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all confused and mingling darkly everywhere； but low
down； amidships； a single lighted port stared out on
the night； perfectly round； like a small； full moon；
whose yellow beam caught a patch of wet mud； the
edge of trodden grass； two turns of heavy cable
wound round the foot of a thick wooden post in the
ground。
Mr。 Van Wyk； peering alongside； heard a muzzy
boastful voice apparently jeering at a person called
Prendergast。 It mouthed abuse thickly； choked； then
pronounced very distinctly the word 〃Murphy；〃 and
chuckled。 Glass tinkled tremulously。 All these sounds
came from the lighted port。 Mr。 Van Wyk hesitated；
stooped； it was impossible to look through unless he
went down into the mud。
〃Sterne；〃 he said； half aloud。
The drunken voice within said gladly
〃Sterneof course。 Look at him blink。 Look at
him！ Sterne； Whalley； Massy。 Massy； Whalley；
Sterne。 But Massy's the best。 You can't come over
him。 He would just love to see you starve。〃
Mr。 Van Wyk moved away； made out farther forward
a shadowy head stuck out from under the awnings as
if on the watch； and spoke quietly in Malay； 〃Is the
mate asleep？〃
〃No。 Here； at your service。〃
In a moment Sterne appeared； walking as noiselessly
as a cat on the wharf。
〃It's so jolly dark； and I had no idea you would be
down to…night。〃
〃What's this horrible raving？〃 asked Mr。 Van Wyk；
as if to explain the cause of a shudder than ran over
him audibly。
〃Jack's broken out on a drunk。 That's our second。
It's his way。 He will be right enough by to…morrow
afternoon； only Mr。 Massy will keep on worrying up
and down the deck。 We had better get away。〃
He muttered suggestively of a talk 〃up at the house。〃
He had long desired to effect an entrance there； but Mr。
Van Wyk nonchalantly demurred： it would not； he
feared； be quite prudent； perhaps； and the opaque
black shadow under one of the two big trees left at the
landing…place swallowed them up； impenetrably dense；
by the side of the wide river； that seemed to spin into
threads of glitter the light of a few big stars dropped
here and there upon its outspread and flowing stillness。
〃The situation is grave beyond doubt；〃 Mr。 Van Wyk
said。 Ghost…like in their white clothes they could not
distinguish each others' features； and their feet made
no sound on the soft earth。 A sort of purring was
heard。 Mr。 Sterne felt gratified by such a beginning。
〃I thought； Mr。 Van Wyk； a gentleman of your sort
would see at once how awkwardly I was situated。〃
〃Yes； very。 Obviously his health is bad。 Perhaps
he's breaking up。 I see； and he himself is well aware
I assume I am speaking to a man of sensehe is well
aware that his legs are giving out。〃
〃His legsah！〃 Mr。 Sterne was disconcerted； and
then turned sulky。 〃You may call it his legs if you
like； what I want to know is whether he intends to clear
out quietly。 That's a good one； too！ His legs！
Pooh！〃
〃Why； yes。 Only look at the way he walks。〃 Mr。
Van Wyk took him up in a perfectly cool and undoubt…
ing tone。 〃The question； however； is whether your
sense of duty does not carry you too far from your true
interest。 After all； I too could do something to serve
you。 You know who I am。〃
〃Everybody along the Straits has heard of you； sir。〃
Mr。 Van Wyk presumed that this meant something
favorable。 Sterne had a soft laugh at this pleasantry。
He should think so！ To the opening statement； that
the partnership agreement was to expire at the end of
this very trip； he gave an attentive assent。 He was
aware。 One heard of nothing else on board all the
blessed day long。 As to Massy； it was no secret that he
was in a jolly deep hole with these worn…out boilers。
He would have to borrow somewhere a couple of hun…
dred first of all to pay off the captain； and then he
would have to raise money on mortgage upon the ship
for the new boilersthat is； if he could find a lender at
all。 At best it meant loss of time； a break in the trade；
short earnings for the yearand there was always the
danger of having his connection filched away from him
by the Germans。 It was whispered about that he had
already tried two firms。 Neither would have anything
to do with him。 Ship too old； and the man too well
known in the place。 。 。 。 Mr。 Sterne's final rapid wink…
ing remained buried in the deep darkness sibilating with
his whispers。
〃Supposing； then； he got the loan；〃 Mr。 Van Wyk
resumed in a deliberate undertone； 〃on your own show…
ing he's more than likely to get a mortgagee's man
thrust upon him as captain。 For my part； I know that
I would make that very stipulation myself if I had to
find the money。 And as a matter of fact I am thinking
of doing so。 It would be worth my while in many ways。
Do you see how this would bear on the case under dis…
cussion？〃
〃Thank you； sir。 I am sure you couldn't get any…
body that would care more for your interests。〃
〃Well； it suits my interest that Captain Whalley
should finish his time。 I shall probably take a passage
with you down the Straits。 If that can be done； I'll be
on the spot when all these changes take place； and in a
position to look after YOUR interests。〃
〃Mr。 Van Wyk； I want nothing better。 I am sure
I am infinitely 。 。 。〃
〃I take it； then； that this may be done without any
trouble。〃
〃Well； sir； what risk there is can't be helped； but
（speaking to you as my employer now） the thing is
more safe than it looks。 If anybody had told me of it
I wouldn't have believed it； but I have been looking on
myself。 That old Serang has been trained up to the
game。 There's nothing the matter with hishis
limbs； sir。 He's got used to doing things himself in a
remarkable way。 And let me tell you； sir； that Cap…
tain Whalley； poor man； is by no means useless。 Fact。
Let me explain to you； sir。 He stiffens up that old
monkey of a Malay； who knows well enough what to do。
Why； he must have kept captain's watches in all sorts of
country ships off and on for the last five…and…twenty
years。 These natives； sir； as long as they have a white
man close at the back； will go on doing the right thing
most surprisingly welleven if left quite to themselves。
Only the white man must be of the sort to put starch
into them； and the captain is