“The lass refuses me,” he said.
Blueneck shrugged his shoulders.
“These country wenches be mighty particular about marrying their husbands and so forth,” he observed.
Dick raised his eyebrows.
“I have said I will wed her,” he said stiffly.
Blueneck’s jaw dropped.
“Wed her?” he ejaculated. “Why, Cap’n, you must——” He broke off lamely.
Dick snapped out the question, “Must what?”
Blueneck did not vouchsafe an answer, and they sat in silence for a minute or two.
Dick began to speak, slowly and carefully, as though he was thinking out each word separately.