"Why, Mr. Dilke," cried Miss Ruth, at sight of the young and very properly attired gentleman who stood up to greet her.
The young gentleman came round and shook hands with evident pleasure. "So you are the wonderful 'Teacher,' Miss Stannard?"
"And you are the 'Cap'n'?" retorted Miss Ruth.
Here the Major, as he would have phrased it, "caught on." "She said yer was a gentleman what wouldn't a-smoked before ladies, she did," volunteered Joey.
Miss Ruth blushed and laughed and blushed again. "Well, he wouldn't, Joey," she reiterated stoutly.
Whereupon the boyishly smooth face of Mr. Dilke colored too, and being very big and blonde and diffident, he blushed very red indeed, while Joey, seeing something up, tried to wink his roguish eyes but failed for very weakness and found them full of tears instead.
"Where does it hurt?" asked Miss Ruth gently, leaning over him.
The Major winked indignantly. "Sojers aint goin' to make no fuss if does hurt, Old G. A. R. he says so!"
Old G. A. R. in the background gave vent to a sudden chuckle. "Obey your superior officers, Major, afore anything," he corrected.