nd we had seven horses down daily for the party
and the baggage. These were on one occasion bossed by Austin, age
eleven. "I'm afraid I cannot do that now," said he in answer to some
communication, "as I am taking charge of the men here." In the course of
the forenoon he took "his" men to get their lunch, and had his own by
himself at the Chinese restaurant. What a day for a boy. The steamer
came in at last on Saturday morning after breakfast. We three were out
at the place of anchorage in the hotel boat as she came up, spotting
rather anxiously for our guest, whom none of us had ever seen. We chose
out some rather awful cads and tried to make up our mind to them; they
were the least offensive yet observed among an awful crew of cabin
passengers; but when the Simon Pure appeared at last upon the scene he
was as nice a young fellow as you would want. Followed a time of giddy
glory--one crowded hour of glorious life--when I figured about the deck
with attendant shemales in the character of _the_ local celebrity, was
introduced to the least unpresentable of the ruffians on board, dogged
about the deck by a diminutive Hebrew with a Kodak, the click of which
kept time to my progress like a pair of castanets, and filled up in the
Captain's room on iced champagne at 8.30 of God's morning. The Captain
in question, Cap. Morse, is a great South Sea character, like the side
of a house and the green-room of a music-hall, but with all the saving
qualities of the seaman. The celebrity was a great success with this
untutored observer. He was kind enough to announce that he expected
(rather with awe) a much more "thoughtful" person; and I think I pleased
him much with my parting salutation, "Well, Captain, I suppose you and I
are the two most notorious men in the Pacific." I think it will enable
you to see the Captain if I tell you that he recited to us in cold blood
the _words_ of a new comic song; doubtless a tribute to my literary
character. I had often heard of Captain Morse and always had detested
all that I was told, and detested the man in confidence, just as you are
doing; but really he has a wonderful charm of strength, loyalty, and
simplicity. The whole celebrity business was particularly
characteristic; the Captain has certainly never read a word of mine; and
as for the Jew with the Kodak, he had never heard of me till he came on
board. There was a third admirer who sent messages in to the Captain's
cabin asking if the Lion wo