Captain Cable there.

He arrived in Dantzic early in the morning, and did not go to a hotel.
He left his luggage at the station and walked down to the Lange Brucke,
where the river steamers start for Neufahrwasser.

The boats ran every hour, and Cartoner had not long to wait. He was not
pressed for time, however, on his homeward journey, as he was more or
less his own master while travelling, and could break his journey at
Dantzic quite as easily as at Berlin.

Neufahrwasser is slowly absorbing the commerce of Dantzic, and none but
small vessels go up the river to the city now. Captain Cable was deeply
versed in those by-paths of maritime knowledge which enable small
vessels to hold their own in these days of monopoly.

Cartoner knew that he would find the _Minnie_ not in dock, but in one
of the river anchorages, which are not only cheaper, but are more
convenient for a vessel wanting to go to sea at short notice. And
Captain Cable had a habit of going to sea at short notice.

Cartoner was not far wrong. For his own steamer passed the _Minnie_ just
above Neufahrwasser, where the river is broad and many vessels lie
in mid-stream. The _Minnie_ was deeply laden and lay anchored bow and
stern, with the rapid tide rustling round her chains. She was ready for
sea. Cartoner could see that. But she flew no bluepeter nor heralded her
departure, as some captains, and especially foreigners, love to do. It
adds to their sense of importance, and this was a modern quality little
cultivated by Captain Cable. Neither was his steam aggressively in
evidence. The _Minnie_ did not catch the eye of the river-side idler,
but conveyed the impression that she was a small, insignificant craft
minding her own business, and would be much obliged if you would mind
yours.

Cartoner had to walk back by the river-side and then take a boat from
the steps opposite to the anchorage. He bade the boatman wait while he
clambered on board. Captain Cable had been informed of the approach of
a shore boat, and was standing squarely on his own iron main-deck when
Cartoner put his leg across the rail.

"Come below," he said, without enthusiasm. "It wasn't you that I was
expecting. I tell you that."

Cartoner followed the captain into the little, low cabin, which smelled
of petroleum, as usual. The _Minnie_ was a hospitable ship, according
to her facilities, and her skipper began by polishing a tumbler with a
corner of the table-cloth. Then he indicated