Part 27 (1/2)

'HERE she comes,' said Davies It was nine o'clock on the next day, 22nd October, and ere on deck waiting for the arrival of the steae in the weather--still the sah baroloriously clear, except for a wreath or two oflike s on the northern horizon The harbour lay open before us, and very co piers which ran quite half a mile out from the land to the road-stead (Riff-Gat by naht have taken it for a deep and spacious haven; but this, of course, was an illusion, due to the high water Davies knew that three-quarters of it wasthe western pier A couple of tugs, a dredger, and a ferry packet with steaalliots on the other Beyond these was another vessel, a galliot in build, but radiant as a queen a orange in the sun These, and her snohite sail-covers and the twinkle of brass and gun-metal, proclailasses and read on her stern 'Medusa' A couple of sailors were swabbing her decks; you could hear the slush of the water and the scratching of the deck-brooms '_They_ can see us anyway,' Davies had said

For thatsteamer must; for we lay as near to the pier as safety permitted, abreast of the berth she would occupy, as we knew by a gangway and a knot of sailors

A packet boat, not bigger than a big tug, was approaching from the south

'Re,' I said; 'let's go below' Besides the skylight, our 'coach-house' cabin top had little oblong side s We wiped clean those on the port side and watched events fro on the sofa

The stea out a wash that set us rolling to our scuppers There seeazing at the 'Dulcibella' while the packet arped alongside On the forward deck there were some market-woht be an hotel waiter; on the after-deck, standing close together, were two men in ulsters and soft felt hats

'There he is!' said Davies, in a tense whisper; 'the tall one' But the tall one turned abruptly as Davies spoke and strode away behind the deck-house, leaving rey beard and a steep tanned forehead, behind a cloud of cigar smoke It was perverse of me, but, to tell the truth, I hardly missed hi on the rail, thoughtfully conteold-rimmed pince-nez: a salloizened old fellow, beetlebroith a bush of grizzled moustache and a jet-black tuft of beard on his chin The most reing alhtly beaked at the nether extre at us like a gun just discharged He looked wise as Satan, and you would say he was s inwardly

'Who's that?' I whispered to Davies (There was no need to talk in whispers, but we did so instinctively)

'Can't think,' said Davies 'Hullo! she's backing off, and they've not landed'

Sos had been thrown up, and the weedy waiter and twohauled up, and were standing on the quay I think one or two other persons had first come aboard unnoticed by us, but at the last moment a man we had not seen before jumped down to the forward deck

'Grimm!' we both ejaculated at once

The steamer whistled sharply, circled backwards into the road-stead, and then steamed away The pier soon hid her, but her s towards the North Sea

'What does this mean?' I asked

'There must be some other quay to stop at nearer the town,' said Davies 'Let's go ashore and get your letters'

We had , and felt quite shy of one another as we sculled towards the pier, in much-creased blue suits, conventional collars, and brown boots It was the first ti approaching a respectable garb; but a fashi+onable watering-place, even in the dead season, exacts respect; and, besides, we had friends to visit

We tied up the dinghy to an iron ladder, and on the pier found our inquisitor of the night before s in the doorway of a shed marked 'Harbour Master' After some civilities we inquired about the steamer The ansas that it was Saturday, and she had, therefore, gone on to Juist Did ant a good hotel? The 'Vier Jahreszeiten'

was still open, etc

'Juist, by Jove!' said Davies, as alked on 'Why are those three going to Juist?'

'I should have thought it was pretty clear They're on their way to Mely ard at a straw-coloured streak on the sea

'Is it so, do you think?' said Davies

'Looks like it We shall probably find the 'Kormoran' here, wind-bound'

And find her we did soon after, the outeralliots, on the farther side of the harbour Twoon her hatch, rave, the toas like a dead butterfly for who rays had coardens coeous casino, its porticos heaped with chairs and tables; so past kiosques and _cafes,_ great white hotels with boarded s, bazaars and booths, and all the stale lees of vulgar frivolity, to the post-office, which at least was alive I received a packet of letters and purchased a local time-table, from which we learned that the stea three ti) On the return journey to-day it was due at Norderney at 730 pm Then I inquired the way to the 'Vier Jahreszeiten' 'For whatever your principles, Davies,' I said, 'we are going to have the best breakfast ot the whole day before us'