III

           JustatthattimetheJapanesewerecastingfarandwideforshipsofEuropeanbuild,andhehadnodifficultyinfindingapurchaser,aspeculatorwhodroveahardbargain,butpaidcashdownfortheFairMaid,withaviewtoaprofitableresale.ThusitcameaboutthatCaptainWhalleyfoundhimselfonacertainafternoondescendingthestepsofoneofthemostimportantpost-officesoftheEastwithaslipofbluishpaperinhishand.Thiswasthereceiptofaregisteredletterenclosingadraftfortwohundredpounds,andaddressedtoMelbourne.CaptainWhalleypushedthepaperintohiswaistcoat-pocket,tookhisstickfromunderhisarm,andwalkeddownthestreet.

           Itwasarecentlyopenedanduntidythoroughfarewithrudimentaryside-walksandasoftlayerofdustcushioningthewholewidthoftheroad.OneendtouchedtheslummystreetofChineseshopsneartheharbor,theotherdrovestraighton,withouthouses,foracoupleofmiles,throughpatchesofjungle-likevegetation,totheyardgatesofthenewConsolidatedDocksCompany.ThecrudefrontagesofthenewGovernmentbuildingsalternatedwiththeblankfencingofvacantplots,andtheviewoftheskyseemedtogiveanaddedspaciousnesstothebroadvista.Itwasemptyandshunnedbynativesafterbusinesshours,asthoughtheyhadexpectedtoseeoneofthetigersfromtheneighborhoodoftheNewWaterworksonthehillcomingatalopingcanterdownthemiddletogetaChineseshopkeeperforsupper.CaptainWhalleywasnotdwarfedbythesolitudeofthegrandlyplannedstreet.Hehadtoofineapresenceforthat.