Butonthewharf，whenwereachedit，therewasnosignofbustle，and，butforthegalleysmoke，nomarkoflifeontheNorahCreina。Pinkerton’sfacegrewpale，andhismouthstraightened，asheleapedonboard。
“Where’sthecaptainofthis——？”andheleftthephraseunfinished，findingnoepithetsufficientlyenergeticforhisthoughts。
Itdidnotappearwhomorwhathewasaddressing；butahead，presumablythecook’s，appearedinansweratthegalleydoor。
“Inthecabin，atdinner。”saidthecookdeliberately，chewingashespoke。
“Isthatcargoout？”
“No，sir。”
“Noneofit？”
“O，there’ssomeofitout。We’llgetattherestofitlivelierto-morrow，Iguess。”
“Iguessthere’llbesomethingbrokenfirst。”saidPinkerton，andstrodetothecabin。
Herewefoundaman，fat，dark，andquiet，seatedgravelyatwhatseemedaliberalmeal。Helookedupuponourentrance；
andseeingPinkertoncontinuetostandfacinghiminsilence，hatonhead，armsfolded，andlipscompressed，anexpressionofmingledwonderandannoyancebegantodawnuponhisplacidface。
“Well！”saidJim；andsothisiswhatyoucallrushingaround？”
“Whoareyou？”criesthecaptain。
“Me！I’mPinkerton！”retortedJim，asthoughthenamehadbeenatalisman。
“You’renotverycivil，whoeveryouare。”wasthereply。Butstillacertaineffecthadbeenproduced，forhescrambledtohisfeet，andaddedhastily，“Amanmusthaveabitofdinner，youknow，Mr。Pinkerton。”
“Where’syourmate？”snappedJim。
“He’suptown。”returnedtheother。
“Uptown！”sneeredPinkerton。“Now，I’lltellyouwhatyouare：
you’reaFraud；andifIwasn’tafraidofdirtyingmyboot，I
wouldkickyouandyourdinnerintothatdock。”
“I’lltellyousomething，too。”retortedthecaptain，duskilyflushing。“Iwouldn’tsailthisshipforthemanyouare，ifyouwentuponyourknees。I’vedealtwithgentlemenuptonow。”
“Icantellyouthenamesofanumberofgentlemenyou’llneverdealwithanymore，andthat’sthewholeofLonghurst’sgang。”
saidJim。“I’llputyourpipeoutinthatquarter，myfriend。
Here，routoutyourtrapsasquickaslookatit，andtakeyourverminalongwithyou。I’llhaveacaptainin，thisverynight，that’sasailor，andsomesailorstoworkforhim。”
“I’llgowhenIplease，andthat’sto-morrowmorning。”criedthecaptainafterus，aswedepartedfortheshore。
“There’ssomethinggonewrongwiththeworldto-day；itmusthavecomebottomup！”wailedPinkerton。“Bellairs，andthenthehotelclerk，andnowThisFraud！AndwhatamItodoforacaptain，Loudon，withLonghurstgonehomeanhourago，andtheboysallscattered？”
“Iknow。”saidI。“Jumpin！”Andthentothedriver：“DoyouknowBlackTom’s？”
Thitherthenwerattled；passedthroughthebar，andfound(asI
hadhoped)Johnsonintheenjoymentofclublife。Thetablehadbeenthrustupononeside；aSouthSeamerchantwasdiscoursingmusicfromamouth-organinonecorner；andinthemiddleofthefloorJohnsonandafellow-seaman，theirarmsclaspedabouteachother’sbodies，somewhatheavilydanced。Theroomwasbothcoldandclose；ajetofgas，whichcontinuallymenacedtheheadsoftheperformers，shedacoarseillumination；themouth-organsoundedshrillanddismal；andthefacesofallconcernedwerechurch-likeintheirgravity。Itwere，ofcourse，indelicatetointerruptthesesolemnfrolics；soweedgedourselvestochairs，foralltheworldlikebelatedcomersinaconcert-room，andpatientlywaitedfortheend。Atlengththeorganist，havingexhaustedhissupplyofbreath，ceasedabruptlyinthemiddleofabar。Withthecessationofthestrain，thedancerslikewisecametoafullstop，swayedamoment，stillembracing，andthenseparatedandlookedaboutthecircleforapplause。
“Verywelldanced！”saidone；butitappearsthecomplimentwasnotstrongenoughfortheperformers，who(forgetfuloftheproverb)tookupthetaleinperson。
“Well。”saidJohnson。“Imayn’tbenosailor，butIcandance！”
Andhislatepartner，withanalmostpatheticconviction，added，“Myfootisaslightasafeather。”
Seeinghowthewindset，youmaybesureIaddedafewwordsofpraisebeforeIcarriedJohnsonaloneintothepassage：towhom，thusmollified，ItoldsomuchasIjudgedneedfulofoursituation，andbeggedhim，ifhewouldnottakethejobhimself，tofindmeasmartman。
“Me！”hecried。“Icouldn’tnomoredoitthanIcouldtrytogotohell！”
“Ithoughtyouwereamate？”saidI。
“SoIamamate。”giggledJohnson，“andyoudon’tcatchmeshippingnowayselse。ButI’lltellyouwhat，IbelieveIcangetyouArtyNares：youseenArty；first-ratenavigatorandasonofagunforstyle。”AndheproceededtoexplaintomethatMr。
Nares，whohadthepromiseofafinebarqueinsixmonths，afterthingshadquieteddown，wasinthemeantimelivingveryprivate，andwouldbepleasedtohaveachangeofair。
IcalledoutPinkertonandtoldhim。“Nares！”hecried，assoonasIhadcometothename。“IwouldjumpatthechanceofamanthathadhadNares’strouserson！Why，Loudon，he’sthesmartestdeep-watermateoutofSanFrancisco，anddrawshisdividendsregularinserviceandout。”Thisheartyindorsationclinchedtheproposal；JohnsonagreedtoproduceNaresbeforesixthefollowingmorning；andBlackTom，beingcalledintotheconsultation，promisedusfoursmarthandsforthesamehour，andeven(whatappearedtoallofusexcessive)promisedthemsober。
ThestreetswerefullylightedwhenweleftBlackTom’s：streetafterstreetsparklingwithgasorelectricity，lineafterlineofdistantluminariesclimbingthesteepsidesofhillstowardstheovervaultingdarkness；andontheotherhand，wherethewatersofthebayinvisiblytrembled，ahundredridinglanternsmarkedthepositionofahundredships。Thesea-fogflewhighinheaven；andatthelevelofman’slifeandbusinessitwasclearandchill。Bysilentconsent，wepaidthehackoff，andproceededarminarmtowardsthePoodleDogfordinner。
Atoneofthefirsthoardings，Iwasawareofabill-stickeratwork：itwasalatehourforthisemployment，andIcheckedPinkertonuntilthesheetshouldbeunfolded。ThisiswhatI
read：——
“Thisisyouridea，Pinkerton！”Icried。
“Yes。They’velostnotime；I’llsaythatforthem——notliketheFraud。”saidhe。“Butmindyou，Loudon，that’snothalfofit。
Thecreamoftheidea’shere：weknowourman’ssick；well，acopyofthathasbeenmailedtoeveryhospital，everydoctor，andeverydrug-storeinSanFrancisco。”
Ofcourse，fromthenatureofourbusiness，Pinkertoncoulddoathingofthekindatafigureextremelyreduced；forallthat，I
wasappalledattheextravagance，andsaidso。
“Whatmatterafewdollarsnow？”herepliedsadly。“It’sinthreemonthsthatthepullcomes，Loudon。”
Wewalkedonagaininsilence，notwithoutashiver。EvenatthePoodleDog，wetookourfoodwithsmallappetiteandlessspeech；anditwasnotuntilhewaswarmedwithathirdglassofchampagnethatPinkertonclearedhisthroatandlookeduponmewithadeprecatingeye。
“Loudon。”saidhe，“therewasasubjectyoudidn’twishtobereferredto。Ionlywanttodosoindirectly。Itwasn’t“——hefaltered——“itwasn’tbecauseyouweredissatisfiedwithme？”heconcluded，withaquaver。
“Pinkerton！”criedI。
“No，no，notawordjustnow。”hehastenedtoproceed。“Letmespeakfirst。Iappreciate，thoughIcan’timitate，thedelicacyofyournature；andIcanwellunderstandyouwouldratherdiethanspeakofit，andyetmightfeeldisappointed。IdidthinkI
couldhavedonebettermyself。ButwhenIfoundhowtightmoneywasinthiscity，andamanlikeDouglasB。Longhurst——
aforty-niner，themanthatstoodatbayinacornpatchforfivehoursagainsttheSanDiablosquatters——weakeningontheoperation，Itellyou，Loudon，Ibegantodespair；and——Imayhavemademistakes，nodoubttherearethousandswhocouldhavedonebetter——butIgiveyoualoyalhandonit，Ididmybest。”
“MypoorJim。”saidI，“asifIeverdoubtedyou！asifIdidn’tknowyouhaddonewonders！AlldayI’vebeenadmiringyourenergyandresource。Andasforthataffair——“
“No，Loudon，nomore，notawordmore！Idon’twanttohear。”
criedJim。
“Well，totellyouthetruth，Idon’twanttotellyou。”saidI；“forit’sathingI’mashamedof。”
“Ashamed，Loudon？O，don’tsaythat；don’tusesuchanexpressioneveninjest！”protestedPinkerton。
“Doyouneverdoanythingyou’reashamedof？”Iinquired。
“No。”sayshe，rollinghiseyes。“Why？I’msometimessorryafterwards，whenitpansoutdifferentfromwhatIfigured。ButIcan’tseewhatIwouldwanttobeashamedfor。”
Isatawhileconsideringwithadmirationthesimplicityofmyfriend’scharacter。ThenIsighed。“Doyouknow，Jim，whatI’msorriestfor？”saidI。“Atthisrate，Ican’tbebestmanatyourmarriage。”
“Mymarriage！”herepeated，echoingthesigh。“Nomarriageformenow。I’mgoingrightdownto-nighttobreakittoher。I
thinkthat’swhat’sshakenmeallday。IfeelasifIhadhadnoright(afterIwasengaged)tooperatesowidely。”
“Well，youknow，Jim，itwasmydoing，andyoumustlaytheblameonme。”saidI。
“Notacentofit！”hecried。“Iwasaseagerasyourself，onlynotsobrightatthebeginning。No；I’vemyselftothankforit；
butit’sawrench。”
WhileJimdepartedonhisdolorousmission，Ireturnedalonetotheoffice，litthegas，andsatdowntoreflectontheeventsofthatmomentousday：onthestrangefeaturesofthetalethathadbeensofarunfolded，thedisappearances，theterrors，thegreatsumsofmoney；andonthedangerousandungratefultaskthatawaitedmeintheimmediatefuture。
Itisdifficult，intheretrospectofsuchaffairs，toavoidattributingtoourselvesinthepastameasureoftheknowledgewepossessto-day。ButImaysay，andyetbewellwithinthemark，thatIwasconsumedthatnightwithafeverofsuspicionandcuriosity；exhaustedmyfancyinsolutions，whichIstilldismissedasincommensurablewiththefacts；andinthemysterybywhichIsawmyselfsurrounded，foundapreciousstimulusformycourageandaconvenientsoothingdraughtforconscience。Evenhadallbeenplainsailing，IdonothintthatI
shouldhavedrawnback。Smugglingisoneofthemeanestofcrimes，forbythatwerobawholecountryprorata，andarethereforecertaintoimpoverishthepoor：tosmuggleopiumisanoffenceparticularlydark，sinceitstandsrelatednotsomuchtomurder，astomassacre。UponallthesepointsIwasquiteclear；mysympathywasallinarmsagainstmyinterest；andhadnotJimbeeninvolved，Icouldhavedweltalmostwithsatisfactionontheideaofmyfailure。ButJim，hiswholefortune，andhismarriage，dependeduponmysuccess；andI
preferredtheinterestsofmyfriendbeforethoseofalltheislandersintheSouthSeas。Thisisapoor，privatemorality，ifyoulike；butitismine，andthebestIhave；andIamnothalfsomuchashamedofhavingembarkedatallonthisadventure，asIamproudthat(whileIwasinit，andforthesakeofmyfriend)Iwasupearlyanddownlate，setmyownhandtoeverything，tookdangersastheycame，andforonceinmylifeplayedthemanthroughout。Atthesametime，Icouldhavedesiredanotherfieldofenergy；andIwasthemoregratefulfortheredeemingelementofmystery。Withoutthat，thoughI
mighthavegoneaheadanddoneaswell，itwouldscarcehavebeenwithardour；andwhatinspiredmethatnightwithanimpatientgreedofthesea，theisland，andthewreck，wasthehopethatImightstumblethereupontheanswertoahundredquestions，andlearnwhyCaptainTrentfannedhisredfaceintheexchange，andwhyMr。DicksonfledfromthetelephoneintheMissionStreetlodging-house。
