more silver in the pockets of their red-striped trousers, and that
the record books showed no increase in import duties received.

The custom's boat and the ~Valhalla~ gig reached the shore at the
same time. When they grounded in the shallow water there was still
five yards of rolling surf between them and dry sand. Then half-
clothed Caribs dashed into the water, and brought in on their backs
the ~Valhalla's~ purser, and the little native officials in their
cotton undershirts, blue trousers with red stripes, and flapping
straw hats.

At college Geddie had been a treasure as a first-baseman. He now
closed his umbrella, stuck it upright in the sand, and stooped,
with his hands resting upon his knees. The purser, burlesquing
the pitcher's contortions, hurled at the consul the heavy roll of
newspapers, tied with a string, that the steamer always brought for
him. Geddie leaped high and caught the roll with a sounding "thwack."
The loungers on the beach--about a third of the population of the
town--laughed and applauded delightedly. Every week they expected
to see that roll of papers delivered and received in that same
manner, and they were never disappointed. Innovations did not
flourish in Coralio.

The consul re-hoisted his umbrella and walked back to the consulate.

This home of a great nation's representative was a wooden structure
of two rooms, with a native-built gallery of poles, bamboo and
nipa palm running on three sides of it. One room was the official
apartment, furnished chastely with a flat-top desk, a hammock, and
three uncomfortable cane-seated chairs. Engravings of the first and