He mutters and coughs.

"Dan, I have seen the ship again to-day. Do you hear, Dan?"

"Many ships are going out to sea."

"But this one had black sails. It was again going toward the sun."

"Many ships are going out to sea. Listen, Mariet, there was once a
wise king--Oh, how wise he was!--and he commanded that the sea be
lashed with chains. Oho!"

"I know, Dan. You told me about it."

"Oho, with chains! But it did not occur to him to christen the sea.
Why did it not occur to him to do that, Mariet? Ah, why did he not
think of it? We have no such kings now."

"What would have happened, Dan?"

"Oho!"

He whispers softly:

"All the rivers and the streams have already been christened, and
the cross of the Lord has touched even many stagnant swamps; only the
sea remained--that nasty, salty, deep pool."

"Why do you scold it? It does not like to be scolded," Mariet
reproaches him.