th woods, on the slopes of the mountain; and about half way up,
sheltered on three sides, backed by thick woods, and commanding a
splendid sea view, stood an old, gray, battlemented house.

"There's my house!" I cried, in natural exultation, pointing with my
finger. It was a moment in my life--a moment to mark.

"Hurrah!" cried Denny, throwing up his hat in sympathy.

Demetri was standing near, and met this ebullition with a grim smile.

"I hope my lord will find the house comfortable," said he.

"We shall soon make it comfortable," said Hogvardt. "I dare say it's
half a ruin now."

"It is good enough now for a Stefanopoulos," said the fellow, with
a surly frown. The inference we were meant to draw was plain even to
incivility.

At five o'clock in the evening we entered the harbor of Neopalia and
brought up alongside a rather crazy wooden jetty that ran some
fifty feet out from the shore. Our arrival appeared to create great
excitement. Men, women, and children came running down the narrow,
steep street which climbed up the hill from the harbor. We heard
shrill cries, and a hundred fingers were pointed at us. We landed;
nobody came forward to greet us. I looked round, and saw no one who
could be the old lord; but I perceived a stout man who wore an air of
importance, and, walking up to him, I asked him very politely if he
would be so good as to direct me to the inn, for I had discovered from
Demetri that there was a modest house where we could lodge that night,
and I was too much in love with my island to think of sleeping on
board the yacht. The stout man looked at Denny and me; then he looked
at Demetri and Spiro, who stood near us, smiling their usual grim
smile. And he answered my question by another, a rather abrupt one:
"What do you want, sir?" And he slightly lifted his tasselled cap and
replaced it on his head.

"I want to know the way to the inn," I answered.

"You have come to visit Neopalia?" he asked.

A number of people had gathered round us now, and all fixed their eyes
on my face.

"Oh," I said carelessly, "I am the purchaser of the island, you know.
I have come to take possession."

Nobody spoke. Perfect silence reigned for half a minute.

"I hope we shall get on well together," I said, with my pleasantest
smile.

Still no answer came. The people round still stared.

At last the stout man, altogether ignoring my friendly advances, said,
curtly:

"I keep the inn. Come. I will take you