ted boatswain. "It's got
nothing to do with you. All you've got to know is this: any time 'e sees
you out--this party I'm talking of--he's going to log it. He calls it
keeping a dairy, but it comes to the same thing."

"I know what I call it," said the offended maiden, "and if I catch that
little horror spying on me he'll remember it."

"He can't spy on you if you ain't out," said the boatswain. "That's wot
I told 'im; and when I said as you'd promised he saw as 'ow it would be
all right. I'm going to try and bring him 'ome a shark's tooth."

"Goin' to make it?" inquired Rosa, with a sniff.

"And might I ask," she inquired, as the amorous boatswain took her arm
again, "might I ask who is going to watch you?"

"Me?" said the boatswain, regarding her with honest amazement. "I don't
want no watching. Men don't."

"In--deed!" said Miss Jelks, "and why not?"

"They don't like it," said Mr. Walters, simply.

Miss Jelks released her arm again, and for some time they walked on
opposite sides of the lane Her temper rose rapidly, and at last, tearing
off her glove, she drew the ring from her finger and handed it to the
boatswain.

[Illustration: She drew the ring from her finger 232]

"There you are!" she exclaimed. "Take it!"

Mr. Walters took it, and, after a vain attempt to place it on his little
finger, put it in his waistcoat-pocket and walked on whistling.

"We're not engaged now," explained Rosa.

"Aye, aye," said the boatswain, cheerfully. "Only walking out."

"Nothing of the kind," said Rosa. "I sha'n't have nothing more to do
with you. You'd better tell Bassett."

"What for?" demanded the other.

"What for?" repeated Rosa. "Why, there's no use him watching me now."

"Why not?" demanded Mr. Walters.

Miss Jelks caught her breath impatiently. "Because it's got nothing to
do with you what I do now," she said, sharply. "I can go out with who I
like."

"Ho!" said the glaring Mr. Walters. "Ho! Can you? So that's your little
game, is it? Here--"

He fumbled in his pocket and, producing the ring, caught Miss Jelks's
hand in a grip that made her wince, and proceeded to push it on her
little finger. "Now you behave yourself, else next time I'll take it
back for good."

Miss Jelks remonstrated, but in vain. The boatswain passed his left arm
about her waist, and when she became too fluent increased the pressure
until she gasped for breath. Much impressed by these signs of affection
she began to yield, and