“I suppose you’ve heard the latest news?” said he.  “They’ve chosen me on the Harbour Board—­Ship-owners’ representative.”

“I didn’t even know there had been an election.”

“No more there hasn’t.  Rogers made the vacancy, and managed it for me; retired in my favour, as you might say.”

“Seems to me Mr Rogers must be weakenin’ in his head.”

“Oh no, he’s not!” ’Bias assured her with a chuckle.  “But he’s pretty frail in the body.  At his time o’ life and with his infirmity a man may be excused, surely?”

“I reckon,” said Mrs Bosenna, “there’s few would have wept if Mr Rogers had superannuated himself years ago.  Now if you’d told me he was turned out—­”

“You’re hard on Rogers!” he protested, tasting the joke of it.

“Well, I don’t think he took on these jobs for his health, as they say; and so it comes hard to believe as he goes out o’ them for that reason.  But there! he may be an honester man than I take him for. . . .  Well, and so you’re becomin’ a public man too!  I congratulate you.”

“I wouldn’ call myself that,” said ’Bias modestly.  “But one or two have suggested that a fellow like me, with plenty of time on his hands, might look after a few small things and the way public money’s spent on ’em.”  He might have claimed that at any rate he knew more of harbour affairs than Cai could possibly know of education:  but he did not.  To their honour, neither he nor Cai—­though they ruffled when face to face before folks—­ever spoke an ill word behind the other’s back.  “There’s the dredgin’, for one thing; and, for another, the way they’re allowed to lade down foreign-goin’ ships is a scandal.”

“Is it the Harbour’s business to stop that?”

“It ought to be somebody’s business.”

“You’ll get nicely thanked,” she promised, “if you interfere—­and as a ship-owners’ representative too!”

“There’s another matter,” confessed ’Bias.  “They’ve asked me to put up for the Parish Council next month.  There’s a notion that, with this here Diamond Jubilee comin’ on, the town ought to rise to the occasion.”

“And you’re the man to give it the lift!” said Mrs Bosenna gaily.  “Is Captain Hocken standin’ too?”

“They say so.”

“Then I’ll plump for both of you.  Wait, though—­I won’t promise:  or when the canvass starts you’ll both be neglectin’ me.”

The next day Cai called in turn with his rent.  “And there’s another little matter,” said he after handing it to her.  “You remember that hundred pounds?  Well there’s a half-year’s dividend declared and due on it, and the cheque’s to arrive some time next week.  What’s the amount, d’ye guess?”

“Satisfactory?”

“Seven pounds eight shillings and fourpence. . . .  Eh?  I thought it might astonish you.”

“It’s—­it’s such an odd amount,” she murmured.

“It’s close upon fifteen per cent.”