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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。Thetwolast(Ilearnedafterward)werefrequentpartners；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——thepartiesonthespot
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