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andifthingswentwellwithus，wemightrealisefifteenpercentofthefirstoutlay。Wewerenotmerelybankrupt，wewerecomicbankrupts：afairbuttforjeeringinthestreets。IhopeI
boretheblowwithagoodcountenance；indeed，mymindhadlongbeenquitemadeup，andsincethedaywefoundtheopiumIhadknowntheresult。ButthethoughtofJimandMamieachedinmelikeaphysicalpain，andIshrankfromspeechandcompanionship。
Iwasinthisframeofmindwhenthecaptainproposedthatweshouldlandupontheisland。Isawhehadsomethingtosay，andonlyfeareditmightbeconsolation；forIcouldjustbearmygrief，notbunglingsympathy；andyetIhadnochoicebuttoaccedetohisproposal。
Wewalkedawhilealongthebeachinsilence。Thesunoverheadreverberatedraysofheat；thestaringsand，theglaringlagoon，torturedoureyes；andthebirdsandtheboomofthefar-awaybreakersmadeasavagesymphony。
“Idon’trequiretotellyouthegame’sup？”Naresasked。
“No。”saidI。
“Iwasthinkingofgettingtoseato-morrow。”hepursued。
“Thebestthingyoucando。”saidI。
“ShallwesayHonolulu？”heinquired。
“O，yes；let’ssticktotheprogramme。”Icried。“Honolulubeit！”
Therewasanothersilence，andthenNaresclearedhisthroat。
“We’vebeenprettygoodfriends，youandme，Mr。Dodd。”heresumed。“We’vebeengoingthroughthekindofthingthattriesaman。We’vehadthehardestkindofwork，we’vebeenbadlybacked，andnowwe’rebadlybeaten。Andwe’vefetchedthroughwithoutawordofdisagreement。Idon’tsaythistopraisemyself：it’smytrade；it’swhatI’mpaidfor，andtrainedfor，andbroughtupto。Butitwasanotherthingforyou；itwasallnewtoyou；anditdidmegoodtoseeyoustandrightuptoitandswingrightintoit，dayin，dayout。Andthenseehowyou’vetakenthisdisappointment，wheneverybodyknowsyoumusthavebeentauteneduptoshying-point！Iwishyou’dletmetellyou，Mr。Dodd，thatyou’vestoodoutmightymanlyandhandsomelyinallthisbusiness，andmadeeveryonelikeyouandadmireyou。AndIwishyou’dletmetellyou，besides，thatI’vetakenthiswreckbusinessasmuchtoheartasyouhave；
somethingkindofrisesinmythroatwhenIthinkwe’rebeaten；
andifIthoughtwaitingwoulddoit，Iwouldstickonthisreefuntilwestarved。”
Itriedinvaintothankhimforthesegenerouswords，buthewasbeforehandwithmeinamoment。
“Ididn’tbringyouashoretosoundmypraises。”heinterrupted。
“Weunderstandoneanothernow，that’sall；andIguessyoucantrustme。WhatIwishedtospeakaboutismoreimportant，andit’sgottobefaced。WhatarewetodoabouttheFlyingScudandthedimenovel？”
“Ireallyhavethoughtnothingaboutthat。”Ireplied。“ButI
expectImeantogetatthebottomofit；andifthebogusCaptainTrentistobefoundontheearth’ssurface，IguessI
meantofindhim。”
“Allyou’vegottodoistalk。”saidNares；“youcanmakethebiggestkindofboom；itisn’toftenthereportershaveachanceatsuchayarnasthis；andIcantellyouhowitwillgo。Itwillgobytelegraph，Mr。Dodd；it’llbetelegraphedbythecolumn，andhead-lined，andfrothedup，anddeniedbyauthority，andit’llhitbogusCaptainTrentinaMexicanbar-room，andknockoverbogusGoddedaalinaslumsomewhereuptheBaltic，andbowldownHardyandBrowninsailors’musichallsroundGreenock。O，there’snodoubtyoucanhavearegulardomesticJudgmentDay。Theonlypointiswhetheryoudeliberatelywantto。”
“Well。”saidI，“Ideliberatelydon’twantonething：I
deliberatelydon’twanttomakeapublicexhibitionofmyselfandPinkerton：somoral——smugglingopium；suchdamnedfools——payingfiftythousandfora’deadhorse’！”
“Nodoubtitmightdamageyouinabusinesssense。”thecaptainagreed。“AndI’mpleasedyoutakethatview；forI’veturnedkindofsoftuponthejob。There’sbeensomecrookednessabout，nodoubtofit；but，Lawblessyou！ifwedroppeduponthetroupe，allthepremierartistswouldsliprightoutwiththeboodleintheirgrip-sacks，andyo
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