“Andasformycharacterasashipmate。”concludedWicks，“goandaskmyoldfirm。”
　　“Butlookhere！”criedHadden，“howdoyoumeantomanage？
　　Youcanwhiskroundinahansom，andnoquestionsasked。
　　Butifyoutrytocomeonaquarter-deck，myboy，you’llgetnabbed。”
　　“I’llhavetokeepbacktillthelast。”repliedWicks，“andtakeanothername。”
　　“Buthowaboutclearing？whatothername？”askedTommy，alittlebewildered。
　　“Idon’tknowyet。”returnedthecaptain，withagrin。“I’llseewhatthenameisonmynewcertificate，andthat’llbegoodenoughforme。IfIcan’tgetonetobuy，thoughIneverheardofsuchathing，there’soldKirkup，he’sturnedsomesortoffarmerdownBondiway；he’llhiremehis。”
　　“Youseemedtospeakasifyouhadashipinview。”saidCarthew。
　　“SoIhave，too。”saidCaptainWicks，“andabeauty。SchooneryachtDream；gotlinesyouneversawthebeatof；andawitchtogo。ShepassedmeonceoffThursdayIsland，doingtwoknotstomyoneandlayingapointandahalfbetter；andtheGraceDarlingwasashipthatIwasproudof。Itookandtoremyhair。TheDream’sbeenMYdreameversince。Thatwasinherolddays，whenshecarriedablueens’n。GrantSandersonwasthepartyasownedher；hewasrichandmad，andgotafeveratlastsomewhereabouttheFlyRiver，andtookanddied。
　　ThecaptainbroughtthebodybacktoSydney，andpaidoff。
　　Well，itturnedoutGrantSandersonhadleftanyquantityofwillsandanyquantityofwidows，andnofellowcouldmakeoutwhichwasthegenuinearticle。Allthewidowsbroughtlawsuitsagainstalltherest，andeverywillhadafirmoflawyersonthequarterdeckaslongasyourarm。Theytellmeitwasoneofthebiggestturns-tothateverwasseen，barTichborne；theLordChamberlainhimselfwasfloored，andsowastheLordChancellor；andallthattimetheDreamlayrottingupbyGlebePoint。Well，it’sdonenow；they’vepickedoutawidowandawill；tossedupforit，aslikeasnot；andtheDream’sforsale。She’llgocheap；she’shadalongturn-toatrotting。”
　　“Whatsizeisshe？”
　　“Well，bigenough。Wedon’twantherbigger。Ahundredandninety，goingtwohundred。”repliedthecaptain。“She’sfullybigforusthree；itwouldbeallthebetterifwehadanotherhand，thoughit’sapitytoo，whenyoucanpickupnativesforhalfnothing。Thenwemusthaveacook。Icanfixrawsailor-
　　men，butthere’snogoingtoseawithanew-chumcook。Icanlayhandsonthemanwewantforthat：aHighwayboy，anoldshipmateofmine，ofthenameofAmalu。Cooksfirstrate，andit’salwaysbettertohaveanative；heaintfly，youcanturnhimtoasyouplease，andhedon’tknowenoughtostandoutforhisrights。”
　　FromthemomentthatCaptainWicksjoinedintheconversation，Carthewrecoveredinterestandconfidence；themanwhateverhemighthavedonewasplainlygood-natured，andplainlycapable；ifhethoughtwelloftheenterprise，offeredtocontributemoney，broughtexperience，andcouldthussolveatawordtheproblemofthetrade，Carthewwascontenttogoahead。AsforHadden，hiscupwasfull；heandBostockforgaveeachotherinchampagne；toastfollowedtoast；itwasproposedandcarriedamidacclamationtochangethenameoftheschoonerwhensheshouldbeboughttotheCurrencyLass；andtheCurrencyLassIslandTradingCompanywaspracticallyfoundedbeforedusk。
　　Threedayslater，Carthewstoodbeforethelawyer，stillinhisjeansuit，receivedhishundredandfiftypounds，andproceededrathertimidlytoaskformoreindulgence。
　　“Ihaveachancetogetonintheworld。”hesaid。“Byto-morroweveningIexpecttobepartownerofaship。”
　　“Dangerousproperty，Mr。Carthew。”saidthelawyer。
　　“Notifthepartnersworkherthemselvesandstandtogodownalongwithher。”wasthereply。
　　“Iconceiveitpossibleyoumightmakesomethingofitinthatway。”returnedtheother。“Butareyouaseaman？Ithoughtyouhadbeeninthediplomaticservice。”
　　“Iamanoldyachtsman。”saidNorris。“AndImustdothebestIcan。Afellowcan’tliveinNewSouthWalesupondiplomacy。ButthepointIwishtoprepareyouforisthis。ItwillbeimpossibleIshouldpresentmyselfherenextquarter-
　　day；weexpecttomakeasixmonths’cruiseofitamongtheislands。”
　　“Sorry，Mr。Carthew：Ican’thearofthat。”repliedthelawyer。
　　“Imeanuponthesameconditionsasthelast。”saidCarthew。
　　“Theconditionsareexactlyopposite。”saidthelawyer。“LasttimeIhadreasontoknowyouwereinthecolony；andeventhenIstretchedapoint。Thistime，byyourownconfession，youarecontemplatingabreachoftheagreement；andIgiveyouwarningifyoucarryitoutandIreceiveproofofitforI
　　willagreetoregardthisconversationasconfidentialIshallhavenochoicebuttodomyduty。Behereonquarter-day，oryourallowanceceases。”
　　“Thisisveryhardand，Ithink，rathersilly。”returnedCarthew。
　　“Itisnotofmydoing。Ihavemyinstructions。”saidthelawyer。
　　“Andyousoreadtheseinstructions，thatIamtobeprohibitedfrommakinganhonestlivelihood？”askedCarthew。
　　“Letusbefrank。”saidthelawyer。“Ifindnothingintheseinstructionsaboutanhonestlivelihood。Ihavenoreasontosupposemyclientscareanythingaboutthat。Ihavereasontosupposeonlyonething，——thattheymeanyoushallstayinthiscolony，andtoguessanother，Mr。Carthew。Andtoguessanother。”
　　“Whatdoyoumeanbythat？”askedNorris。
　　“ImeanthatIimagine，onverystronggrounds，thatyourfamilydesiretoseenomoreofyou。”saidthelawyer。“O，theymaybeverywrong；butthatistheimpressionconveyed，thatiswhatIsupposeIampaidtobringabout，andIhavenochoicebuttotryandearnmyhire。”
　　“Iwouldscorntodeceiveyou。”saidNorris，withastrongflush，“youhaveguessedrightly。Myfamilyrefusetoseeme；butI
　　amnotgoingtoEngland，Iamgoingtotheislands。Howdoesthataffecttheislands？”
　　“Ah，butIdon’tknowthatyouaregoingtotheislands。”saidthelawyer，lookingdown，andspearingtheblotting-paperwithapencil。
　　“Ibegyourpardon。Ihavethepleasureofinformingyou。”saidNorris。
　　“Iamafraid，Mr。Carthew，thatIcannotregardthatcommunicationasofficial。”wastheslowreply。
　　“Iamnotaccustomedtohavemyworddoubted！”criedNorris。
　　“Hush！Iallownoonetoraisehisvoiceinmyoffice。”saidthelawyer。“Andforthatmatter——youseemtobeayounggentlemanofsense——considerwhatIknowofyou。Youareadiscardedson；yourfamilypaysmoneytobeshutofyou。Whathaveyoudone？Idon’tknow。ButdoyounotseehowfoolishI
　　shouldbe，ifIexposedmybusinessreputationonthesafeguardofthehonourofagentlemanofwhomIknowjustsomuchandnomore？Thisinterviewisverydisagreeable。Whyprolongit？
　　Writehome，getmyinstructionschanged，andIwillchangemybehaviour。Nototherwise。”
　　“Iamveryfondofthreehundredayear。”saidNorris，“butI
　　cannotpaythepricerequired。Ishallnothavethepleasureofseeingyouagain。”
　　“Youmustpleaseyourself。”saidthelawyer。“Failtobeherenextquarter-day，andthethingstops。ButIwarnyou，andI
　　meanthewarninginafriendlyspirit。Threemonthslateryouwillbeherebegging，andIshallhavenochoicebuttoshowyouinthestreet。”
　　“Iwishyouagood-evening。”saidNorris。
　　“Thesametoyou，Mr。Carthew。”retortedthelawyer，andrangforhisclerk。
　　SoitbefellthatNorrisduringwhatremainedtohimofarduousdaysinSydney，sawnotagainthefaceofhislegaladviser；andhewasalreadyatsea，andlandwasoutofsight，whenHaddenbroughthimaSydneypaper，overwhichhehadbeendozingintheshadowofthegalley，andshowedhimanadvertisement。
　　“Mr。NorrisCarthewisearnestlyentreatedtocallwithoutdelayattheofficeofMr——，whereimportantintelligenceawaitshim。”
　　“Itmustmanagetowaitformesixmonths。”saidNorris，lightlyenough，butyetconsciousofapangofcuriosity。
　　Beforenoononthe26thNovember，thereclearedfromtheportofSydneytheschooner，CurrencyLass。Theowner，NorrisCarthew，wasonboardinthesomewhatunusualpositionofmate；themaster’snamepurportedtobeWilliamKirkup；thecookwasaHawaiianboy，JosephAmalu；andthereweretwohandsbeforethemast，ThomasHaddenandRichardHemstead，thelatterchosenpartlybecauseofhishumblecharacter，partlybecausehehadanodd-job-man’shandinesswithtools。TheCurrencyLasswasboundfortheSouthSeaIslands，andfirstofallforButaritariintheGilberts，onaregister；butitwasunderstoodabouttheharbourthathercruisewasmorethanhalfapleasuretrip。AfriendofthelateGrantSandersonofAuchentroonandKilclartymighthaverecognisedinthattall-mastedship，thetransformedandrechristenedDream；andtheLloyd’ssurveyor，hadtheservicesofsuchaonebeencalledinrequisition，musthavefoundabundantsubjectofremark。
　　Fortime，duringherthreeyears’inaction，hadeatendeepintotheDreamandherfittings；shehadsoldinconsequenceashadeabovehervalueasoldjunk；andthethreeadventurershadscarcebeenabletoaffordeventhemostvitalrepairs。Therigging，indeed，hadbeenpartlyrenewed，andtherestsetup；
　　allGrantSanderson’soldcanvashadbeenpatchedtogetherintoonedecentlyserviceablesuitofsails；GrantSanderson’smastsstillstood，andmighthavewonderedatthemselves。“I
　　haven’tthehearttotapthem。”CaptainWicksusedtoobserve，ashesquinteduptheirheightorpattedtheirrotundity；and“asrottenasourforemast“wasanacceptedmetaphorintheship’scompany。Thesequelrathersuggestsitmayhavebeensounderthanwasthought；butnooneknewforcertain，justasnooneexceptthecaptainappreciatedthedangersofthecruise。Thecaptain，indeed，sawwithcleareyesandspokehismindaloud；
　　andthoughamanofanastonishinghot-bloodedcourage，followinglifeandtakingitsdangersinthespiritofahoundupontheslot，hehadmadeapointofabigwhaleboat。“Takeyourchoice。”hehadsaid；“eithernewmastsandriggingorthatboat。Isimplyain’tgoingtoseawithouttheoneortheother。
　　Chickencoopsaregoodenough，nodoubt，andsoisadinghy；
　　buttheyain’tforJoe。”Andhispartnershadbeenforcedtoconsent，andsawsixandthirtypoundsoftheirsmallcapitalvanishintheturnofahand。
　　Allfourhadtoiledthebestpartofsixweeksgettingready；andthoughCaptainWickswasofcoursenotseenorheardof，afifthwastheretohelpthem，afellowinabushyredbeard，whichhewouldsometimeslayasidewhenhewasbelow，andwhostrikinglyresembledCaptainWicksinvoiceandcharacter。AsforCaptainKirkup，hedidnotappeartillthelastmoment，whenheprovedtobeaburlymariner，beardedlikeAbouBenAdhem。AllthewaydowntheharbourandthroughtheHeads，hismilk-whitewhiskersblewinthewindandwereconspicuousfromshore；buttheCurrencyLasshadnosoonerturnedherbackuponthelighthouse，thanhewentbelowfortheinsideoffivesecondsandreappearedcleanshaven。Somanydoublingsanddeviceswererequiredtogettoseawithanunseaworthyshipandacaptainthatwas“wanted。”Normighteventhesehavesufficed，butforthefactthatHaddenwasapubliccharacter，andthewholecruiseregardedwithaneyeofindulgenceasoneofTom’sengagingeccentricities。Theship，besides，hadbeenayachtbefore；anditcamethemorenaturaltoallowherstillsomeofthedangerouslibertiesofheroldemployment。
　　Astrangeshiptheyhadmadeofit，herloftysparsdisfiguredwithpatchedcanvas，herpanelledcabinfittedforatraderoomwithrudeshelves。Andthelifetheyledinthatanomalousschoonerwasnolesscuriousthanherself。Amalualoneberthedforward；therestoccupiedstaterooms，campeduponthesatindivans，andsatdowninGrantSanderson’sparquetrysmoking-roomtomealsofjunkandpotatoes，badoftheirkindandoftenscantinquantity。Hemsteadgrumbled；Tommyhadoccasionalmomentsofrevoltandincreasedtheordinarybyafewhaphazardtinsorabottleofhisownbrownsherry。ButHemsteadgrumbledfromhabit，Tommyrevoltedonlyforthemoment，andtherewasunderneatharealandgeneralacquiescenceinthesehardships。Forbesidesonionsandpotatoes，theCurrencyLassmaybesaidtohavegonetoseawithoutstores。Shecarriedtwothousandpounds’worthofassortedtrade，advancedoncredit，theirwholehopeandfortune。Itwasuponthisthattheysubsisted——miceintheirowngranary。Theydinedupontheirfutureprofits；andeveryscantymealwassomuchinthesavingsbank。