And if we race for
it--"
"You must give me half a mile's start."
"But we can write."
"Yes; and deliver our letters together at the door."
"On the other hand, I've always heard that women look upon a written
proposal of marriage as rather tame."
"That objection would hardly apply to two in one day. And, besides,
she knows about us."
"We'll write," said Captain Jemmy.
He went into the pavilion to search for pens and paper, while Captain
Barker stepped down to the Fish and Anchor to borrow a bottle of ink.
"There must be preliminaries," the little man observed, returning and
setting the ink down in the centre of the rustic table, on which
already lay a bundle of old quills and some quarto sheets of yellow
paper.
"As for instance?"
"_Imprimis_, a thick folio book for me to sit on. The carpenter
built this table after your measure."
"I will fetch one."
"Also more beer."
"I will draw some."
"Thirdly, a time-keeper. My stomach's empty, but it can hold out for
another hour. We'll give ourselves an hour; start together and
finish together."
Captain Runacles fished a silver whistle from his waistcoat pocket
and blew on it shrilly. The blue and white door of the pavilion was
opened, and a slight old man in a blue livery appeared on the step
and came ambling down the path.
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