That of course was good news to Ben, and he was all shaved and brushed up, ready to go long before I was. The Captain liked his wine and his women—and I can’t say that I appreciated the latter. He wanted to make love to every good looking woman that came along—and I could dig their eyes out!... To-night we were sitting in a buvette, just starting the evening, and after he and Ben had consumed about a dozen drinks, they got really friendly and the Captain began to rave to him about me. “Have you ever seen Canwick’s sister, Ben?” he asked. “Boy, she’s a whole art museum! Perfectly beautiful, Ben—perfectly beautiful!... And she looks enough like Canwick to let anyone know they’re twins.... Why, anyone that didn’t know them couldn’t tell the difference between them.... How about that, Sergeant: I’ll wager your nurse used to have to lift your dresses to make sure which was which.” Ben looked kinda funny for a moment, but he was feeling too good to be very suspicious about anything, and when I laughed at the Captain’s crazy remarks, he joined in and socked me on the back so hard I almost swallowed my teeth.... I was thinking fast, however, because I knew Ben would have to be told something sometime soon, and as soon as I had an opportunity I explained him to hurriedly, “We’re not twins at all, Ben—we’re triplets: Leonard and I and the girl he’s been raving about, but he doesn’t know anything about Leonard, so please don’t say anything about him.”... He winked understandingly and I told myself that I had successfully crossed another bridge. After this when the Captain got going on his favorite subject, I just winked at Ben and didn’t worry.... God, I hoped nothing else happened: pretty soon we’d be a sextet! —3— Another party with the Captain. He thought Ben’s the best entertainment he’d had in a long time, and Ben just lapped up appreciation. The two of them got plastered to the eyes and thought they owned the city. This night we went to what was supposed to be the wildest show in Paris and I was forced to sit between those two and listen to Ben’s barbaric comments being echoed and approved by the Captain, who approved not only because of Ben’s funny cracks, but also because he liked some of those sensuous looking creatures who paraded across the stage in their birthday suits. When a big-tummied blonde made her appearance, Ben piped up, “Pull in yer belt there, Blondy!” and everyone laughed at him, so he added, “This is a burlesque show, not a baby farm!” People all over the house heard him and applauded, and the Captain said, “You tell ’em, Ben.... We want to see a few little ones.” “Look at the hips on ’at one with the black hair—the second one from the end!” Ben observed a little later. “Looks just like a lollypop to me, Captain!” “Built for comfort and speed,” laughed the Captain. “How much you bid for it, Ben?”