Hurricane Island

Sea Q

of flowers are sicklied over with the smuts and blacks of the roaring chimneys. The one open space within reach is the river, and thither I frequently repaired during the three years I practised in the East End. At least it was something to have that wide flood before one, the channel of great winds and the haunt of st

-speaking men at my door, with one or more among them suffering from a dangerous knife-wound. And the point of it that came nearly home to me was that this career would not only lead to nothing, but was unprofitable in itself. I had taken the position in the hope that I might make something of it, but I found that it was all I could do to maintain my place. I made no charge for advice in my consultations, but took a little money on the medicine which I made up. Is any position to be conceived more degrading

five-and-twenty almost as a romantic profession. Other young men whom I had known, at school and college, had entered it, and some were, or appeared to be, signal stars in that galaxy of wealth and beauty. My means, however, denied me access, and at thirty I

d of cases, and had sat waiting in my dingy surgery for patients. But none had come, and in the enforced meditation that ensued, as I reviewed my past and my prospects, my soul sickened in me. I

ater, and some tall spars and funnels in the foreground. But the river at full tide champed audibly against the wharves, and the various sounds of that restless port assailed my ears

t his pipe, and in the flash of the match I gathered from the dresses that they were stevedores, newly come, no doubt, from unloading some vessel. But my attention was taken off them unexpect

up round the Dogs in a la-di-da fashion.

blue the money," responded his compa

s it?"

merica Cup, sir," said the first man with a face

a Queen," he said doubtfully, and adde

ake themselves known,

down, they tramped away into the

n the direction of the docks. When I reached the e

doctor? G

lamp as a man whom I had attended for a

nt some air. I think I

rily, and I found myself on

isorder, but it was farther on that the spectators were engaged in a knot, for the caisson was drifting round, and a handsome vessel was floating in, her funnel backed against the grey darkness and

aid I to my neighb

," he said, "and a pleasure yacht from the l

command, and the rattling of chains that paid out through the donkey-engine. Idly I moved to the stone quay when the gangway was let down, but only one man de

ry voices, one threatening volubly and the other deeper and slower, but equally hostile. It was not that the altercation was anything astonishing in human life, but I think it was the instantaneous flash of that light and those voices in a dead ship that pulled me up. I stared into the port-hole, and as I did so the face of a man passed across it 'twixt the light and me; it passed and vanished; and I walked on. As I turned to go down to the gates I was aware of the approaching fog. I had seen it scores of times in that abominable low-l

or had I somehow wandered back towards it, and would another step take me over into the water? I shrank from the thought of that cold plunge, and, putting out my stick on all sides, tapped and tapped, and went on foot by foot. I was still upon the stone, when I should have reached the sheds, or at least have got upon the earth

, and moved faster under the whip of impulse. The next moment I brought sharply up against a stone post by which ships were warped in and fastened. Below was the water, and now I could hear

ound came to me, as if the swimmer were under water, and his voice stifled. Almost without thinking, I g

; "if you can get he

im in a dozen strokes, and the first news I had of him was a kick in the shoulder that almost tore me from my rope. The next moment I had him by the collar and without more ado was retracing my way, towing a v

gure on the quay were some incoherent oaths, whic

swear you are well enough to travel, and

way, "but you saved me. Pull along, and I'll d

"Give me your arm," said I; "we can't

too?" he as

little laugh, and began to walk, this time,

y limp, as we struggled through the darkness,

st be in the neighbourhood of the sheds. Now to

d fortune we now hit upon the roadway, and it was to me a delight to hear the ring of the hard macadam under our squelching boots. I was now almost cheerful, for I was sure that I could not wand

s a call, sure enough," said I,

lamp and poked the fire into a blaze, after which I looked at my companion. It was with a sense of familiarity that I recognised his face as that which I had seen fl

bedroom, changed myself, and brought him some garments of my own. These he put on, ta

"I wonder if these things.... How did I go over? I thought I was going s

id I, "but you might be a

augh. "I feel mighty shivery. Don

ink it wouldn't be a bad idea

id recklessly. "It made me quarrel with tha

wo hot jorums of whisky, one

ology. I looked my question, and he answered it. "Hamburg, in the Sea

r the blaze I saw,

t made Legrand mad. He's particular. Bu

adbare carpet underfoot, and, though he was not a gentleman, I felt some feeling of irritation.

certain," he began again

mitt

glass of toddy?" he asked, smil

tances again-pe

d. "But it isn't often I do. I must have g

old

dmiringly. "I don't know two

red. "It was only a question of t

. "There's white people every

ou have your answer," I replied, with a gesture at th

e floor, as if preoccupied. His brow wrinkled, as

d presently, "but there's plenty of m

id I, smil

s is a secret beggar, with pots of money, they say. We chartere

e yacht?"

is, and I ought to know, seeing I am purser. We've all signed

ke, and I stared at him. "You mean,"

ur while," said h

that," I replied. "It depe

I earned a miserable pittance, bad food, and low company. On the pleasure yacht I should at least walk among equals, and feel myself a civilised being. I coul

good-looking, easy-natured face, his sleek black hair,

said, wagging his head, "and you

oing? The Medite

th a frank yawn. "But if your tickets

I said, in a matt

r sparkle of interest. "And now we'll have

here the night?" I asked. "I can

would like a roost, only I've got an engagement. I wir

e an appointment, I would sugges

ty bath. All serene. I'll fix that up. By the way," he

nswered. "Mine's R

," he said.

ndon," I

ake it easier. I suppose

aid, "though they don

re grey in the dark, and it's infernally dark to-night!

oor with his free gai

ore. Who's

land-Morland, a re

at he w