"If you please, Captain Bellfield," said the patron, indifferent to the cheese in his throat, "I'll propose the toast."
"Nothing on earth could be better, my dear fellow," said the captain, "and I'm sure I should be the last man in the world to take the job out of the hands of one who would do it so much better than I can; but as it's your health that we're going to drink, I really don't see how you are to do it."

"If you please, Captain Bellfield," said he, "I'll propose the toast."
"Nothing on earth could be better, my dear fellow," said the captain, "but as it's your health that we're going to drink, I don't see how you are to do it."
