The captain cleared his throat, faltered, then turning sheepish all at once, hung his head.
"Be 'anged, I can't make a speech, after all," he grumbled; and wheeling suddenly on Heywood, with a peevish air of having been defrauded: "Aboard ship I could sit and think up no end o' flowery talk, and now it's all gone!" He stared at his plate miserably.

It was Miss Drake who came to his rescue.
"Tell us the secret," she begged.

"How do you manage all these nice things ?" The captain's eyes surveyed the motley collection down the length of the bright table, then returned to her, gratefully:-- "This ain't anything.

Only a little--bloomin'-- " "Impromptu," suggested Heywood.
"That's the word!" Captain Kneebone eyed them both with uncommon favor.
"That's it, ye know.

I just 'opped about Saigong like a--jackdaw, picking up these impromptus.