However, in the course of the next day or so, as he witnessed Captain Kettle’s method of spreading his faith, Clay’s forebodings began to pass away.  There was nothing of the hypocrite about this preaching sailor; but, at the same time, there was nothing of the dreamer.  He exhorted vast audiences daily to enter into the narrow path (as defined by the Tyneside chapel), but, at the same time, he impressed on them that the privilege of treading this thorny way in no manner exempted them from the business of gathering ivory, by one means or another, for himself and partner.

Kettle had his own notions as to how this proselytizing should be carried on, and he set about it with a callous disregard for modern precedent.  He expounded his creed—­the creed of the obscure Tyneside chapel—­partly in Coast-English, partly in the native, partly through the medium of an interpreter, and he commanded his audience to accept it, much as he would have ordered men under him to have carried out the business of shipboard.  If any one had doubts, he explained further—­once.  But he did not allow too many doubts.  One or two who inquired too much felt the weight of his hand, and forthwith the percentage of sceptics decreased marvellously.

Clay watched on, non-interferent, hugging himself with amusement, but not daring to let a trace of it be seen.  “And I thought,” he kept telling himself with fresh spasms of suppressed laughter, “that that man’s sole ambition was to set up here as a sort of robber baron, and here he’s wanting to be Mahomet as well.  The crescent or the sword; Kettleism or kicks; it’s a pity he hasn’t got some sense of humor, because as it is I’ve got all the fun to myself.  He’d eat me if I told him how it looked to an outsider.”

Once, with the malicious hope of drawing him, he did venture to suggest that Kettle’s method of manufacturing converts was somewhat sudden and arbitrary, and the little sailor took him seriously at once.

“Of course it is,” said he.  “And if you please, why shouldn’t it be?  My intelligence is far superior to theirs at the lowest estimate; and therefore I must know what’s best for them.  I order them to become members of my chapel, and they do it.”

“They do it like birds,” Clay admitted.  “You’ve got a fine grip over them.”

“I think they respect me.”

“Oh, they think you no end of a fine man.  In fact they consider you, as I’ve said before, quite a little tin—­”

“Now stop it, Doc.  I know you’re one of those fellows that don’t mean half they say, but I won’t have that thrown against me, even in jest.”

“Well,” said Clay, slily, “there’s no getting over the fact that some person or persons unknown sacrificed a hen up against the door of this hut under cover of last night, and I guess they’re not likely to waste the fowl on me.”

“One can’t cure them of their old ways all at once,” said Kettle, with a frown.