deep, seize it, and drag it up beyond the next
wave. Many of them would be knocked down, and some swept out by the
retreating wave, only to return on the next roller. All could swim
like fish, and any of these events were greeted with shouts of
laughter by the rest.

When the packages were landed a rope was put round them, and through
this a long bamboo pole was inserted, which would be lifted on to the
shoulders of two, four, or six porters, according to its weight; and
these would go off, at a hobbling sort of trot, with their burden to
the factory.

Their own baggage was taken up to the quarters allotted to them, and
at the hour named for dinner the newcomers met, for the first time,
those with whom they were to be associated. All were dressed in white
suits, and Charlie was struck with the pallor of their faces, and the
listless air of most of them. The gentleman to whom they had first
been introduced made them acquainted with the others.

"How refreshingly healthy and well you look!" a young man of some six
and twenty years old, named Johnson, said. "I was something like that,
when I first came out here, though you'd hardly think it now. Eight
years of stewing, in this horrible hole, takes the life and spirits
out of anyone.

"However, there's one consolation. After eight or ten years of quill
driving in a stuffy room, one becomes a little more one's own master,
and one's duties begin to be a little more varied and pleasant. One
gets a chance of being sent up, occasionally, with goods; or on some
message or other to one of the native princes, and then one gets
treated like a prince, and sees that India is not necessarily so
detestable as we have contrived to make it here. The only bearable
time of one's life is the few hours after dinner, when one can sit in
a chair in the veranda, and smoke and look at the sea. Some of the
fellows play billiards and cards; but if you will take my advice, you
won't go in for that sort of thing. It takes a lot out of one, and
fellows that do it are, between you and me, in the bad books of the
bigwigs. Besides, they lose money, get into debt, and all sorts of
mischief comes of it."

The speaker was sitting between Charlie and Peters, and was talking in
a tone of voice which would not be overheard by the others.

"Thank you," Charlie said. "I, for one, will certainly take your
advice. I suppose one can buy ponies here. I should think a good ride
every morning early, before wo