"'A long, long life to my sweet wife!'"
No sound interrupted the ringing sailor ballad.
"Let's go in and have a drink," suggested the press-agent, when the song was finished.
As unobtrusively as possible the two men entered.
"More! more!" the appreciative, if unschooled, audience was demanding, and in the clatter of applause the strangers were unnoticed.
"'I have come to say good-bye, Dolly Grey.'"
The then new popular song thrilled the listeners with its martial rhythm, as the plaintive cadences of the beautiful voice rang in their ears.
"'Good-bye, Dolly, I must leave you.'"
The singer's glance fell on the new listeners. His merry eyes wavered and his face flushed until it became as red as his curly hair. He stopped short in the chorus.