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Extract from Captain
you talking about, young man? It ain't an orb; it's a country; it's a continent. Columbus discovered it; I reckon likely you've heard of him, anyway. America—why, sir, America—"
"Silence!" says the head clerk. "Once for all, where—are—you—from?"
"Well," says I, "I don't know anything more to say—unless I lump things, and just say I'm from the world."
"Ah," says he, brightening up, "now that's something like! What world?"
Peters, he had me, that time. I looked at him, puzzled, he looked at me, worried. Then he burst out—
"Come, come, what world?"
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