Captain Jim smiled beautifully . `` Oh , you 'd get along nicely -- nicely -- but you would n't forget the old man altogether , Mistress Blythe -- no , I do n't think you 'll ever quite forget him . The race of Joseph always remembers one another . But it 'll be a memory that wo n't hurt -- I like to think that my memory wo n't hurt my friends -- it 'll always be kind of pleasant to them , I hope and believe . It wo n't be very long now before lost Margaret calls me , for the last time . I 'll be all ready to answer . I jest spoke of this because there 's a little favor I want to ask you . Here 's this poor old Matey of mine '' -- Captain Jim reached out a hand and poked the big , warm , velvety , golden ball on the sofa . The First Mate uncoiled himself like a spring with a nice , throaty , comfortable sound , half purr , half meow , stretched his paws in air , turned over and coiled himself up again . `` HE 'll miss me when I start on the V'yage . I ca n't bear to think of leaving the poor critter to starve , like he was left before . If anything happens to me will you give Matey a bite and a corner , Mistress Blythe ? '' `` Indeed I will . '' `` Then that is all I had on my mind . Your Little Jem is to have the few curious things I picked up -- I 've seen to that . And now I do n't like to see tears in those pretty eyes , Mistress Blythe . I 'll mebbe hang on for quite a spell yet . I heard you reading a piece of poetry one day last winter -- one of Tennyson 's pieces . I 'd sorter like to hear it again , if you could recite it for me . '' Softly and clearly , while the seawind blew in on them , Anne repeated the beautiful lines of Tennyson 's wonderful swan song -- `` Crossing the Bar . ''
The old captain kept time gently XXXXX his sinewy hand .
along because for in like of on to while with