chairs of the same. I glimpsed
grimy antimacassars scattered over that horrid upholstery, which
was awe-inspiring, insomuch that one could not guess what mysterious
accident, need, or fancy had collected it there. Its owner had taken
off his tunic, and in white trousers and a thin, short-sleeved singlet
prowled behind the chair-backs nursing his meagre elbows.

An exclamation of dismay escaped him when he heard that I had come for a
stay; but he could not deny that there were plenty of vacant rooms.

"Very well. Can you give me the one I had before?"

He emitted a faint moan from behind a pile of cardboard boxes on the
table, which might have contained gloves or handkerchies or neckties. I
wonder what the fellow did keep in them? There was a smell of decaying
coral, or Oriental dust of zoological speciments in that den of his. I
could only see the top of his head and his unhappy eyes levelled at me
over the barrier.

"It's only for a couple of days," I said, intending to cheer him up.

"Perhaps you would like to pay in advance?" he suggested eagerly.

"Certainly not!" I burst out directly I could speak. "Never heard of
such a thing! This is the most infernal cheek. . . ."

He had seized his head in both hands--a gesture of despair which checked
my indignation.

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Don't fly out like this. I am asking everybody."

"I don't believe it," I said bluntly.

"Well, I am going to. And if you gentlemen all agreed to pay in advance
I could make Hamilton pay up, too. He's always turning up ashore dead
broke, and even when he has some money he won't settle his bills. I
don't know what to do with him. He swears at me and tells me I can't
chuck a white man out into the street here. So if you only would. . . ."

I was amazed. Incredulous, too. I suspected the fellow of gratuitous
impertinence. I told him with marked emphasis that I would see him and
Hamilton hanged first, and requested him to conduct me to my room with
no more of his nonsense. He produced then a key from somewhere and led
the way out of his lair, giving me a vicious sidelong look in passing.

"Any one I know staying here?" I asked him before he left my room.

He had recovered his usual pained impatient tone, and said that Captain
Giles was there, back from a Solo Sea trip. Two other guests were
staying also. He paused. And, of course, Hamilton, he added.

"Oh, yes! Hamilton," I said, and the miserable creature took himself off
with a f