first in his friendly fashion. He presumed from seeing me there, he
said, that I had come ashore for a couple of days' leave.

He was a low-voiced man. I spoke a little louder, saying that: No--I had
left the ship for good.

"A free man for a bit," was his comment.

"I suppose I may call myself that--since eleven o'clock," I said.

Hamilton had stopped eating at the sound of our voices. He laid down
his knife and fork gently, got up, and muttering something about "this
infernal heat cutting one's appetite," went out of the room. Almost
immediately we heard him leave the house down the verandah steps.

On this Captain Giles remarked easily that the fellow had no doubt gone
off to look after my old job. The Chief Steward, who had been leaning
against the wall, brought his face of an unhappy goat nearer to the
table and addressed us dolefully. His object was to unburden himself of
his eternal grievance against Hamilton. The man kept him in hot water
with the Harbour Office as to the state of his accounts. He wished
to goodness he would get my job, though in truth what would it be?
Temporary relief at best.

I said: "You needn't worry. He won't get my job. My successor is on
board already."

He was surprised, and I believe his face fell a little at the news.
Captain Giles gave a soft laugh. We got up and went out on the verandah,
leaving the supine stranger to be dealt with by the Chinamen. The last