wasstruckparticularlytoseecaptain，cook，andforemosthandswalkingthestreetandvisitingsaloonsincompany；and，aswhenanythingimpressedme，Igotmysketch-bookout，andbegantostealasketchofthefourcastaways。Thecrowd，sympathisingwithmydesign，madeaclearlaneacrosstheroom；andIwasthusenabled，allunobservedmyself，toobservewithastill-growingclosenessthefaceandthedemeanourofCaptainTrent。
Warmedbywhiskeyandencouragedbytheeagernessofthebystanders，thatgentlemanwasnowrehearsingthehistoryofhismisfortune。Itwasbutscrapsthatreachedme：howhe“filledheronthestarboardtack。”andhow“itcameupsuddenoutofthenor’nor’west。”and“thereshewas，highanddry。”
Sometimeshewouldappealtooneofthemen——“Thatwashowitwas，Jack？”——andthemanwouldreply，“Thatwasthewayofit，CaptainTrent。”Lastly，hestartedafreshtideofpopularsympathybyenunciatingthesentiment，“DamnalltheseAdmiralityCharts，andthat’swhatIsay！”Fromthenoddingofheadsandthemurmursofassentthatfollowed，IcouldseethatCaptainTrenthadestablishedhimselfinthepublicmindasagentlemanandathoroughnavigator：aboutwhichperiod，mysketchofthefourmenandthecanary-birdbeingfinished，andallespeciallythecanary-birdexcellentlikenesses，Ibuckledupmybook，andslippedfromthesaloon。
LittledidIsupposethatIwasleavingActI，SceneI，ofthedramaofmylife；andyetthescene，orratherthecaptain’sface，lingeredforsometimeinmymemory。Iwasnoprophet，asI
say；butIwassomethingelse：Iwasanobserver；andonethingIknew，Iknewwhenamanwasterrified。CaptainTrent，oftheBritishbrigFlyingScud，hadbeenglib；hehadbeenready；hehadbeenloud；butinhisblueeyesIcoulddetectthechill，andinthelinesofhiscountenancespytheagitationofperpetualterror。Washetremblingforhiscertificate？Inmyjudgment，itwassomelivelierkindoffearthatthrilledintheman’smarrowasheturnedtodrink。Wasittheresultofrecentshock，andhadhenotyetrecoveredthedisastertohisbrig？I
rememberedhowafriendofminehadbeeninarailwayaccident，andshookandstartedforamonth；andalthoughCaptainTrentoftheFlyingScudhadnoneoftheappearanceofanervousman，Itoldmyself，withincompleteconviction，thathismustbeasimilarcase。
ThenextmorningIfoundPinkerton，whohadrisenbeforeme，seatedatourusualtable，anddeepintheperusalofwhatIwillcallthe_DailyOccidental_。ThiswasapaperIknownotifitbesostillthatstoodoutaloneamongitsbrethrenintheWest；
theothers，downtotheirsmallestitem，weredefacedwithcapitals，head-lines，alliterations，swaggeringmisquotations，andtheshoddypicturesqueandunpatheticpathosoftheHarryMillers：the_Occidental_aloneappearedtobewrittenbyadull，sane，Christiangentleman，singlydesirousofcommunicatingknowledge。Ithadnotonlythismerit，whichendearedittome，butwasadmittedlythebestinformedonbusinessmatters，whichattractedPinkerton。
“Loudon。”saidhe，lookingupfromthejournal，“yousometimesthinkIhavetoomanyironsinthefire。Mynotion，ontheotherhand，is，whenyouseeadollarlying，pickitup！
Well，hereI’vetumbledoverawholepileof’emonareefinthemiddleofthePacific。”
“Why，Jim，youmiserablefellow！”Iexclaimed；“haven’tweDepewCity，oneofGod’sgreencentresforthisState？haven’twe——“
“Justlistentothis。”interruptedJim。“It’smiserablecopy；these_Occidental_reporterfellowshavenofire；butthefactsarerightenough，Iguess。”Andhebegantoread：——
“WRECKOFTHEBRITISHBRIG，’FLYINGSCUD。’
“H。B。M。S。Tempest，whicharrivedyesterdayatthisport，bringsCaptainTrentandfourmenoftheBritishbrigFlyingScud，castawayFebruary12thonMidwayIsland，andmostprovidentiallyrescuedthenextday。TheFlyingScudwasof200tonsburthen，ownedinLondon，andhasbeenoutnearlytwoyearstramping。CaptainTrentleftHongKongDecember8th，boundforthisportinriceandasmallmixedcargoofsilks，teas，andChinanotions，thewholevaluedat$10，000，fullycoveredbyinsurance。Thelogshowsplentyoffineweather，withlightairs，calms，andsqualls。Inlat。28N。，long。177W。，hiswatergoingrotten，andmisledbyHoyt’s_NorthPacificDirectory_，whichinformedhimtherewasacoalingstationontheisland，CaptainTrentputintoMidwayIsland。Hefounditaliteralsandbank，surroundedbyacoralreefmostlysubmerged。Birdswereveryplenty，therewasgoodfishinthelagoon，butnofirewood；andthewater，whichcouldbeobtainedbydigging，brackish。Hefoundgoodholding-groundoffthenorthendofthelargerbankinfifteenfathomswater；
bottomsandy，withcoralpatches。Herehewasdetainedsevendaysbyacalm，thecrewsufferingseverelyfromthewater，whichwasgonequitebad；anditwasonlyontheeveningofthe12th，thatalittlewindsprangup，comingpuffyoutofN。N。E。Lateasitwas，CaptainTrentimmediatelyweighedanchorandattemptedtogetout。Whilethevesselwasbeatinguptothepassage，thewindtookasuddenlull，andthenveeredsquallyintoN。andevenN。N。W。，drivingthebrigashoreonthesandatabouttwentyminutesbeforesixo’clock。JohnWallen，anativeofFinland，andCharlesHoldorsen，anativeofSweden，weredrownedalongside，inattemptingtoloweraboat，neitherbeingabletoswim，thesquallverydark，andthenoiseofthebreakersdrowningeverything。AtthesametimeJohnBrown，anotherofthecrew，hadhisarmbrokenbythefalls。CaptainTrentfurtherinformedtheOCCIDENTAL
reporter，thatthebrigstruckheavilyatfirstbowson，hesupposesuponcoral；thatshethendroveovertheobstacle，andnowliesinsand，muchdownbytheheadandwithalisttostarboard。Inthefirstcollisionshemusthavesustainedsomedamage，asshewasmakingwaterforward。Thericewillprobablybealldestroyed：butthemorevaluablepartofthecargoisfortunatelyintheafterhold。CaptainTrentwaspreparinghislong-boatforsea，whentheprovidentialarrivaloftheTempest，pursuanttoAdmiraltyorderstocallatislandsinhercourseforcastaways，savedthegallantcaptainfromallfurtherdanger。Itisscarcelynecessarytoaddthatboththeofficersandmenoftheunfortunatevesselspeakinhightermsofthekindnesstheyreceivedonboardtheman-of-war。Weprintalistofthesurvivors：JacobTrent，master，ofHull，England；EliasGoddedaal，mate，nativeofChristiansand，Sweden；AhWing，cook，nativeofSana，China；JohnBrown，nativeofGlasgow，Scotland；JohnHardy，nativeofLondon，England。TheFlyingScudistenyearsold，andthismorningwillbesoldasshestands，byorderofLloyd’sagent，atpublicauctionforthebenefitoftheunderwriters。TheauctionwilltakeplaceintheMerchants’Exchangeatteno’clock。
“FartherParticulars——LaterintheafternoontheOCCIDENTAL
reporterfoundLieutenantSebright，firstofficerofH。B。M。S。
Tempest，atthePalaceHotel。Thegallantofficerwassomewhatpressedfortime，butconfirmedtheaccountgivenbyCaptainTrentinallparticulars。HeaddedthattheFlyingScudisinanexcellentberth，andexceptinthehighlyimprobableeventofaheavyN。W。gale，mightlastuntilnextwinter。”
“Youwillneverknowanythingofliterature。”saidI，whenJimhadfinished。“Thatisagood，honest，plainpieceofwork，andtellsthestoryclearly。Iseeonlyonemistake：thecookisnotaChinaman；heisaKanaka，andIthinkaHawaiian。”
“Why，howdoyouknowthat？”askedJim。
“Isawthewholegangyesterdayinasaloon。”saidI。“Ievenheardthetale，ormighthaveheardit，fromCaptainTrenthimself，whostruckmeasthirstyandnervous。”
“Well，that’sneitherherenorthere。”criedPinkerton。“Thepointis，howaboutthesedollarslyingonareef？”
“Willitpay？”Iasked。
“Paylikeasugartrust！”exclaimedPinkerton。“Don’tyouseewhatthisBritishofficersaysaboutthesafety？Don’tyouseethecargo’svaluedattenthousand？Schoonersarebeggingjustnow；Icangetmypickofthemattwohundredandfiftyamonth；andhowdoesthatfootup？Itlookslikethreehundredpercent。tome。”
“Youforget。”Iobjected，“thecaptainhimselfdeclaresthericeisdamaged。”
“That’sapoint，Iknow。”admittedJim。“Butthericeisthesluggisharticle，anyway；it’slittlemoreaccountthanballast；
it’stheteaandsilksthatIlookto：allwehavetofindistheproportion，andonelookatthemanifestwillsettlethat。I’verungupLloyd’sonpurpose；thecaptainistomeetmethereinanhour，andthenI’llbeaspostedonthatbrigasifIbuilther。
Besides，you’venoideawhatpickingsthereareaboutawreck——copper，lead，rigging，anchors，chains，eventhecrockery，Loudon！”
“Youseemtometoforgetonetrifle。”saidI。“Beforeyoupickthatwreck，you’vegottobuyher，andhowmuchwillshecost？”
“Onehundreddollars。”repliedJim，withthepromptitudeofanautomaton。
“Howonearthdoyouguessthat？”Icried。
“Idon’tguess；Iknowit。”answeredtheCommercialForce。
“Mydearboy，Imaybeagalootaboutliterature，butyou’llalwaysbeanoutsiderinbusiness。HowdoyousupposeI
boughttheJamesL。Moodyfortwohundredandfifty，herboatsaloneworthfourtimesthemoney？Becausemynamestoodfirstinthelist。Wellitstandsthereagain；Ihavethenamingofthefigure，andInameasmallonebecauseofthedistance：butitwouldn’tmatterwhatInamed；thatwouldbetheprice。”
“Itsoundsmysteriousenough。”saidI。“Isthispublicauctionconductedinasubterraneanvault？Couldaplaincitizen——
myself，forinstance——comeandsee？”
“O，everything’sopenandaboveboard！”hecriedindignantly。
“Anybodycancome，onlynobodybidsagainstus；andifhedid，hewouldgetfrozenout。It’sbeentriedbeforenow，andoncewasenough。Weholdtheplant；we’vegottheconnection；
wecanaffordtogohigherthananyoutsider；there’stwomilliondollarsinthering；andwestickatnothing。Orsupposeanybodydidbuyoverourhead——Itellyou，Loudon，hewouldthinkthistowngonecrazy；hecouldnomoregetbusinessthroughonthecityfrontthanIcandance；schooners，divers，men——allhewanted——thepriceswouldflyrightupandstrikehim。”
“Buthowdidyougetin？”Iasked。“Youwereonceanoutsiderlikeyourneighbours，Isuppose？”
“Itookholdofthatthing，Loudon，andjuststudieditup。”hereplied。“Ittookmyfancy；itwassoromantic，andthenIsawtherewasboodleinthething；andIfiguredonthebusinesstillnomanalivecouldgivemepoints。NobodyknewIhadaneyeonwreckstillonefinemorningIdroppedinuponDouglasB。
Longhurstinhisden，gavehimallthefactsandfigures，andputittohimstraight：“Doyouwantmeinthisring？orshallI
startanother？”Hetookhalfanhour，andwhenIcameback，“Pink。”sayshe，“I’veputyournameon。”ThefirsttimeIcametothetop，itwasthatMoodyracket；nowit’stheFlyingScud。”
WhereuponPinkerton，lookingathiswatch，utteredanexclamation，madeahastyappointmentwithmyselfforthedoorsoftheMerchants’Exchange，andfledtoexaminemanifestsandinterviewtheskipper。Ifinishedmycigarettewiththedeliberationofamanattheendofmanypicnics；
reflectingtomyselfthatofallformsofthedollarhunt，thiswreckinghadbyfarthemostaddresstomyimagination。EvenasIwentdowntown，inthebriskbustleandchillofthefamiliarSanFranciscothoroughfares，Iwashauntedbyavisionofthewreck，bakingsofarawayinthestrongsun，underacloudofsea-birds；andeventhen，andfornobetterreason，myheartinclinedtowardstheadventure。Ifnotmyself，somethingthatwasmine，someoneatleastinmyemployment，shouldvoyagetothatocean-boundedpin-pointanddescendtothatdesertedcabin。
Pinkertonmetmeattheappointedmoment，pinchedoflipandmorethanusuallyerectofbearing，likeoneconsciousofgreatresolves。
“Well？”Iasked。