There was a long pause. The young lady looked down at her feet, while the arm of the young man stole around her waist. Tired at last of waiting, though the position was a charming one, the young officer recalled her to herself by a slight squeeze, which was answered by a delightful little shriek from the girl. "What was it you were saying?" she asked, hurriedly drawing away. "I was telling you that I loved you," he answered with dignity, releasing her, "and asking you to marry me when I got to be a lieutenant, if you love me. You do, don't you, Dorothy?" abandoning his stateliness and bending toward her entreatingly. "Ye--es, I--I--I think so, Mr. Maurice--James, then," she continued, in compliance with a deprecatory wave of his hand, "or Jim--or--" she hesitated a moment and added the word "dear." His face brightened. He sprang toward her in boyish delight; but she checked his rush with a pretty little motion, and continued, calmly,-- "You are a very nice boy indeed, but you are so young, you know----" "Young!" he replied; "I am nineteen, and you are only seventeen yourself! You are scarcely old enough to be married." "I am," she said, promptly; "I am old enough for anything." "Old enough for me, Dot? Say, 'Yes!' You know I'm sure to come out a lieutenant from this cruise, and then you will be a year older, too, you know, and--oh, Dot, do take me! You'd better take me now, you know; you might not have a chance next year. I've been wounded once, and something tells me----" He paused gloomily. "Oh, Jim," she cried, "don't speak of it! But grandfather will never consent. You know perfectly well a lieutenant's pay does not amount to anything, and----" "You are right there, Dot," broke in a deep voice, as a stout, red-faced old man in the uniform of a captain in the navy came strolling out upon the beach from behind a clump of rocks. "Captain Venour!" exclaimed the young officer, starting back in dismay. "Oh, grandfather, you have been listening! How shocking!" cried Dorothy. "Listening!" snorted the old man, contemptuously, with a nice mixture of metaphors; "why, this young calf here has been roaring out his love like the bulls of Bashan." "Sir--sir!" exclaimed Maurice, flushing painfully, "I love your granddaughter----" "Stale news, lad. Everybody within half a mile of this knows it now," said the old man. "Why, the smack of your----" "Grandfather!" interrupted Dorothy, promptly, emulating her lover's blush. "And I want to marry her, sir, with your permission." "Marry her!" shouted Captain Venour. "On the pay of a midshipman! You young----" "I'm a passed midshipman now, sir," interrupted Maurice, "and I'm sure to be a lieutenant when I come back from this cruise to the West Indies,--and she says she loves me and that she will wait; didn't you, Dot?" "Miss Venour, sir!" roared the old man, "in my presence! Did you make any foolish promises to this young man, Dorothy?"