he _Policy_ was Sergeant Burt, who, as soon as
the others had left, was in deep converse with Captain Foster. "I'm sure
she meant to take your letter, Mr. Foster," he said finally, "and that I
was too quick in tearing it up."

"I'll soon know, Burt; I'll try again this evening."

At the Commissary's dinner that evening Dolly met him with a charming
smile and cheeks suffused; and then, after Captain Foster had narrated
the incidents of his successful whaling voyage, her parents discreetly
left them to themselves in the garden.

"Dolly! I am a rough, uncultured sailor. Will you therefore forgive me
my rudeness when we last parted?"

"Of course. I have forgotten it long ago, and I am very sorry we parted
bad friends."

"You make me very happy, Dolly. I have been speaking to your mother,
and she has told me that she thinks you do care for me, Is it so? May I
again----"

"Now, Captain Foster, why cannot we be friends without--without anything
else. I will not pretend that I do not understand your meaning, but I
tell you, once and for all, I don't want to be married. Really," and she
smiled brightly, "you are as bad as Mr. Portveldt."

"Very well, Miss Dorothy," said Foster with annoying equanimity, "I
won't allude to the subject again. But what has the Dutchman been doing?
Where is he now?"

Dolly laughed merrily. "Oh, Captain Foster, I really have no right to
show you this letter, but it is so very amusing that I cannot help doing
so," and she took a letter from her pocket.

"Oh, he has been writing to you, has he?"

"Now don't speak in that bullying manner, sir, or I shall not let you
hear its contents."

"Very well, Dolly; but how came you to get the letter? We are at war
with the Dutch Settlements now, you know."

"That is the amusing part of it. Now listen, and I will read it to
you;" and Dolly spread out a large sheet of paper, and read aloud in
mimicking tones--

"Mein dear Mees Dolly,--You did vant ein loafer who could vight vor his
coundry, and vould haf no man who vas yoost ein merchant. Very goot. I
mineself now command the privateer _Swift_, vich vas used to be sailing
in gompany mit _La Brave_ und _La Mouche_ in der service of der French
Republic, und did den vight und beat all der Anglische ships in der
Anglische Channel. Id is drue dot your _La Minerve_ did by shance von
tay capture der _Swift_, and sold her to the American beoples, but our
Batavian merchants did buy her from them, und now I h