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，andfoundasI
　　hadhopedJohnsonintheenjoymentofclublife。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，whoforgetfuloftheproverbtookupthetaleinperson。
　　“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，andevenwhatappearedtoallofusexcessivepromisedthemsober。
　　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。IfeelasifIhadhadnorightafterIwasengagedtooperatesowidely。”
　　“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，asIamproudthatwhileIwasinit，andforthesakeofmyfriendIwasupearlyanddownlate，setmyownhandtoeverything，tookdangersastheycame，andforonceinmylifeplayedthemanthroughout。Atthesametime，Icouldhavedesiredanotherfieldofenergy；andIwasthemoregratefulfortheredeemingelementofmystery。Withoutthat，thoughI
　　mighthavegoneaheadanddoneaswell，itwouldscarcehavebeenwithardour；andwhatinspiredmethatnightwithanimpatientgreedofthesea，theisland，andthewreck，wasthehopethatImightstumblethereupontheanswertoahundredquestions，andlearnwhyCaptainTrentfannedhisredfaceintheexchange，andwhyMr。DicksonfledfromthetelephoneintheMissionStreetlodging-house。