to press, and millions of
newspapers have spun us out, in the greatest detail. The next four or
five days there won't be a man or woman in New York who can vie in
celebrity with the survivors of the _Roland_."

Amid similar talk, the _Hamburg_ reached its pier, and leave-taking began
in earnest. It was truly remarkable to see what emotion suddenly seized
these people, who at bottom were strangers to one another. Mrs. Liebling
wept, and Frederick and Doctor Wilhelm had to submit to her overflowing
kisses of gratitude. Rosa kissed Bulke; she kissed Doctor Wilhelm's and
Frederick's hands again and again, amid veritable howls. It goes without
saying that the ladies also exchanged endearments. Praises were bestowed
upon Flitte; and Captain Butor and Wendler, in fact the entire crew of
the _Hamburg_, were extolled as brave, noble rescuers. The physicians and
Stoss called the sailors of the _Roland_, "Our dear comrades! Our
heroes!"

It was agreed that all should meet again, and Doctor Wilhelm made an
appointment with Captain Butor, Wendler, and even the tattered painter,
Fleischmann, for noon of the day after next. The place chosen for the
meeting was the Hoffman House bar. From there, they would go together on
a jaunt through the city.

Poor Jacob Fleischmann, the painter, was somewhat perplexed by the mad
city, and turned rather mealy-mouthed. He could not speak English, he had
little cash, and he had lost his only capital, his paintings. He tried
delicately, though with evident anxiety, to attach himself to the men
with whom fate had thrown him, and they did not withhold the support he
sought. They agreed to look out for him. Even Arthur Stoss proffered his
services and good advice.

"Should you have trouble with the company's agent," he said, "call on me,
and I'll introduce you to my friend, the owner of the _Staats-Zeitung_."

PART II

I

A few moments later Frederick felt the solid pier beneath his feet. His
brain reeled lightly. The crowd on the pier cheered and hurrahed. In that
shouting, shrieking, roaring, swaying mass of humanity, he and Ingigerd,
who was clinging to his arm, seemed exposed to the danger of another sort
of drowning. Suddenly he found himself confronted by a little Japanese,
or someone whom at first glance he took to be a Japanese, and heard him
saying:

"How d'ye do, Doctor von Kammacher? Don't you know me? How d'ye do,
Doctor von Kammacher? Don't you know me?" several times