Before he could
speak the cough ceased and a thin voice broke carelessly into song.
"WHAT!" roared the captain, in well-feigned astonishment. "Do you mean
to tell me you've got somebody in my pantry? Go and get me those rules
and regulations."
Mr. Tasker backed out, and the captain smiled again as he heard a
whispered discussion. Then a voice clear and distinct took command.
"I'll take'em in myself, I tell you," it said. "I'll rules and
regulations him."
The smile faded from the captain's face, and he gazed in perplexity at
the door as a strange young woman bounced into the room.
"Here's your rules and regulations," said the intruder, in a somewhat
shrewish voice. "You'd better light the lamp if you want to see'em;
though the spelling ain't so noticeable in the dark."
The impressiveness of the captain's gaze was wasted in the darkness. For
a moment he hesitated, and then, with the dignity of a man whose spelling
has nothing to conceal, struck a match and lit the lamp. The lamp
lighted, he lowered the blind, and then seating himself by the window
turned with a majestic air to a thin slip of a girl with tow-coloured
hair, who stood by the door.
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