d right out. I
guess that little beast of an attorney knew what he was doing; and he
wanted nothing better than to go beyond. No, there's profit in the deal;
it's not that; it's these ninety-day bills, and the strain I've given
the credit--for I've been up and down borrowing, and begging and bribing
to borrow. I don't believe there's another man but me in 'Frisco," he
cried, with a sudden fervour of self-admiration, "who could have raised
that last ten thousand! Then there's another thing. I had hoped you
might have peddled that opium through the islands, which is safer and
more profitable. But with this three-month limit, you must make tracks
for Honolulu straight, and communicate by steamer. I'll try to put up
something for you there; I'll have a man spoken to who's posted on that
line of biz. Keep a bright look-out for him as soon's you make the
islands; for it's on the cards he might pick you up at sea in a
whale-boat or a steam-launch, and bring the dollars right on board."

It shows how much I had suffered morally during my sojourn in San
Francisco that even now, when our fortunes trembled in the balance, I
should have consented to become a smuggler--and (of all things) a
smuggler of opium. Yet I did, and that in silence; without a protest,
not without a twinge.

"And suppose," said I, "suppose the opium is so securely hidden that I
can't get hands on it?"

"Then you will stay there till that brig is kindling-wood, and stay and
split that kindling-wood with your penknife," cried Pinkerton. "The
stuff is there; we know that; and it must be found. But all this is only
the one string to our bow--though I tell you I've gone into it
head-first, as if it was our bottom dollar. Why, the first thing I did
before I'd raised a cent, and with this other notion in my head
already--the first thing I did was to secure the schooner. The _Norah
Creina_ she is, sixty-four tons--quite big enough for our purpose since
the rice is spoiled, and the fastest thing of her tonnage out of San
Francisco. For a bonus of two hundred, and a monthly charter of three, I
have her for my own time; wages and provisions, say four hundred more: a
drop in the bucket. They began firing the cargo out of her (she was part
loaded) near two hours ago; and about the same time John Smith got the
order for the stores. That's what I call business."

"No doubt of that," said I; "but the other notion?"

"Well, here it is," said Jim. "You agree with me that