Joe, he'll remember it, and tell the yarns to his children." It was an old leather-bound book filled with the record of his voyages and adventures.

Anne thought what a treasure trove it would be to a writer.

Every sentence was a nugget.

In itself the book had no literary merit; Captain Jim's charm of storytelling failed him when he came to pen and ink; he could only jot roughly down the outline of his famous tales, and both spelling and grammar were sadly askew.

But Anne felt that if anyone possessed of the gift could take that simple record of a brave, adventurous life, reading between the bald lines the tales of dangers staunchly faced and duty manfully done, a wonderful story might be made from it.