mune from that distressing complaint,
used--as I once read in a magazine article--to walk up and down the deck
before him on these occasions, mischievously quoting his own verses,--"

'I'm on the sea, I'm on the sea!
I am where I would ever be:
I love (O, _how_ I love!) to ride
On the fierce, foaming, bursting tide,'

"_et coetera_. You'll excuse my rattling on in this fashion. So few
people in Troy take an interest in literature: and it has so many
by-ways!"

"I'm afraid," confessed Cai, more and more bewildered, "that my
education was pretty badly neglected, 'specially in literature, though
for some reason or another I'm not bad at spellin'. But, puttin'
spellin' aside, that's just why I've come to you. I want you to help me
with a letter, if you will."

"Why, of course I will," instantly responded Mr Benny, pushing his
translations of the 'Fasti' aside and producing from a drawer some
sheets of fresh paper.

"As a matter of business, you understand?"

"If you insist; though it will be a pleasure, Captain Hocken, I assure
you."

"It's--it's a bit difficult," stammered Cai gratefully. "In fact, it's
not an ordinary sort of letter at all."

Mr Benny, patting his paper into a neat pad, smiled professionally.
The letter might not be an ordinary sort of letter; but he had in old
days listened some hundreds of times to this exordium.

"It's--well, it's a proposal of marriage," said Cai desperately; and in
despite of himself he started as he uttered the word.

Mr Benny, having patted up the pad to his satisfaction, answered with a
nod only, and dipped his pen in the inkpot.

"I don't think you heard me," ventured Cai. "It's a proposal of
marriage."

"Fire away!" said Mr Benny. "Just dictate, of give me the main
bearings, and I'll fix it up."

"But look here--it's a proposal of marriage, I tell you!"

"I've written scores and scores. . . . For yourself, is it?"

This simple and indeed apparently necessary question hit Cai between
wind and water.

"I want it written in the first person, of course--if that's what you
mean?"

Again Mr Benny nodded, "I see," said he. "You're here on behalf of a
friend, who is too bashful to come on his own account."

"You may put it at that," agreed Cai, greatly relieved. "I told you the
case was a bit out o' the common!"

Mr Benny's smile was still strictly professional. "It's not outside of
my experience, sir; so far, at any rate. May I t