Captains All and Others eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 168 pages of information about Captains All and Others.

Captains All and Others eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 168 pages of information about Captains All and Others.

“She’s a lone widder,” continued Mr. Benn, shaking his head, “and the Beehive is in a lonely place.  It’s right through the village, and the nearest house is arf a mile off.”

“Silly place for a pub,” commented Mr. Travers.

“I’ve been telling her ’ow unsafe it is,” said the boatswain.  “I’ve been telling her that she wants a man to protect her, and she only laughs at me.  She don’t believe it; d’ye see?  Likewise I’m a small man—­small, but stiff.  She likes tall men.”

“Most women do,” said Mr. Travers, sitting upright and instinctively twisting his moustache.  “When I was in the ranks—­”

“My idea is,” continued the boatswain, slightly raising his voice, “to kill two birds with one stone—­prove to her that she does want being protected, and that I’m the man to protect her.  D’ye take my meaning, mate?”

The soldier reached out a hand and felt the other’s biceps.  “Like a lump o’ wood,” he said, approvingly.

“My opinion is,” said the boatswain, with a faint smirk, “that she loves me without knowing it.”

“They often do,” said Mr. Travers, with a grave shake of his head.

“Consequently I don’t want ’er to be disappointed,” said the other.

“It does you credit,” remarked Mr. Travers.

“I’ve got a good head,” said Mr. Benn, “else I shouldn’t ’ave got my rating as boatswain as soon as I did; and I’ve been turning it over in my mind, over and over agin, till my brain-pan fair aches with it.  Now, if you do what I want you to to-night and it comes off all right, damme I’ll make it a quid.”

“Go on, Vanderbilt,” said Mr. Travers; “I’m listening.”

The boatswain gazed at him fixedly.  “You meet me ’ere in this spot at eleven o’clock to-night,” he said, solemnly; “and I’ll take you to her ’ouse and put you through a little winder I know of.  You goes upstairs and alarms her, and she screams for help.  I’m watching the house, faithful-like, and hear ’er scream.  I dashes in at the winder, knocks you down, and rescues her.  D’ye see?”

“I hear,” corrected Mr. Travers, coldly.

“She clings to me,” continued the boat-swain, with a rapt expression of face, “in her gratitood, and, proud of my strength and pluck, she marries me.”

“An’ I get a five years’ honeymoon,” said the soldier.

The boatswain shook his head and patted the other’s shoulder.  “In the excitement of the moment you spring up and escape,” he said, with a kindly smile.  “I’ve thought it all out.  You can run much faster than I can; any-ways, you will.  The nearest ’ouse is arf a mile off, as I said, and her servant is staying till to-morrow at ’er mother’s, ten miles away.”

Mr. Travers rose to his feet and stretched himself.  “Time I was toddling,” he said, with a yawn.  “Thanks for amusing me, mate.”

“You won’t do it?” said the boatswain, eyeing him with much concern.

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Captains All and Others from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.