"I don't have any friends in Honolulu, don't you know ?" "The friend to whom I refer is English," I replied.

"It is Mr.Carthew, whom you picked up at Midway.

My firm has bought the wreck; I am just returned from breaking her up; and--to make my business quite clear to you--I have a communication it is necessary I should make; and have to trouble you for Mr.Carthew's address." It will be seen how rapidly I had dropped all hope of interesting the frigid British bear.

He, on his side, was plainly on thorns at my insistence; I judged he was suffering torments of alarm lest I should prove an undesirable acquaintance; diagnosed him for a shy, dull, vain, unamiable animal, without adequate defence--a sort of dishoused snail; and concluded, rightly enough, that he would consent to anything to bring our interview to a conclusion.

A moment later, he had fled, leaving me with a sheet of paper, thus inscribed:-- Norris Carthew, Stallbridge-le-Carthew, Dorset.
I might have cried victory, the field of battle and some of the enemy's baggage remaining in my occupation.