wing and smirking with a catlike grin, the Admiral felt
an almost irresistible impulse to kick him out of the cabin.
Notwithstanding his haste, however, he began to recollect the man as an
individual who had been introduced to him a few days previously at some
municipal function.

"Can't recollect the fellow's name," he muttered to himself. "I wonder
what the devil the creature wants! Got a complaint against the Consul
very likely--every one has a complaint against a Consul--it's a disease
in the South Seas. Confound their twopenny-halfpenny squabbles!" Then
the little fat man, with another servile grin, spoke.

"I wish, your Excellency, to see you upon a matter which I think, as
a loyal subject, it is my duty--my painful duty--to bring under your
notice."

"Thought as much," said the Admiral to himself. "Some row about a
trader insulting a native teacher, or _vice-versa_." Then smothering an
exclamation of impatience, he said--

"What is it, sir? I have no time to lose. By the way, who are you, sir?"

"My name, your Excellency, is Obadiah Howl-man. I had the distinguished
honour, your Excellency, of showing your Excellency over the grounds of
the new Mission College. I was the contractor for the erection of that
ornament to our little town." And again the oily creature smirked and
bowed and did the invisible soap business.

"Surely _you_ are not a missionary, sir?" asked the Admiral, with
undisguised contempt.

"I am not, your Excellency. That is, I am not yet an ordained labourer
in the Vineyard, your Excellency; but I hope soon to be one. Meanwhile,
all the time that is left to me from my business (I am a storekeeper and
contractor) is given to the cause of spreading the Light I was once a
lost soul, your----"

"I see, I see," interrupted the Admiral, with ill-disguised disgust
and open impatience, "but do, for Heaven's sake, tell me what is your
complaint. I am due in Sydney on the tenth of this month, and the ship
is already under way. As it is, we shall have to stop outside the reef
to let you get into your boat."

"I am aware of it, your Excellency, and I should not have ventured to
detain you, but this is a very serious matter--I may say, a criminal
matter. When I had the honour of meeting your Excellency, on the
occasion of your Excellency's visit to the College, I would have spoken
of this matter then; but my poor, weak nature was so torn by conflicting
emotions that I _could_ not And for the past t