with his own _narghileh_. They have no compunction about robbing
their government by peculation, but treachery is not their _metier_. And
our friend knows it quite well."

"Business," observed Mr. Dainopoulos suddenly, "is very bad."

Mr. Bates seemed very amused at this and leaned over the dirty
marble-topped table.

"Count us both in, my friend here and me, for the same as last time. How
about it, eh?"

"Oh!" Mr. Dainopoulos pulled his extended frame up and put his elbows on
the table, his eyes blinking quickly. "Oh, that's all right. Yes,
certainly. But I mean to say business is very bad. You would not believe
me, Mister, but the chances that are going, and all for a little
management, are lost! Incredible! Only this week"--here he lowered his
voice so that Mr. Spokesly, who was listening with undivided attention,
scarcely gathered the words--"only this week, I could have made--ah,
much money--if I had with me an Englishman who knows the business. Ten
thousand drachma, easy as that!" Mr. Dainopoulos snapped his fingers
without a sound and looked depressed.

Mr. Bates did not look depressed. His smile evaporated and he looked
down his nose into his moustache with an expression of ruffled
propriety.

"I must say----" he began, and added, after a pause, "'Course we hadn't
arrived, but I should 'ave thought, seein' we was due here, you might
have counted on me."

Mr. Dainopoulos regarded Mr. Bates as though he were sizing him up for
the first time and found him to amount to an almost negligible quantity.
And then he shook his head.

"No," he murmured in a muffled tone. "That's not what I meant. What I
wanted--too late now, of course--was a Kapitan."

Mr. Bates, touching Mr. Spokesly's foot with his own, emitted a snigger
right in the face of Mr. Dainopoulos.

"And what about it?" he queried, impudently. "My friend here's got a
master's ticket. What's the matter with him? I'm surprised----"

He was. To Mr. Bates it was unpleasant to discover that Mr. Dainopoulos
should doubt his ability to cope with any situation which involved a
financial reward. That gentleman, however, was not exclusively
preoccupied with Mr. Bates and his emotions. He turned immediately to
Mr. Spokesly who sat quietly twisting his glass of whiskey on the marble
table. The pale, prominent, and bloodshot brown eyes examined Mr.
Spokesly with passionless attention. Mr. Dainopoulos had filled many
posts in his career. Quite apart from his pa