"I am," she said, promptly; "I am old enough for anything."
"Old enough for me, Dot? Say, 'Yes!' You know I'm sure to come out a lieutenant from this cruise, and then you will be a year older, too, you know, and—oh, Dot, do take me! You'd better take me now, you know; you might not have a chance next year. I've been wounded once, and something tells me——"
He paused gloomily.
"Oh, Jim," she cried, "don't speak of it! But grandfather will never consent. You know perfectly well a lieutenant's pay does not amount to anything, and——"
"You are right there, Dot," broke in a deep voice, as a stout, red-faced old man in the uniform of a captain in the navy came strolling out upon the beach from behind a clump of rocks.
"Captain Venour!" exclaimed the young officer, starting back in dismay.
"Oh, grandfather, you have been listening! How shocking!" cried Dorothy.
"Listening!" snorted the old man, contemptuously, with a nice mixture of metaphors; "why, this young calf here has been roaring out his love like the bulls of Bashan."
"Sir—sir!" exclaimed Maurice, flushing painfully, "I love your granddaughter——"
"Stale news, lad. Everybody within half a mile of this knows it now," said the old man. "Why, the smack of your——"