Commandant's voice brought him to a
stand.

"We will talk here, if you please," said the Commandant.

"Certainly, sir," Mr. Tregaskis turned about.

"I want," said the Commandant, "half a pound of your best tea, half a
dozen new laid eggs, an amount of bacon which I leave to you, and a pot
of marmalade."

"With pleasure, sir. Anything I can do----"

"And on credit."

"As I said sir--to be sure--and hoping that I have given satisfaction
hitherto--" Mr. Tregaskis, still a trifle flurried, fell to rubbing his
hands together, thus producing an appearance of haste before he
actually collected himself and hurried to execute the order.

"Good God!" thought the Commandant to himself. "Am I browbeating this
man?"

He watched as Mr. Tregaskis cut and weighed out the butter and bacon
and tied them up into parcels, with the help of a small boy summoned
from the back premises; or rather, the small boy (Melk by name, which
was short for Melchisedek) did the weighing and tying while Mr.
Tregaskis stood over him and exhorted him to look sharp, or he'd never
make a grocer. The steward watched from the doorway, puffing a
cigarette, and expressed a hope that he was not excluding the light.
The Commandant wished him a thousand miles away. Sergeant Archelaus had
borrowed a light trolley from the quay; the two seamen had loaded it;
and already Madame's luggage was half-way up the hill, and must
infallibly reach the Barracks before Madame's breakfast could overtake
it.

"And when would you like it sent, sir?" asked Mr. Tregaskis, nodding at
the piles on the counter.

"Sent?" echoed the Commandant. "I beg your pardon," he went on hastily.
"I had meant to ask you for the loan of a basket. I will carry the
things myself."

"Indeed, sir?" Mr. Tregaskis hesitated. "You are welcome to a basket,
of course, if you think it wise."

"I am not ashamed to be seen carrying a basket, Mr. Tregaskis."

"No, indeed, sir! But the hill being steep--and a little exercise would
do Melk, here, all the good in the world."

"I prefer to carry the goods myself, I thank you." (Was everybody in a
conspiracy to take the Commandant for a very old man?)

He waited impatiently until the basket was filled, slung it on his arm,
and hurried out of the shop with such impetuosity that the steward,
still lounging in the doorway, had scarcely time to skip into the
roadway and give passage.

"They must be going in for some kind of feast, up to Barracks," said