ng that he would blow his brains out if he
didn't "stop his infernal noise." The other was Windham, who acted in
a different manner. He collected pipes, pumps, and buckets, and
induced a large number to take part in the work of extinguishing the
flames. By the attitude of the two the rest were either calmed or
cowed; and each one recognized in the other a kindred spirit.

After landing at Suez they were thrown more closely together; their
intimacy deepened on the way to Alexandria; and when they embarked on
the Mediterranean they had become stronger friends than ever. Windham
had told the other that he had recently heard of the death of a
friend, and was going home to settle his affairs. He hinted also that
he was in some government employ in India; and Obed Chute did not
seek to know more. Contrary to the generally received view of the
Yankee character, he did not show any curiosity whatever, but
received the slight information which was given with a delicacy which
showed no desire to learn more than Windham himself might choose to
tell.

But for his own part he was as frank and communicative as though
Windham had been an old friend or a blood relation. He had been kept
in New York too closely, he said, for the last twenty years, and now
wished to have a little breathing space and elbow-room. So he had
left New York for San Francisco, partly on pleasure, partly on
business. He spent some months in California, and then crossed the
Pacific to China, touching at Honolulu and Nangasaki. He had left
directions for his family to be sent on to Europe, and meet him at a
certain time at Marseilles. He was expecting to find them there. He
himself had gone from China to India, where he had taken a small tour
though the country, and then had embarked for Europe. Before going
back to America he expected to spend some time with his family in
Italy, France, and Germany.

There was a grandeur of view in this man's way of looking upon the
world which surprised Windham, and, to some degree, amused him. For
Obed Chute regarded the whole world exactly as another man might
regard his native county or town; and spoke about going from San
Francisco to Hong-Kong, touching at Nangasaki, just as another might
speak of going from Liverpool to Glasgow, touching at Rothsay. He
seemed, in fact, to regard our planet as rather a small affair,
easily traversed, and a place with which he was thoroughly familiar.
He had written from San Francisco fo