For all practical purposes Davidson was managing that command of his single-handed; and of course this was known in the port.

I am telling you of it because the fact had its influence on the developments you shall hear of presently.
"His steamer, being so small, could go up tiny creeks and into shallow bays and through reefs and over sand-banks, collecting produce, where no other vessel but a native craft would think of venturing.

It is a paying game, often.

Davidson was known to visit in her places that no one else could find and that hardly anybody had ever heard of.
"The old dollars being called in, Davidson's Chinaman thought that the _Sissie_ would be just the thing to collect them from small traders in the less frequented parts of the Archipelago.

It's a good business.
Such cases of dollars are dumped aft in the ship's lazarette, and you get good freight for very little trouble and space.
"Davidson, too, thought it was a good idea; and together they made up a list of his calls on his next trip.