"That will help you into the good graces of the admiral."
"How dull and uninteresting the coast-lines are here! No gardens, no palms, nothing of beauty."
"You must remember the immensity of this coast and that our summers are really less than three months. Here comes one who can tell us about the yacht," cried Fitzgerald, espying the peg-legged sailor. "I say!" he hailed, as the old sailor drew nigh; "you are on the Laura, are you not?"
"Yessir. An' I've bin on her since she wus commissioned as a pleasure yacht, sir. Capt'n."
"Ah!"
"Fought under th' commodore in th' war, sir; an' he knows me, an' I knows him; an' when Flanagan is on th' bridge, he doesn't signal no pilots between Key West an' St. Johns."
"I am visiting the admiral," said Fitzgerald, amused.
"Oh!" Captain Flanagan ducked, with his hand to his cap. On land, he was likely to imitate landsmen in manners and politeness; but on board he tipped his hat to nobody; leastwise, to nobody but Miss Laura, bless her heart! "I reckon one o' you is th' new sec'rety."
"Yes, I am the new secretary," replied Breitmann, unsmiling.
"Furrin parts?"