“Of course, I would have made a point of calling on you in a day or two,” I concluded.

He raised his eyelids distinctly at me, and somehow managed to look rather more sleepy than before.

“In accordance with my owners’ instructions,” I explained.  “You have had their letter, of course?”

By that time he had raised his eyebrows too but without any particular emotion.  On the contrary he struck me then as absolutely imperturbable.

“Oh!  You must be thinking of my brother.”

It was for me, then, to say “Oh!” But I hope that no more than civil surprise appeared in my voice when I asked him to what, then, I owed the pleasure. . . .  He was reaching for an inside pocket leisurely.

“My brother’s a very different person.  But I am well known in this part of the world.  You’ve probably heard—­”

I took a card he extended to me.  A thick business card, as I lived!  Alfred Jacobus—­the other was Ernest—­dealer in every description of ship’s stores!  Provisions salt and fresh, oils, paints, rope, canvas, etc., etc.  Ships in harbour victualled by contract on moderate terms—­

“I’ve never heard of you,” I said brusquely.

His low-pitched assurance did not abandon him.

“You will be very well satisfied,” he breathed out quietly.

I was not placated.  I had the sense of having been circumvented somehow.  Yet I had deceived myself—­if there was any deception.  But the confounded cheek of inviting himself to breakfast was enough to deceive any one.  And the thought struck me:  Why!  The fellow had provided all these eatables himself in the way of business.  I said: 

“You must have got up mighty early this morning.”

He admitted with simplicity that he was on the quay before six o’clock waiting for my ship to come in.  He gave me the impression that it would be impossible to get rid of him now.

“If you think we are going to live on that scale,” I said, looking at the table with an irritated eye, “you are jolly well mistaken.”

“You’ll find it all right, Captain.  I quite understand.”

Nothing could disturb his equanimity.  I felt dissatisfied, but I could not very well fly out at him.  He had told me many useful things—­and besides he was the brother of that wealthy merchant.  That seemed queer enough.

I rose and told him curtly that I must now go ashore.  At once he offered the use of his boat for all the time of my stay in port.

“I only make a nominal charge,” he continued equably.  “My man remains all day at the landing-steps.  You have only to blow a whistle when you want the boat.”

And, standing aside at every doorway to let me go through first, he carried me off in his custody after all.  As we crossed the quarter-deck two shabby individuals stepped forward and in mournful silence offered me business cards which I took from them without a word under his heavy eye.  It was a useless and gloomy ceremony.  They were the touts of the other ship-chandlers, and he placid at my back, ignored their existence.