cantellyou。Why，I’vehadupwardsofthirtycowtopssittinginmyfrontverandaheatingtinsofsalmon。”
“Cowtops？”askedCarthew，“whatarethey？”
“That’swhatHallamwouldcallfeudalretainers。”explainedHadden，notwithoutvainglory。“They’reMyFollowers。TheybelongtoMyFamily。Itellyou，theycomeexpensive，though；
youcan’tfillupalltheseretainersontinnedsalmonfornothing；butwheneverIcouldgetit，Iwouldgive’emsquid。
Squid’sgoodfornatives，butIdon’tcareforit，doyou？——orsharkeither。It’sliketheworkingclassesathome。Withcopraatthepriceitis，theyoughttobewillingtobeartheirshareoftheloss；andsoI’vetoldthemagainandagain。Ithinkit’saman’sdutytoopentheirminds，andItryto，butyoucan’tgetpoliticaleconomyintothem；itdoesn’tseemtoreachtheirintelligence。”
TherewasanexpressionstillstickinginCarthew’smemory，andhereturneduponitwithasmile。“Talkingofpoliticaleconomy。”saidhe，“yousaidifthereweretwoofustobeartheexpense，theprofitswouldincrease。Howdoyoumakeoutthat？”
“I’llshowyou！I’llfigureitoutforyou！”criedHadden，andwithapencilonthebackofthebilloffareproceededtoperformmiracles。Hewasaman，orletusrathersayalad，ofunusualprojectivepower。Givehimthefaintesthintofanyspeculation，andthefiguresflowedfromhimbythepage。Alivelyimaginationandareadythoughinaccuratememorysuppliedhisdata；hedeliveredhimselfwithaninimitableheatthatmadehimseemthepictureofpugnacity；lavishedcontradiction；hadaformofwords，withorwithoutsignificance，foreveryformofcriticism；andthelooker-onalternatelysmiledathissimplicityandfervour，orwasamazedbyhisunexpectedshrewdness。HewasakindofPinkertoninplay。IhavecalledJim’stheromanceofbusiness；thiswasitsArabiantale。
“Haveyouanyideawhatthiswouldcost？”heasked，pausingatanitem。
“NotI。”saidCarthew。
“Tenpoundsoughttobeample。”concludedtheprojector。
“O，nonsense！”criedCarthew。“Fiftyattheveryleast。”
“Youtoldmeyourselfthismomentyouknewnothingaboutit！”
criedTommy。“HowcanImakeacalculation，ifyoublowhotandcold？Youdon’tseemabletobeserious！”
Butheconsentedtoraisehisestimatetotwenty；andalittleafter，thecalculationcomingoutwithadeficit，cutitdownagaintofivepoundsten，withtheremark，“Itoldyouitwasnonsense。Thissortofthinghastobedonestrictly，orwhere’stheuse？”
SomeoftheseprocessesstruckCarthewasunsound；andhewasattimesaltogetherthrownoutbythecapriciousstartingsoftheprophet’smind。Theseplungesseemedtobegoneintoforexerciseandbytheway，likethecurvetsofawillinghorse。
Graduallythethingtookshape；theglitteringifbaselessedificearose；andtheharestillranonthemountains，butthesoupwasalreadyservedinsilverplate。Carthewinafewdayscouldcommandahundredandfiftypounds；Haddenwasreadywithfivehundred；whyshouldtheynotrecruitafellowortwomore，charteranoldship，andgocruisingontheirownaccount？
Carthewwasanexperiencedyachtsman；Haddenprofessedhimselfableto“workanapproximatesight。”Moneywasundoubtedlytobemade，orwhyshouldsomanyvesselscruiseabouttheislands？they，whoworkedtheirownship，weresureofastillhigherprofit。
“Andwhateverelsecomesofit，yousee。”criedHadden，“wegetourkeepfornothing。Come，buysometogs，that’sthefirstthingyouhavetodoofcourse；andthenwe’lltakeahansomandgototheCurrencyLass。”
“I’mgoingtosticktothetogsIhave。”saidNorris。
“Areyou？”criedHadden。“Well，ImustsayIadmireyou。
You’rearegularsage。It’swhatyoucallPythagoreanism，isn’tit？ifIhaven’tforgottenmyphilosophy。”
“Well，Icalliteconomy。”returnedCarthew。“Ifwearegoingtotrythisthingon，Ishallwanteverysixpence。”
“You’llseeifwe’regoingtotryit！”criedTommy，risingradiantfromtable。“Only，markyou，Carthew，itmustbeallinyourname。Ihavecapital，yousee；butyou’reallright。Youcanplayvacuusviator，ifthethinggoeswrong。”
“Ithoughtwehadjustproveditwasquitesafe。”saidCarthew。
“There’snothingsafeinbusiness，myboy。”repliedthesage；
“notevenbookmaking。”
ThepublichouseandteagardencalledtheCurrencyLassrepresentedamoderatefortunegainedbyitsproprietor，CaptainBostock，duringalong，active，andoccasionallyhistoriccareeramongtheislands。AnywherefromTongatotheAdmiraltyIsles，heknewtheropesandcouldlieinthenativedialect。Hehadseentheendofsandalwood，theendofoil，andthebeginningofcopra；andhewashimselfacommercialpioneer，thefirstthatevercarriedhumanteethintotheGilberts。
HewastriedforhislifeinFijiinSirArthurGordon’stime；andifeverheprayedatall，thenameofSirArthurwascertainlynotforgotten。HewasspearedinsevenplacesinNewIreland——thesametimehismatewaskilled——thefamous“outrageonthebrigJollyRoger“；butthetreacheroussavagesmadelittlebytheirwickedness，andBostock，inspiteoftheirteeth，gotseventy-
fiveheadofvolunteerlabouronboard，ofwhomnotmorethanadozendiedofinjuries。Hehadahand，besides，intheamiablepleasantrywhichcostthelifeofPatteson；andwhentheshambishoplanded，prayed，andgavehisbenedictiontothenatives，Bostock，arrayedinafemalechemiseoutofthetraderoom，hadstoodathisrighthandandboomedamens。
This，whenhewassurehewasamonggoodfellows，washisfavouriteyarn。“Twohundredheadoflabourforahatfulofamens。”heusedtonamethetale；anditssequel，thedeathoftherealbishop，struckhimasacircumstanceofextraordinaryhumour。
Manyofthesedetailswerecommunicatedinthehansom，tothesurpriseofCarthew。
“Whydowewanttovisitthisoldruffian？”heasked。
“Youwaittillyouhearhim。”repliedTommy。“Thatmanknowseverything。”
OndescendingfromthehansomattheCurrencyLass，Haddenwasstruckwiththeappearanceofthecabman，agross，salt-
lookingman，red-faced，blue-eyed，short-handedandshort-
winded，perhapsnearingforty。
“SurelyIknowyou？”saidhe。“Haveyoudrivenmebefore？”
“Many’sthetime，Mr。Hadden。”returnedthedriver。“Thelasttimeyouwasbackfromtheislands，itwasmethatdroveyoutotheraces，sir。”
“Allright：jumpdownandhaveadrinkthen。”saidTom，andheturnedandledthewayintothegarden。
CaptainBostockmettheparty：hewasaslow，souroldman，withfishyeyes；greetedTommyoffhand，and(aswasafterwardsremembered)exchangedwinkswiththedriver。
“Abottleofbeerforthecabmanthereatthattable。”saidTom。
“Whateveryoupleasefromshandygafftochampagneatthisonehere；andyousitdownwithus。Letmemakeyouacquaintedwithmyfriend，Mr。Carthew。I’vecomeonbusiness，Billy；Iwanttoconsultyouasafriend；I’mgoingintotheislandtradeuponmyownaccount。”
Doubtlessthecaptainwasamineofcounsel，butopportunitywasdeniedhim。Hecouldnotventureonastatement，hewasscarceallowedtofinishaphrase，beforeHaddenswepthimfromthefieldwithavolleyofprotestandcorrection。Thatprojector，hisfaceblazingwithinspiration，firstlaidbeforehimatinordinatelengthaquestion，andassoonasheattemptedtoreply，leapedathisthroat，calledhisfactsinquestion，deridedhispolicy，andattimesthunderedonhimfromtheheightsofmoralindignation。
“Ibegyourpardon。”hesaidonce。“Iamagentleman，Mr。
Carthewhereisagentleman，andwedon’tmeantodothatclassofbusiness。Can’tyouseewhoyouaretalkingto？Can’tyoutalksense？Can’tyougiveus’adeadbird’foragoodtraderoom？”
“No，Idon’tsupposeIcan。”returnedoldBostock；“notwhenI
can’thearmyownvoicefortwosecondstogether。ItwasginandgunsIdiditwith。”
“TakeyourginandgunstoPutney！”criedHadden。“Itwasthethinginyourtimes，that’srightenough；butyou’reoldnow，andthegame’sup。I’lltellyouwhat’swantednow-a-days，BillBostock。”saidhe；anddid，andtooktenminutestoit。
Carthewcouldnotrefrainfromsmiling。Hebegantothinklessseriouslyofthescheme，Haddenappearingtooirresponsibleaguide；butontheotherhand，heenjoyedhimselfamazingly。ItwasfarfrombeingthesamewithCaptainBostock。
“Youknowasight，don’tyou？”remarkedthatgentleman，bitterly，whenTommypaused。
“Iknowasightmorethanyou，ifthat’swhatyoumean。”
retortedTom。“ItstandstoreasonIdo。You’renotamanofanyeducation；you’vebeenallyourlifeatseaorintheislands；youdon’tsupposeyoucangivepointstoamanlikeme？”
“Here’syourhealth，Tommy。”returnedBostock。“You’llmakeanA-onebakeintheNewHebrides。”
“That’swhatIcalltalking。”criedTom，notperhapsgraspingthespiritofthisdoubtfulcompliment。“Nowyougivemeyourattention。Wehavethemoneyandtheenterprise，andIhavetheexperience：whatwewantisacheap，smartboat，agoodcaptain，andanintroductiontosomehousethatwillgiveuscreditforthetrade。”
“Well，I’lltellyou。”saidCaptainBostock。“Ihaveseenmenlikeyoubakedandeaten，andcomplainedofafterwards。Somewastough，andsomehadn’tnoflaviour。”headdedgrimly。
“Whatdoyoumeanbythat？”criedTom。
“ImeanIdon’tcare。”criedBostock。“Itain’tanyofmyinterests。Ihaven’tunderwroteyourlife。OnlyI’mblestifI’mnotsorryforthecannibalastriestoeatyourhead。AndwhatI
recommendisacheap，smartcoffinandagoodundertaker。
Seeifyoucanfindahousetogiveyoucreditforacoffin！Lookatyourfriendthere；HE’Sgotsomesense；he’slaughingatyousoashecan’tstand。”
Theexactdegreeofill-feelinginMr。Bostock’smindwasdifficulttogauge；perhapstherewasnotmuch，perhapsheregardedhisremarksasaformofcourtlybadinage。ButthereislittledoubtthatHaddenresentedthem。Hehadevenrisenfromhisplace，andtheconferencewasonthepointofbreakingup，whenanewvoicejoinedsuddenlyintheconversation。
Thecabmansatwithhisbackturnedupontheparty，smokingameerschaumpipe。NotawordofTommy’seloquencehadmissedhim，andhenowfacedsuddenlyaboutwiththeseamazingwords：——
“Excuseme，gentlemen；ifyou’llbuymetheshipIwant，I’llgetyouthetradeoncredit。”
Therewasapause。
“Well，whatdoYOU，mean？”gaspedTommy。
“Bettertell’emwhoIam，Billy。”saidthecabman。
“Thinkitsafe，Joe？”inquiredMr。Bostock。
“I’lltakemyriskofit。”returnedthecabman。
“Gentlemen。”saidBostock，risingsolemnly，“letmemakeyouacquaintedwithCaptainWicksoftheGraceDarling。”
“Yes，gentlemen，thatiswhatIam。”saidthecabman。“YouknowI’vebeenintrouble；andIdon’tdenybutwhatIstrucktheblow，andwherewasItogetevidenceofmyprovocation？
SoIturnedtoandtookacab，andI’vedrivenoneforthreeyearnowandnobodythewiser。”
“Ibegyourpardon。”saidCarthew，joiningalmostforthefirsttime；“I’manewchum。Whatwasthecharge？”
“Murder。”saidCaptainWicks，“andIdon’tdenybutwhatI
strucktheblow。Andthere’snosenseinmytryingtodenyI
wasafraidtogototrial，orwhywouldIbehere？Butit’safactitwasflatmutiny。AskBillyhere。Heknowshowitwas。”
Carthewbreathedlong；hehadastrange，half-pleasurablesenseofwadingdeeperinthetideoflife。“Well。”saidhe，“youweregoingontosay？”
“Iwasgoingontosaythis。”saidthecaptainsturdily。“I’veoverheardwhatMr。Haddenhasbeensaying，andIthinkhetalksgoodsense。Ilikesomeofhisideasfirstchop。He’ssoundontraderooms；he’sallthereonthetraderoom，andIseethatheandIwouldpulltogether。Thenyou’rebothgentlemen，andIlikethat。”observedCaptainWicks。“AndthenI’lltellyouI’mtiredofthiscabbingcruise，andIwanttogettoworkagain。Now，here’smyoffer。I’vealittlemoneyIcanstakeup，——allofahundredanyway。Thenmyoldfirmwillgivemetrade，andjumpatthechance；theyneverlostbyme；theyknowwhatI’mworthassupercargo。And，lastofall，youwantagoodcaptaintosailyourshipforyou。Well，hereIam。I’vesailedschoonersfortenyears。AskBillyifIcanhandleaschooner。”
“Nomanbetter。”saidBilly。
