" did you ever see this before ? " he asked , holding it out to the unfortunate seal catcher . he , to his horror , recognised his own hunting knife with which he had struck the seal in the morning , and which had been carried off by the wounded animal . at the sight of it he fell upon his face and begged for mercy . he at once came to the conclusion that the inhabitants of the cavern , enraged at the harm which had been wrought upon their comrade , had , in some magic way , contrived to capture him , and to bring him down to their subterranean abode , in order to wreak their vengeance upon him by killing him . but , instead of doing so , they crowded round him , rubbing their soft noses against his fur to show their sympathy . they implored him not to put himself about , for no harm would befall him , and they would love him all their lives long if he would only do what they asked him . " tell me what it is , " said the seal catcher , " and i will do it , if it lies within my power . " " follow me , " answered his guide , and he led the way to the door through which he had disappeared when he went to seek the knife . the seal catcher followed him . and there , in a smaller room , he found a great brown seal lying on a bed of pale pink sea - weed , with a gaping wound in his side . " that is my father , " said his guide , " who you wounded this morning , thinking that he was one of the common seals who live in the sea , instead of a merman who has speech , and understanding , as you mortals have . i brought you here to bind up his wounds , for no other hand than yours can heal him . " " i have no skill in the art of healing , " said the seal catcher , astonished at the forbearance of these strange creatures , whom he had so unwittingly wronged ; " but i will bind up the wound to the best of my power , and i am only sorry that it was my hands that caused it . " 
they will ask him for his help .
what will the seals ask the seal catcher to do ?
what will the seals ask the seal catcher to do ?