a place in the ocean where the earth is
divided into two parts, one part being called the North Pole, and
the other part the South Pole. Neptune lives near this line, and he
allows no vessel to go out of one pole into the other, without
paying it a visit. Never! never!--he would as soon think of living
on dry land as think of letting even a canoe pass, without visiting
it."

"Do you suppose there is such a being, really, as Neptune, aunty?"

"To be sure I do; he is king of the sea. Why should n't there be?
The sea must have a king, as well as the land."

"The sea may be a republic, aunty, like this country; then, no king
is necessary. I have always supposed Neptune to be an imaginary
being."

"Oh that's impossible--the sea is no republic; there are but two
republics, America and Texas. I've heard that the sea is a highway,
it is true--the `highway of nations,' I believe it is called, and
that must mean something particular. But my poor Mr. Budd always
told me that Neptune was king of the seas, and he was always so
accurate, you might depend on everything he said. Why, he called his