an anchored ship and even in the most profound
calm) remind one of the mobility of fluids; and he was back again under
the cover of the house, the fierce daylight besieging it all round and
glaring in the chinks, and the clerk in a rather airy attitude, awaiting
his decision.

He began to walk again. He aspired after the realisation of these
dreams, like a horse nickering for water; the lust of them burned in his
inside. And the only obstacle was Attwater, who had insulted him from
the first. He gave Herrick a full share of the pearls, he insisted on
it; Huish opposed him, and he trod the opposition down; and praised
himself exceedingly. He was not going to use vitriol himself; was he
Huish's keeper? It was a pity he had asked, but after all!... he saw the
boys again in the school procession, with the gowns he had thought to be
so 'tony' long since... And at the same time the incomparable shame of
the last evening blazed up in his mind.

'Have it your own way!' he said hoarsely.

'Oh, I knew you would walk up,' said Huish. 'Now for the letter. There's
paper, pens and ink. Sit down and I'll dictyte.'

The captain took a seat and the pen, looked a while helplessly at the
paper, then at Huish. The swing had gone the other way; there was a blur
upon his eyes. 'It's a dreadful business,' he said, with a strong twitch
of his shoulders.

'It's rather a start, no doubt,' said Huish. 'Tyke a dip of ink. That's
it. William John Hattwater, Esq., Sir': he dictated.

'How do you know his name is William John?' asked Davis.

'Saw it on a packing case,' said Huish. 'Got that?'

'No,' said Davis. 'But there's another thing. What are we to write?'

'O my golly!' cried the exasperated Huish. 'Wot kind of man do YOU call
yourself? I'M goin' to tell you wot to write; that's my pitch; if you'll
just be so bloomin' condescendin' as to write it down! WILLIAM JOHN
ATTWATER, ESQ., SIR': he reiterated. And the captain at last beginning
half mechanically to move his pen, the dictation proceeded:

It is with feelings of shyme and 'artfelt contrition that I approach you
after the yumiliatin' events of last night. Our Mr 'Errick has left
the ship, and will have doubtless communicated to you the nature of our
'opes. Needless to s'y, these are no longer possible: Fate 'as declyred
against us, and we bow the 'ead. Well awyre as I am of the just
suspicions with w'ich I am regarded, I do not venture to solicit the
fyvour of an interview for my