'No,' said I; 'I am single.'
'And is her heart her own, sir, d'ye know?' said he. 'For as like as not there may be some young Danish gent as keeps company with her ashore.'
'I can't tell you that,' said I.
'If so be as her heart's her own,' said he, 'then I think even old Tommy could tell 'ee what's agoing to happen.'
'What do you mean?' I asked.
'Why, of course,' said he, 'you're bound to marry her!'
As she was out of hearing, I could well afford to laugh.
'Well,' said I, 'the sea has been the cause of more wonderful things than that! Any way, if I'm to marry her, you must put me in the way of doing so by sending us home as soon as you can.'
'Oy,' said he, 'that we'll do, and I don't reckon, master, that you'd be dispoged to wait ontil we've returned from Australey, that Tommy and me and Jacob might have the satisfaction of drinking your healths and cutting a caper at your marriage.'
Jacob broke into a short roar that might or might not have denoted a laugh.