orchestra, is essential. He is the life-blood of the entertainment.
Without him, nothing can be done.

For an instant Sam stood there, gaping blankly. Then the open door of
the saloon seemed to beckon an invitation. He made for it, reached it,
passed through it. That concluded his efforts in aid of the Seamen's
Orphans and Widows.

The spell which had lain on the audience broke. This imitation seemed
to them to possess in an extraordinary measure the one quality which
renders amateur imitations tolerable, that of brevity. They had seen
many amateur imitations, but never one as short as this. The saloon
echoed with their applause.

It brought no balm to Samuel Marlowe. He did not hear it. He had fled
for refuge to his stateroom and was lying in the lower berth, chewing
the pillow, a soul in torment.




CHAPTER SEVEN


There was a tap at the door. Sam sat up dizzily. He had lost all count
of time.

"Who's that?"

"I have a note for you, sir."