ns to one another we went to
Mr Benny--Mr _Peter_ Benny--he havin' a gift with his pen--"
'Bias hesitated again, faltered, and came to a stop, aware that Mrs
Bosenna's smile had changed to a frown; that she was regarding him with
disapproval in her eyes, and that a red spot had declared itself
suddenly upon either cheek.

"_You_ don't seem to be makin' _very_ good weather of it either," Cai
taunted him; and with that, glancing at her for confirmation, he too
noticed her changed expression and was dumb.

"Are you tellin' me,"--she seated herself stiffly, and they stood like
culprits before her. "Are you tellin' me this is a game?"

"A--a what, ma'am?"

"A game!" She stamped her foot. "You've been makin' the town's mock o'
me with Peter Benny's help--is that what you two funny seamen have
walked up here to confess?"

"There was no names given, ma'am," stammered Cai. "I do assure you--"

"No names given!" Mrs Bosenna in a temper was terribly handsome.
Her indignation so overawed the pair, as to rob them of all presence of
mind for the moment. After all, where lay the harm in asking Mr Benny
to word a simple invitation? Since the letters had not reached her, she
could suspect no worse; and why, then, all this fuss? So they might
have reasoned it out, had not conscience held them cowards--conscience
and a creeping cold shade of mutual distrust. "No names given!"
repeated the lady. "And I'm to believe that, just as I'm to believe,
sir,"--she addressed herself stiffly to 'Bias--"that you never used bad
language in your life!"

"I didn' say that, ma'am--not exactly," urged the bewildered 'Bias.
"I dunno what's this about bad language. Who's been usin' bad
language? Not me."

"Not since your prize-fightin' days, perhaps, Captain Hunken."

"My prize-fightin' days? My pr--Whoever told you, ma'am, as ever I had
any, or behaved so?"

"You had better ask your friend here."

"Hey?"

"Perhaps," said Mrs Bosenna sarcastically, "that goes back beyond your
memory! Your parrot, if I may say so, has a better one."

"Missus!" expostulated Dinah modestly, while "Oh good Lord!" muttered
Cai with a start. His friend's eye was on him, too, fixed and
suspicious.

"The parrot?" 'Bias, albeit innocent, took alarm.

"Why, what has he been doin'?"

"It isn't anything he _did_, sir," protested Dinah, taking courage to
face about again from the oven door. "It's what he _said_."

"I meant to warn you--" began Cai; bu