but you have no instrument."

"But you have, sir; and I could help you better without."

"I'm afraid not, Smithson. You see, I should want to hear the air
played at the same time."

"I could run that through as an accompaniment on the piano."

"You could?" cried the lieutenant, staring.

"Well enough, perhaps, for that, sir."

"Then, let's begin at once."

"Have you selected an air, sir?"

"Well--er--yes," faltered the great fellow. "I have--er--chosen two--
duets. Here they are."

He handed the music, and Dick took it up, glancing at each piece in
turn; while the young officer looked warm and uncomfortable, watching
his visitor uneasily.

"`Flow on, thou Shining River;' `Oh, Happy, Happy Fair!'" read Dick.
"Both beautiful melodies;" and, taking the former, he crossed to the
piano and ran through the melody, and then the accompaniment, with
plenty of expression; while the lieutenant sat upon his chair with his
eyes glistening from excitement.

"Now this piece," he cried; and Dick ran through the second.

"Why, Smithson," cried the lieutenant, "you are a wonderful musician!
I--I'm afraid that you will be ready to laugh at me."

"Oh, no, sir. Now, then--I suppose your flute is of the right pitch?"

"I--er--think so."

"Try, sir."

Dick struck the chord of the key in which the piece was set, and the
young officer blew a note of a most uncertain sound.

"Fully a quarter of a tone out, sir," said Dick, thoroughly in earnest
now over his task. "Shall I alter the slide, sir?"

"If you please."

Dick altered the slide again and again till his pupil blew the note in
perfect accord, and then they began, with the air played slowly out of
time--a most feeble performance--right to the end of the strain, when
the lieutenant lowered his flute, and looked at his master with a rather
pitiful, but comically perplexed, expression.

"Horribly bad, isn't it?" he said.

"Well, it might be a good deal better, sir."

"Yes, of course. Will you be good enough to run through it?"

"No, sir; I think it would be better not. I want to encourage you--not
discourage; of course, I could play it more perfectly, but then I have
practised for years."

"Yes; I suppose so."

"But I can make you play that twice as well in a week."

"Do you think so?" cried the lieutenant, eagerly.

"I'm sure of it, sir. Now, again, please. I'll play each note on the
piano, and I want you to blow that note firmly and with a full br