Captain. Jack
had come up in his pajamas, a remarkable suit of broad purple and
saffron stripes, and he stood there yawning and rubbing his massive
hairy bosom.

"'Why, where you been, Fred?' he demanded, slyly, 'I'm surprised at you.
I thought you was a respectable man.'

"'Well, Jack,' I said, 'as far as I know, I am.' He looked at me for a
moment, his head thrown back, his powerful hands flat on his breast, and
his big blood-shot brown eyes twinkled.

"'You know what I mean, Fred,' he muttered. 'I'm only jokin'. When are
you comin' back? I'm goin' up to the agent's at ten.'

"'Oh, we'll be back to breakfast. It isn't six yet.'

"As we walked along the quays, I looked out beyond the tiny harbour in
which the _Manola_ was berthed. The waters of the Gulf lay like a sheet
of planished steel beneath a canopy of lead-coloured clouds. A couple of
steamers at anchor, their bows pointing toward us, were reflected with
uncanny exactitude in the motionless water below them. And away beyond
lay the sullen and bleak masses of the Chalcidice and the far watershed
of the Vardar, leading the eye at length to the immense, snow-streaked
peak of Olympos, flushing as some majestic woman might flush, in the
first rays of the sun, hidden as yet behind the symmetrical cone of
Mount Athos. I discovered that I had stopped to look at all this and I
realized with a slight shock that Mr. Tonderbeg was expressing his
approval. He said it was very fine.

"'You admire scenery?' I asked him as we walked on.

"'Very much,' he assured me. 'But by scenery I mean mountains. They are
very elevating, in my opinion, Mister Chief. Where I come from,
Schleswig, you know, we have very fine mountains.' And he coughed
deferentially behind his hand.

"'What's your notion of being elevated?' I enquired.

"'Well, Mister Chief,' he said in a deep tone, 'it is only natural for a
respectable man to improve himself, and to cultivate his mind, if you
know what I mean. And I find good scenery very improving. It gives me
good ideas. When I come to all dese different places I write home to a
little friend o' mine and tell all about it.'

"'What does your friend think about it?' He smiled.

"'Well, Mister Chief, when I say a little friend o' mine, I mean my gel
in North Shields, you understand. She's a school teacher, very well
educated. Yes, I should say she's had a splendid education. She writes
me very fine letters. A fine thing, education, Mister Chief.