“For,” Blythe said, “you know, Captain Seemann, it never would have happened if you had not sent us up in the crow’s nest that day.”
Upon which the Captain, beaming his brightest, and letting his cigar go out in the damp breeze for the sake of making his little speech, declared:
“I know one thing! It would neffer haf happen at all, if I had sent anybody else up in the crow’s nest but just Miss 61 Blythe Halliday with her bright eyes and her kind heart!”
And Blythe was so overpowered by this tremendous compliment from the Captain of the Lorelei that she had not a word to say for herself.
That evening Mr. Grey inscribed his nonsense-verse in Blythe’s book; and not that only, for to those classic lines he added the following:
“The above was composed in collaboration with his esteemed fellow-passenger, Miss Blythe Halliday, by Hugh Dalton, alias ‘Mr. Grey.’”
It was, of course, a great distinction to own such an autograph as that; yet somehow the kind, witty Mr. Grey had been so delightful just as he was, that Blythe hardly felt as if the famous name added so very much to her satisfaction in his acquaintance.
“I knew it all the time,” she declared, quietly; “but it didn’t make any difference.”
“That’s worth hearing,” said Hugh Dalton. 62