4 MYSTIC ISLES 



fragments of orders and replies which indicated that 

 until a search was completed she could not stir on her 

 journey. Then I heard cries of anger and protest, and 

 caught a ghmpse of a man whose appearance provoked 

 confusing emotions of astonishment, admiration, and 

 laughter. He was dressed in a Roman toga of rough 

 monk's-cloth, and had on sandals. He was being 

 hustled bodily over the restored gangway, and was re- 

 sisting valiantly the second officer, purser, and steward, 

 who were hardly able to move him, so powerfully was 

 he made. One of his sandals suddenly fell into the 

 bay. He had seized hold of the rail of the gangway, 

 and the leather sandal dropped into the water with a 

 slight splash. His grasp of the rail being broken, he 

 was gradually being pushed, limping, to the dock. His 

 one bare foot and his half-exposed and shapely body 

 caused a gale of laughter from the docks and the wharf. 



The gangway was quickly withdrawn, and our ship 

 began to move from the shore. The ejected one stood 

 watching us with sorrow shadowing his large eyes. He 

 was of middle size, with the form of a David of Michel- 

 angelo, though lithe, and he wore no hat, but had a long, 

 brown beard, which, with his brown hair, parted in the 

 middle and falling over his shoulders, and his archaic 

 garb, gave me a singular shock. It was as if a boyhood 

 vision, or something seen in a painting, was made real. 

 His eyes were the deepest blue, limpid and appealing, 

 and I felt like shouting out that if it was a matter of 

 money, I would aid the man in the toga. 



"Christ!" yelled the frantic dock superintendent. 

 "Get that line cast off and let her go! Are you cee- 

 mented to that hooker?" 



