silent and in dudgeon resumed
his pipe.

"My friend, sir," the second man went on, "is vat you call chippy
because you come plomp into his bed of cabbage, very fine vegetable,
vich remind him of his youthful days in ze ever-to-beloved Homeland."

"Oh, well," said Smith, "assure him that I am very sorry. I didn't
mean to hurt his cabbages, and I'll pay for any damage that I've
done."

"Was sagt er?" said Herr Schwankmacher suspiciously.

His friend translated Smith's words. Schwankmacher grunted.

"The fact is," continued Smith, "we've run short of petrol, and I had
to come down. I hoped to make Apia; that is it, yonder, I suppose?"

"Zat is so. You vant petrol. Zen I introduce you to excellent firma
vat supply ze Commandant. It is good petrol; I know it, for ze firma
receive large consignments of it from ze highly respectable firma I
haf ze honour to represent--Schlagintwert Gesellschaft of Duesseldorf.
Sir, viz compliments."

He took from a capacious pocket a bulky book in a red paper wrapper.

"Zis is our price list, sir, revise and correct. Ve can supply anyzink
vatefer, and I shall esteem it great favour to haf ze opportunity to
quote for petrol, machine oil, planes, stays, plugs, propellers,
levers, air-bags, goggles, overalls, accumulators--"

"Thanks, but at present I want nothing but petrol and machine oil, and
I must have them at once, as I have to start for Honolulu without
delay."

"For Honolulu, sir?"

"Yes."

"Across ze sea?"

"There's no other way, is there?"

"Sree sousand miles?"

"Rather less, isn't it?"

"Ach! zis knocks me into a--vat you call it?--into a billycock."

He turned to Herr Schwankmacher, who had just refilled his pipe, and
repeated to him the astounding announcement. The German scoffed.
Seeing that there was no help for it if he wished to get away in a
reasonable time, Smith explained that he was halfway on a voyage round
the world, and had not a minute to spare.

"Ach! business are business. Zat is vat take me round ze world. Permit
me, sir."

He handed Smith a large business card, inscribed with the name
"Hildebrand Schwab," and the address of his firm in Duesseldorf.

"Ve shall lose no time, sir," he added. "Zis is ze most amazing zink
zat efer haf I heard, and I esteem it great honour to haf ze
opportunity to introduce you to ze excellent firma vat supply you viz
petrol for your so vonderful machine. Vun minute until I tell Herr
Schwankmacher, zen ve go do