"'He doesn't seem as tame as one might expect,' said the Mother Albatross, 'he's so restless. But possibly he is hungry.' "Truly it was a great amusement for the mother bird to watch the strangers from her nest, and to question her mate on their peculiarities. "'What is he doing now?' she asked on one occasion, when the captain was reading a paper which he had taken from the note-book in his pocket. "'That is a letter,' said the Father Albatross. 'And from the look of it I gather that, like ourselves, he has got a young one somewhere, wherever his nest may be.' "'How do you gather that?' his mate inquired. "'Because the writing is so large,' answered the Father Albatross. 'It is one of the peculiarities of these creatures that the smaller they are the larger they write. That letter is from a young one; probably his own.' "'Very remarkable indeed,' said the Mother Albatross. 'And what is he doing _now_?' "'Now he is writing himself,' said her mate; 'and if you observe you will see my statement confirmed. See how much smaller he writes!' "The captain had indeed torn a sheet from his note-book, and was busy scribbling upon his knees. Whether the sight of papers was a familiar memory with Carlo, or whether he was merely moved by one of those doggish impulses we so little understand, it is impossible to say; but when the captain began to write, Carlo began to wag his tail, and he wagged it without pause or weariness till the captain had finished, keeping his nearest eye half open, and fixed upon the paper and the captain's moving hand. Once he sat up on his haunches and put his nose on the letter. "'That is right, old fellow, kiss it,' said the captain. 'I am just telling her about you. Heaven send she may ever read it, poor child!' "At this Carlo became so frantic, and so persistent in pushing his nose on to the paper, that the captain was fain to pocket his writing materials, and have a game at play with the 'ship's dog,' in which the latter condescendingly joined for a few minutes, and then lay down as before, shutting his eyes with an air which seemed to imply-- "'I see, poor fellow, you don't understand me.'