The parson, naturally enough, requested the usual particulars—parents' names, place of birth, date, certificate of vaccination, etc. The whole town was curious now, and great excitement prevailed; at last the mystery would be solved. The parson had to go down to the Admiral himself, and inform him, as politely as possible, that the law required compliance with certain formalities; an especially important point was that the names of both father and mother should be correctly stated.
"She has no mother," the Admiral categorically declared.
"But, my dear Admiral, she must have had a mother. In the ordinary course of nature...."
"The course of nature's extraordinary where she comes from."
"But you must have been married, surely?"
The Admiral glared, and his bushy brows contracted.
"Who?"
"You."
"I?" The Admiral chuckled.
"Yes," said the parson, lowering his voice a little; he was beginning to feel a trifle uncomfortable.