This was all we knew about him for the first few days. He
rose very early, went to bed late and spent all day outside of the
cabin. As a rule, we woke early, because to the muffled and steady
splash of the ocean over the sides of the ship there was added a
splash issuing from the basin, nearby. By the dim light of the
bull's-eye I could see from my top berth a tall figure in a nightshirt
as long as a shroud, with a small bald spot on the pate. Out of
delicacy he did not turn on the electric lights and in the
semi-darkness made his toilet very quietly, but was not able to forego
the pleasure of emitting some snorts while splashing himself with cold
water from the basin. Then he dived again into his berth and for some
time quietly and cautiously busied himself there; then--a light squeak
of the door, and a long figure glided out from the cabin. We were
interested in the personality of our neighbour. He was the first
American whom fate had brought so near to us. We were unable even to
distinguish his face and during the day tried to single him out in
the international crowd of gentlemen scurrying about the deck of our
_Urania_, lounging on the deck-chairs, having luncheon, or dinner or
supper, or lost in the smoke of cigars in the smoking room. This
elusiveness made the personality of the traveller puzzling and
interesting, and we bestowed the title of "Our American" now on one,
now on another of the middle-aged American gentlemen. Of course, we
marked as candidates the more interesting and typical figures. The
_Urania_ had been on the ocean for quite some time when my friend at
last said to me: "I have found out which American is ours. Here he
comes now. Look!"

Along the railing, a lanky gentleman and a short stout lady were
coming toward us. I felt a sense of involuntary disappointment: both
he and she were the least interesting of all the first-class
passengers on the _Urania_.

A kind of half-European, half-exotic troupe were on the boat. They
were going to America for a tour. The central figures in the group
were two beautiful Creoles who had already succeeded in gaining a
reputation in Europe. Around them were grouped a few stars of smaller
magnitude, and the whole constellation attracted considerable
attention from the men of the various nationalities represented on
board. Soon a few couples circling the decks together came into
notice. Amongst them were the lanky gentleman and the short, very
vulgar lady, who l