“Well, sir,” began Mr. Doane, again, “I—I—” For one who, as Gertrude had declared, wished to talk, he seemed to be finding the operation difficult. “I—Well, sir, the fact is, I have something to say to you.”
Captain Dan, who was looking very grave, observed that he “wanted to know.” John Doane cleared his throat once more, and took a fresh start.
“Yes, sir,” he said, “I have something to say to you—er—something that—that may surprise you.”
A faint smile disturbed the gravity of the captain's face.
“May surprise me, hey?” he repeated. “Is that so?”
“Yes. You see, I—Gertie and I—have—are—”
Daniel looked up.
“Hard navigatin', ain't it, John?” he inquired, whimsically. “Maybe I could help you over the shoals. You and Gertie think you'd like to get married sometime or other, I presume likely. Is that what you're tryin' to tell me?”
There was no doubt of it. The young man's face expressed several emotions, relief that the great secret was known, and surprise that anyone should have guessed it.
“Why, yes, sir,” he admitted, “that is it. Gertie and I have known each other for years, ever since we were children, in fact; and, you see—you see—” he paused once more, began again, and then broke out impatiently with, “I'm making an awful mess of this. I don't know why.”