Alittleafterdarkwebeatoncemoreaboutthepoint，andcreptcautiouslytowardthemouthofthePearlLochs，whereJimandIhadarrangedIwastomeetthesmugglers。Thenightwashappilyobscure，thewatersmooth。Weshowed，accordingtoinstructions，nolightondeck：onlyaredlanterndroppedfromeithercatheadtowithinacoupleoffeetofthewater。Alookoutwasstationedonthebowspritend，anotherinthecrosstrees；
　　andthewholeship’scompanycrowdedforward，scoutingforenemiesorfriends。Itwasnowthecrucialmomentofourenterprise；wewerenowriskinglibertyandcredit；andthatforasumsosmalltoamaninmybankruptsituation，thatIcouldhavelaughedaloudinbitterness。Butthepiecehadbeenarranged，andwemustplayittothefinish。
　　Forsomewhile，wesawnothingbutthedarkmountainoutlineoftheisland，thetorchesofnativefishermenglitteringhereandtherealongtheforeshore，andrightinthemidstthatclusterofbravelightswithwhichthetownofHonoluluadvertisesitselftotheseaward。Presentlyaruddystarappearedinshoreofus，andseemedtodrawnearunsteadily。Thiswastheanticipatedsignal；andwemadehastetoshowthecountersign，loweringawhitelightfromthequarter，extinguishingthetwoothers，andlayingtheschoonerincontinentlyto。Thestarapproachedslowly；thesoundsofoarsandofmen’sspeechcametousacrossthewater；andthenavoicehailedus。
　　“IsthatMr。Dodd？”
　　“Yes。”Ireturned。“IsJimPinkertonthere？”
　　“No，sir。”repliedthevoice。“Butthere’soneofhiscrowdhere；
　　nameofSpeedy。”
　　“I’mhere，Mr。Dodd。”addedSpeedyhimself。“Ihavelettersforyou。”
　　“Allright。”Ireplied。“Comeaboard，gentlemen，andletmeseemymail。”
　　Awhaleboataccordinglyrangedalongside，andthreemenboardedus：myoldSanFranciscofriend，thestock-gamblerSpeedy，alittlewizenedpersonofthenameofSharpe，andabig，flourishing，dissipated-lookingmancalledFowler。ThetwolastIlearnedafterwardwerefrequentpartners；Sharpesuppliedthecapital，andFowler，whowasquiteacharacterintheislandsandoccupiedaconsiderablestation，broughtactivity，daring，andaprivateinfluence，highlynecessaryinthecase。Bothseemedtoapproachthebusinesswithakeensenseofromance；andIbelievethiswasthechiefattraction，atleastwithFowler——forwhomIearlyconceivedasentimentofliking。
　　ButinthatfirstmomentIhadsomethingelsetothinkofthantojudgemynewacquaintances；andbeforeSpeedyhadfishedouttheletters，thefullextentofourmisfortunewasrevealed。
　　“We’veratherbadnewsforyou，Mr。Dodd。”saidFowler。
　　“Yourfirm’sgoneup。”
　　“Already！”Iexclaimed。
　　“Well，itwasthoughtratherawonderPinkertonheldonaslongashedid。”wasthereply。“Thewreckdealwastoobigforyourcredit；youweredoingabigbusiness，nodoubt，butyouweredoingitonpreciouslittlecapital；andwhenthestraincame，youwereboundtogo。Pinkerton’sthroughallright：
　　sevencentsdividend；someremarksmade，butnothingtohurt；
　　thepressletyoudowneasy——IguessJimhadrelationsthere。
　　Theonlytroubleis，thatallthisFlyingScudaffairgotinthepaperswiththerest；everybody’swideawakeinHonolulu，andthesoonerwegetthestuffinandthedollarsout，thebetterforallconcerned。”
　　“Gentlemen。”saidI，“youmustexcuseme。Myfriend，thecaptainhere，willdrinkaglassofchampagnewithyoutogiveyoupatience；butasformyself，IamunfitevenforordinaryconversationtillIhavereadtheseletters。”
　　Theydemurredalittle：andindeedthedangerofdelayseemedobvious；butthesightofmydistress，whichIwasunableentirelytocontrol，appealedstronglytotheirgood-nature；andI
　　wassufferedatlasttogetbymyselfondeck，where，bythelightofalanternsmuggledundershelterofthelowrail，Ireadthefollowingwretchedcorrespondence。
　　“MydearLoudon。”ranthefirst，“thiswillbehandedyoubyyourfriendSpeedyoftheCatamount。HissterlingcharacterandloyaldevotiontoyourselfpointedhimoutasthebestmanforourpurposesinHonolulu——thepartiesonthespotbeingdifficulttomanipulate。AmancalledBillyFowleryoumusthaveheardofBillyistheboss；heisinpoliticssome，andsquarestheofficers。Ihavehardtimesbeforemeinthecity，butIfeelasbrightasadollarandasstrongasJohnL。
　　Sullivan。WhatwithMamiehere，andmypartnerspeedingovertheseas，andthebonanzainthewreck，IfeellikeIcouldjugglewiththePyramidsofEgypt，sameasconjurersdowithaluminiumballs。Myearnestprayersfollowyou，Loudon，thatyoumayfeelthewayIdo——justinspired！Myfeetdon’ttouchtheground；Ikindofswim。MamieislikeMosesandAaronthathelduptheotherindividual’sarms。Shecarriesmealonglikeahorseandbuggy。Iambeatingtherecord。
　　“Yourtruepartner，“J。PINKERTON。”
　　Numbertwowasinadifferentstyle：——
　　“MydearestLoudon，howamItoprepareyouforthisdireintelligence？Odearme，itwillstrikeyoutotheearth。TheFiathasgoneforth；ourfirmwentbustataquarterbeforetwelve。ItwasabillofBradley’sfor$200thatbroughtthesevastoperationstoaclose，andevolvedliabilitiesofupwardsoftwohundredandfiftythousand。O，theshameandpityofit！
　　andyoubutthreeweeksgone！Loudon，don’tblameyourpartner：ifhumanhandsandbrainscouldhavesufficed，I
　　wouldhaveheldthethingtogether。Butitjustslowlycrumbled；Bradleywasthelastkick，buttheblamedbusinessjustMELTED。Igivetheliabilities；it’ssupposedthey’reallin；
　　forthecowardswerewaiting，andtheclaimswerefiledliketakingticketstohearPatti。Idon’tquitehavethehangoftheassetsyet，ourinterestsweresoextended；butIamatitdayandnight，andIguesswillmakeacreditabledividend。Ifthewreckpansoutonlyhalfthewayitought，we’llturnthelaughstill。Iamasfullofgritandworkasever，andjusttoweraboveourtroubles。Mamieisahostinherself。SomehowIfeellikeitwasonlymethathadgonebust，andyouandshesoaredclearofit。Hurryup。That’sallyouhavetodo。
　　“Yoursever，“J。PINKERTON。”
　　Thethirdwasyetmorealtered：——
　　“MypoorLoudon。”itbegan，“Ilabourfarintothenightgettingouraffairsinorder；youcouldnotbelievetheirvastnessandcomplexity。DouglasB。Longhurstsaidhumorouslythatthereceiver’sworkwouldbecutoutforhim。Icannotdenythatsomeofthemhaveaspeculativelook。Godforbidasensitive，refinedspiritlikeyoursshouldevercomefacetofacewithaCommissionerinBankruptcy；thesemengetallthesweetnessknockedrightoutofthem。ButIcouldbearupbetterifitweren’tforpresscomments。Oftenandoften，Loudon，Irecalltomindyourmostlegitimatecritiquesofthepresssystem。
　　Theypublishedaninterviewwithme，nottheleastlikewhatI
　　said，andwithJEERINGcomments；itwouldmakeyourbloodboil，itwasliterallyINHUMANE；Iwouldn’thavewrittenitaboutayellowdogthatwasintroublelikewhatIam。Mamiejustwinced，thefirsttimeshehasturnedahairrightthroughthewholecatastrophe。HowwonderfullytruewaswhatyousaidlongagoinParis，abouttouchingonpeople’spersonalappearance！Thefellowsaid——“Andthenthesewordshadbeenscoredthrough；andmydistressedfriendturnedtoanothersubject。“Icannotbeartodwelluponourassets。Theysimplydon’tshowup。EvenThirteenStar，assoundalineascanbeproduceduponthiscoast，goesbegging。Thewreckhasthrownablightonallweevertouched。Andwhere’stheuse？Godnevermadeawreckbigenoughtofillourdeficit。Iamhauntedbythethoughtthatyoumayblameme；IknowhowIdespisedyourremonstrances。O，Loudon，don’tbehardonyourmiserablepartner。Thefunny-dogbusinessiswhatkills。IfearyoursternrectitudeofmindliketheeyeofGod。Icannotthinkbutwhatsomeofmybooksseemmixedup；otherwise，Idon’tseemtoseemywayasplainasIcouldwishto。Orelsemybrainisgonesoft。Loudon，ifthereshouldbeanyunpleasantness，youcantrustmetodotherightthingandkeepyouclear。I’vebeentellingthemalready，howyouhadnobusinessgripandneversawthebooks。O，ItrustIhavedonerightinthis！Iknewitwasaliberty；Iknowyoumayjustlycomplain；butitwassomethingsthatweresaid。Andmindyou，alllegitimatebusiness！Notevenyourshrinkingsensitivenesscouldfindfaultwiththefirstlookofoneofthem，iftheyhadpannedoutright。Andyouknow，theFlyingScudwasthebiggestgambleofthecrowd，andthatwasyourownidea。Mamiesaysshenevercouldbeartolookyouintheface，ifthatideahadbeenmine，sheisSOconscientious！
　　“Yourbroken-hearted“JIM。”
　　Thelastbeganwithoutformality：——
　　“Thisistheendofmecommercially。Igiveup；mynerveisgone。IsupposeIoughttobeglad；forwe’rethroughthecourt。
　　Idon’tknowaseverIknewhow，andI’msureIdon’tremember。Ifitpansout——thewreck，Imean——we’llgotoEurope，andliveontheinterestofourmoney。Nomoreworkforme。Ishakewhenpeoplespeaktome。Ihavegoneon，hopingandhoping，andworkingandworking，andtheleadhaspinchedrightout。IwanttolieonmybackinagardenandreadShakespeareandE。P。Roe。Don’tsupposeit’scowardice，Loudon。I’masickman。RestiswhatImusthave。I’veworkedhardallmylife；Ineversparedmyself；everydollarI
　　evermade，I’vecoinedmybrainsforit。I’veneverdoneameanthing；I’velivedrespectable，andgiventothepoor。WhohasabetterrighttoaholidaythanIhave？AndImeantohaveayearofitstraightout；andifIdon’t，Ishalllierightdownhereinmytracks，anddieofworryandbraintrouble。Don’tmistake。
　　That’sso。Ifthereareanypickingsatall，TRUSTSPEEDY；
　　don’tletthecreditorsgetwindofwhatthereis。Ihelpedyouwhenyouweredown；helpmenow。Don’tdeceiveyourself；
　　you’vegottohelpmerightnow，ornever。Iamclerking，andNOTFITTOCYPHER。Mamie’stypewritingatthePhoenixGuanoExchange，downtown。Thelightisrightoutofmylife。
　　Iknowyou’llnotliketodowhatIpropose。Thinkonlyofthis；
　　thatit’slifeordeathfor“JIMPINKERTON。
　　“P。S。Ourfigurewassevenpercent。O，whatafallwasthere！
　　Well，well，it’spastmending；Idon’twanttowhine。But，Loudon，Idowanttolive。Nomoreambition；allIaskislife。I
　　havesomuchtomakeitsweettome！Iamclerking，andUSELESSATTHAT。IknowIwouldhavefiredsuchaclerkinsideoffortyminutes，inMYtime。Butmytime’sover。Icanonlyclingontoyou。Don’tfail“JIMPINKERTON。”
　　Therewasyetonemorepostscript，yetonemoreoutburstofself-pityandpatheticadjuration；andadoctor’sopinion，unpromisingenough，wasbesidesenclosed。Ipassthembothinsilence。Ithinkshametohaveshown，atsogreatlength，thehalf-bakedvirtuesofmyfrienddissolvinginthecrucibleofsicknessanddistress；andtheeffectuponmyspiritscanbejudgedalready。IgottomyfeetwhenIhaddone，drewadeepbreath，andstaredhardatHonolulu。Onemomenttheworldseemedatanend；thenext，Iwasconsciousofarushofindependentenergy。OnJimIcouldrelynolonger；Imustnowtakeholdmyself。Imustdecideandactonmyownbetterthoughts。
　　Thewordwaseasytosay；thething，atthefirstblush，wasundiscoverable。Iwasoverwhelmedwithmiserable，womanishpityformybrokenfriend；hisoutcriesgrievedmyspirit；Isawhimthenandnow——then，soinvincible；now，broughtsolow——
　　andknewneitherhowtorefuse，norhowtoconsenttohisproposal。Theremembranceofmyfather，whohadfalleninthesamefieldunstained，theimageofhismonumentincongruouslyrising，afearofthelaw，achillairthatseemedtoblowuponmyfancyfromthedoorsofprisons，andtheimaginaryclankoffetters，recalledmetoadifferentresolve。
　　Andthenagain，thewailsofmysickpartnerintervened。SoI
　　stoodhesitating，andyetwithastrongsenseofcapacitybehind：
　　sure，ifIcouldbutchoosemypath，thatIshouldwalkinitwithresolution。
　　ThenIrememberedthatIhadafriendonboard，andsteppedtothecompanion。
　　“Gentlemen。”saidI，“onlyafewmomentsmore：butthese，I
　　regrettosay，Imustmakemoretediousstillbyremovingyourcompanion。ItisindispensablethatIshouldhaveawordortwowithCaptainNares。”
　　Boththesmugglerswereafootatonce，protesting。Thebusiness，theydeclared，mustbedespatchedatonce；theyhadrunriskenough，withaconscience；andtheymusteitherfinishnow，orgo。