over his knee, put down one of these sheets briskly and nodded to
me.

I guessed him to be a steamer-captain. It was impossible to get to
know these men. They came and went too quickly and their ships lay
moored far out, at the very entrance of the harbour. Theirs was
another life altogether. He yawned slightly.

"Dull hole, isn't it?"

I understood this to allude to the town.

"Do you find it so?" I murmured.

"Don't you? But I'm off to-morrow, thank goodness."

He was a very gentlemanly person, good-natured and superior. I
watched him draw the open box of cigars to his side of the table,
take a big cigar-case out of his pocket and begin to fill it very
methodically. Presently, on our eyes meeting, he winked like a
common mortal and invited me to follow his example. "They are
really decent smokes." I shook my head.

"I am not off to-morrow."

"What of that? Think I am abusing old Jacobus's hospitality?
Heavens! It goes into the bill, of course. He spreads such little
matters all over his account. He can take care of himself! Why,
it's business--"