“Stopthis，Pinkerton。”Ibrokein。“Iknowtheaddress：924
　　MissionStreet。”
　　IdonotknowwhetherPinkertonorBellairswasthemoretakenaback。
　　“Whyinsnakesdidn’tyousayso，Loudon？”criedmyfriend。
　　“Youdidn’taskforitbefore。”saidI，colouringtomytemplesunderhistroubledeyes。
　　ItwasBellairswhobrokesilence，kindlysupplyingmewithallthatIhadyettolearn。“SinceyouknowMr。Dickson’saddress。”saidhe，plainlyburningtoberidofus，“IsupposeI
　　needdetainyounolonger。”
　　IdonotknowhowPinkertonfelt，butIhaddeathinmysoulaswecamedowntheoutsidestair，fromthedenofthisblotchedspider。Mywholebeingwasstrung，waitingforJim’sfirstquestion，andpreparedtoblurtout，Ibelieve，almostwithtears，afullavowal。Butmyfriendaskednothing。
　　“Wemusthackit。”saidhe，tearingoffinthedirectionoftheneareststand。“Notimetobelost。YousawhowIchangedground。Nouseinpayingtheshyster’scommission。”
　　AgainIexpectedareferencetomysuppression；againIwasdisappointed。ItwasplainJimfearedthesubject，andIfeltI
　　almosthatedhimforthatfear。Atlast，whenwewerealreadyinthehackanddrivingtowardsMissionStreet，Icouldbearmysuspensenolonger。
　　“Youdonotaskmeaboutthataddress。”saidI。
　　“No。”saidhe，quicklyandtimidly。“Whatwasit？Iwouldliketoknow。”
　　Thenoteoftimidityoffendedmelikeabuffet；mytemperroseashotasmustard。“Imustrequestyoudonotaskme。”saidI。
　　“ItisamatterIcannotexplain。”
　　Themomentthefoolishwordsweresaid，thatmomentIwouldhavegivenworldstorecallthem：howmuchmore，whenPinkerton，pattingmyhand，replied：“Allright，dearboy；notanotherword；that’salldone。I’mconvincedit’sperfectlyright。”Toreturnuponthesubjectwasbeyondmycourage；butIvowedinwardlythatIshoulddomyutmostinthefutureforthismadspeculation，andthatIwouldcutmyselfinpiecesbeforeJimshouldloseonedollar。
　　WehadnosoonerarrivedattheaddressthanIhadotherthingstothinkof。
　　“Mr。Dickson？He’sgone。”saidthelandlady。
　　Wherehadhegone？
　　“I’msureIcan’ttellyou。”sheanswered。“Hewasquiteastrangertome。”
　　“Didheexpresshisbaggage，ma’am？”askedPinkerton。
　　“Hadn’tany。”wasthereply。“Hecamelastnightandleftagainto-daywithasatchel。”
　　“Whendidheleave？”Iinquired。
　　“Itwasaboutnoon。”repliedthelandlady。“Someonerangupthetelephone，andaskedforhim；andIreckonhegotsomenews，forheleftrightaway，althoughhisroomsweretakenbytheweek。Heseemedconsiderableputout：Ireckonitwasadeath。”
　　Myheartsank；perhapsmyidioticjesthadindeeddrivenhimaway；andagainIaskedmyself，Why？andwhirledforamomentinavortexofuntenablehypotheses。
　　“Whatwashelike，ma’am？”Pinkertonwasasking，whenI
　　returnedtoconsciousnessofmysurroundings。
　　“Acleanshavedman。”saidthewoman，andcouldbeledordrivenintonomoresignificantdescription。
　　“Pullupatthenearestdrug-store。”saidPinkertontothedriver；
　　andwhenthere，thetelephonewasputinoperation，andthemessagespedtothePacificMailSteamshipCompany’soffice——
　　thiswasinthedaysbeforeSpreckelshadarisen——“WhendoesthenextChinasteamertouchatHonolulu？”
　　“TheCityofPekin；shecastoffthedockto-day，athalf-pastone。”camethereply。
　　“It’saclearcaseofbolt。”saidJim。“He’sskipped，ormyname’snotPinkerton。He’sgonetoheadusoffatMidwayIsland。”
　　SomehowIwasnotsosure；therewereelementsinthecase，notknowntoPinkerton——thefearsofthecaptain，forexample——thatinclinedmeotherwise；andtheideathatIhadterrifiedMr。Dicksonintoflight，thoughrestingonsoslenderafoundation，clungobstinatelyinmymind。“Shouldn’tweseethelistofpassengers？”Iasked。
　　“Dicksonissuchablamedcommonname。”returnedJim；“andthen，aslikeasnot，hewouldchangeit。”
　　AtthisIhadanotherintuition。Anegativeofastreetscene，takenunconsciouslywhenIwasabsorbedinotherthought，roseinmymemorywithnotafeatureblurred：aview，fromBellairs’sdooraswewerecomingdown，ofmuddyroadway，passingdrays，mattedtelegraphwires，aChinaboywithabasketonhishead，andalmostoppositeacornergrocerywiththenameofDicksoningreatgiltletters。
　　“Yes。”saidI，“youareright；hewouldchangeit。Andanyway，Idon’tbelieveitwashisnameatall；IbelievehetookitfromacornergrocerybesideBellairs’s。”
　　“Aslikeasnot。”saidJim，stillstandingonthesidewalkwithcontractedbrows。
　　“Well，whatshallwedonext？”Iasked。
　　“Thenaturalthingwouldbetorushtheschooner。”hereplied。
　　“ButIdon’tknow。Itelephonedthecaptaintogoatitheaddownandheelsinair；heansweredlikealittleman；andI
　　guesshe’sgettingaround。Ibelieve，Loudon，we’llgiveTrentachance。Trentwasinit；hewasinituptotheneck；evenifhecouldn’tbuy，hecouldgiveusthestraighttip。”
　　“Ithinkso，too。”saidI。“Whereshallwefindhim？”
　　“Britishconsulate，ofcourse。”saidJim。“Andthat’sanotherreasonfortakinghimfirst。Wecanhustlethatschoonerupallevening；butwhentheconsulate’sshut，it’sshut。”
　　Attheconsulate，welearnedthatCaptainTrenthadalightedsuchisIbelievetheclassicphraseattheWhatCheerHouse。
　　Tothatlargeandunaristocratichostelrywedrove，andaddressedourselvestoalargeclerk，whowaschewingatoothpickandlookingstraightbeforehim。
　　“CaptainJacobTrent？”
　　“Gone。”saidtheclerk。
　　“Wherehashegone？”askedPinkerton。
　　“Cain’tsay。”saidtheclerk。
　　“Whendidhego？”Iasked。
　　“Don’tknow。”saidtheclerk，andwiththesimplicityofamonarchofferedusthespectacleofhisbroadback。
　　WhatmighthavehappenednextIdreadtopicture，forPinkerton’sexcitementhadbeengrowingsteadily，andnowburneddangerouslyhigh；butweweresparedextremitiesbytheinterventionofasecondclerk。
　　“Why！Mr。Dodd！”heexclaimed，runningforwardtothecounter。“Gladtoseeyou，sir！CanIdoanythinginyourway？”
　　Howvirtuousactionsblossom！HerewasayoungmantowhosepleasedearsIhadrehearsed_Justbeforethebattle，mother，_atsomeweeklypicnic；andnow，inthattensemomentofmylife，hecamefromthemachinetobemyhelper。
　　“CaptainTrent，ofthewreck？Oyes，Mr。Dodd；heleftabouttwelve；heandanotherofthemen。TheKanakawentearlierbytheCityofPekin；Iknowthat；Irememberexpressinghischest。
　　CaptainTrent？I’llinquire，Mr。Dodd。Yes，theywereallhere。
　　Herearethenamesontheregister；perhapsyouwouldcaretolookatthemwhileIgoandseeaboutthebaggage？”
　　Idrewthebooktowardme，andstoodlookingatthefournamesallwritteninthesamehand，ratherabigandratherabadone：Trent，Brown，Hardy，andinsteadofAhSingJos。
　　Amalu。
　　“Pinkerton。”saidI，suddenly，“haveyouthat_Occidental_inyourpocket？”
　　“Neverleftme。”saidPinkerton，producingthepaper。
　　Iturnedtotheaccountofthewreck。“Here。”saidI；“here’sthename。’EliasGoddedaal，mate。’WhydowenevercomeacrossEliasGoddedaal？”
　　“That’sso。”saidJim。“Washewiththerestinthatsaloonwhenyousawthem？”
　　“Idon’tbelieveit。”saidI。“Theywereonlyfour，andtherewasnonethatbehavedlikeamate。”
　　Atthismomenttheclerkreturnedwithhisreport。
　　“Thecaptain。”itappeared，“camewithsomekindofanexpresswaggon，andheandthemantookoffthreechestsandabigsatchel。Ourporterhelpedtoputthemon，buttheydrovethecartthemselves。Theporterthinkstheywentdowntown。Itwasaboutone。”
　　“StillintimefortheCityofPekin。”observedJim。
　　“Howmanyofthemwerehere？”Iinquired。
　　“Three，sir，andtheKanaka。”repliedtheclerk。“Ican’tsomehowfinoutaboutthethird，buthe’sgonetoo。”
　　“Mr。Goddedaal，themate，wasn’therethen？”Iasked。
　　“No，Mr。Dodd，nonebutwhatyousee。”saystheclerk。
　　“Noryouneverheardwherehewas？”
　　“No。Anyparticularreasonforfindingthesemen，Mr。Dodd？”
　　inquiredtheclerk。
　　“ThisgentlemanandIhaveboughtthewreck。”Iexplained；
　　“wewishedtogetsomeinformation，anditisveryannoyingtofindthemenallgone。”
　　Acertaingrouphadgraduallyformedaboutus，forthewreckwasstillamatterofinterest；andatthis，oneofthebystanders，aroughseafaringman，spokesuddenly。
　　“Iguessthematewon’tbegone。”saidhe。“He’smainsick；
　　neverleftthesick-bayaboardtheTempest；sotheytellME。”
　　Jimtookmebythesleeve。“Backtotheconsulate。”saidhe。
　　ButevenattheconsulatenothingwasknownofMr。
　　Goddedaal。ThedoctoroftheTempesthadcertifiedhimverysick；hehadsenthispapersin，butneverappearedinpersonbeforetheauthorities。
　　“HaveyouatelephonelaidontotheTempest？”askedPinkerton。
　　“Laidonyesterday。”saidtheclerk。
　　“Doyoumindasking，orlettingmeask？WeareveryanxioustogetholdofMr。Goddedaal。”
　　“Allright。”saidtheclerk，andturnedtothetelephone。“I’msorry。”hesaidpresently，“Mr。Goddedaalhaslefttheship，andnooneknowswhereheis。”
　　“Doyoupaythemen’spassagehome？”Iinquired，asuddenthoughtstrikingme。
　　“Iftheywantit。”saidtheclerk；“sometimestheydon’t。ButwepaidtheKanaka’spassagetoHonoluluthismorning；andbywhatCaptainTrentwassaying，Iunderstandtherestaregoinghometogether。”
　　“Thenyouhaven’tpaidthem？”saidI。
　　“Notyet。”saidtheclerk。
　　“Andyouwouldbeagooddealsurprised，ifIweretotellyoutheyweregonealready？”Iasked。
　　“O，Ishouldthinkyouweremistaken。”saidhe。
　　“Suchisthefact，however。”saidI。
　　“Iamsureyoumustbemistaken。”herepeated。
　　“MayIuseyourtelephoneonemoment？”askedPinkerton；andssoonaspermissionhadbeengranted，Iheardhimringuptheprinting-officewhereouradvertisementswereusuallyhandled。
　　MoreIdidnothear；forsuddenlyrecallingthebig，badhandintheregisteroftheWhatCheerHouse，IaskedtheconsulateclerkifhehadaspecimenofCaptainTrent’swriting。
　　WhereuponIlearnedthatthecaptaincouldnotwrite，havingcuthishandopenalittlebeforethelossofthebrig；thatthelatterpartofthelogevenhadbeenwrittenupbyMr。
　　Goddedaal；andthatTrenthadalwayssignedwithhislefthand。BythetimeIhadgleanedthisinformation，Pinkertonwasready。
　　“That’sallthatwecando。Nowfortheschooner。”saidhe；
　　“andbyto-morroweveningIlayhandsonGoddedaal，ormyname’snotPinkerton。”
　　“Howhaveyoumanaged？”Iinquired。
　　“You’llseebeforeyougettobed。”saidPinkerton。“Andnow，afterallthisbackwardingandforwarding，andthathotelclerk，andthatbugBellairs，it’llbeachangeandakindofconsolationtoseetheschooner。Iguessthingsarehummingthere。”