"That all depends," he answered. "Although you mightn't think it, I'm rather a particular sort of cove. Of course I've got my faults——" and he waved an arm as if to signify that he also had his virtues, which were too obvious to specify.
Miss Fletcher, not feeling called upon to make any comment, remained silent, and, after a moment or two, Smith went on.
"What I want is a young woman who understands men of my sort. A woman with a bit of spirit, mind you, not bad-lookin', and able to turn her hand to 'most anything."
"H'm; I should think you'd better advertise, stating all your requirements."
"No need," replied Smith triumphantly. "I've got the very woman in my eye."
"Oh? That ought to save you a lot of trouble, not to say expense," answered the girl with a touch of irony, which, however, Smith failed to perceive.
"Yes, but the trouble is that I ain't quite certain yet whether she'll have me," he said.
"I should think the easiest way out of the difficulty would be to ask her," she replied, wholly ignorant of the direction in which the second-mate's laborious confidences were tending.
"You don't think she'd be offended if I did?"
"Good gracious, how should I know!"