"He's not beautiful to
look at, but his heart's in the right place."
Montague thought for a moment, then asked, "Did he ever send you
your oil specifications?"
"You bet he did!" said the other. "And say, they were great! The
Department will think I'm an expert."
"Indeed," said Montague.
"It was a precious lucky thing for me," said the officer. "I'd have
been in quite a predicament, you know."
He paused for a moment. "You cannot imagine," he said, "the position
that we naval officers are in. Do you know, I think some word must
have got out about that contract."
"You don't say so," said Montague, with interest.
"I do. By gad, I thought of writing to headquarters about it. I was
approached no less than three times!"
"Indeed!"
"Fancy," said the officer. "A young chap got himself introduced to
me by one of my friends here. He stuck by me the whole evening, and
afterwards, as we were strolling home, he opened up on me in this
fashion. He'd heard from a friend in Washington that I was one of
those who had been asked to write specifications for the oil
contracts of the Navy; and he had some friends who were interested
in oil, and who might be able to advise me.
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