was, in heart, in mind,
and, as it were, physically--a man exclusively of sea and ships; the sea
the only world that counted, and the ships, the test of manliness, of
temperament, of courage and fidelity--and of love.

I had an exquisite moment. It was unique also. Jumping up from my seat,
I paced up and down my room for a long time. But when I came downstairs
I behaved with sufficient composure. I only couldn't eat anything at
dinner.

Having declared my intention not to drive but to walk down to the quay,
I must render the wretched Steward justice that he bestirred himself
to find me some coolies for the luggage. They departed, carrying all
my worldly possessions (except a little money I had in my pocket) slung
from a long pole. Captain Giles volunteered to walk down with me.

We followed the sombre, shaded alley across the Esplanade. It was
moderately cool there under the trees. Captain Giles remarked, with a
sudden laugh: "I know who's jolly thankful at having seen the last of
you."

I guessed that he meant the Steward. The fellow had borne himself to me
in a sulkily frightened manner at the last. I expressed my wonder that
he should have tried to do me a bad turn for no reason at all.

"Don't you see that what he wanted was to get rid of our friend Hamilton
by dodging him in front of you for that job? That would have removed him
for good. See?"

"Heavens!" I exclaimed, feeling humiliated somehow. "Can it be possible?
What a fool he must be! That overbearing, impudent loafer! Why! He
couldn't. . . . And yet he's nearly done it, I believe; for the Harbour
Office was bound to send somebody."

"Aye. A fool like our Steward can be dangerous sometimes," declared
Captain Giles sententiously. "Just because he is a fool," he added,
imparting further instruction in his complacent low tones. "For," he
continued in the manner of a set demonstration, "no sensible person
would risk being kicked out of the only berth between himself and
starvation just to get rid of a simple annoyance--a small worry.
Would he now?"

"Well, no," I conceded, restraining a desire to laugh at that something
mysteriously earnest in delivering the conclusions of his wisdom as
though it were the product of prohibited operations. "But that fellow
looks as if he were rather crazy. He must be."

"As to that, I believe everybody in the world is a little mad," he
announced quietly.

"You make no exceptions?" I inquired, just to hear his manner.