`Itappearsheaddressedhimselfinthefirstinstancetotheprincipalshipping-master。ArchieRuthvelhadjustcomein，and，ashisstorygoes，wasabouttobeginhisarduousdaybygivingadressing-downtohischiefclerk。Someofyoumighthaveknownhim——anobliginglittlePortuguesehalf-castewithamiserableskinnyneck，andalwaysonthehoptogetsomethingfromtheshipmastersinthewayofeatables——apieceofsaltpork，abagofbiscuits，afewpotatoes，orwhatnot。Onevoyage，Irecollect，Itippedhimalivesheepoutoftheremnantofmysea-stock：notthatIwantedhimtodoanythingforme——hecouldn’t，youknow——butbecausehischildlikebeliefinthesacredrighttoperquisitesquitetouchedmyheart。Itwassostrongastobealmostbeautiful。Therace——thetworacesrather——andtheclimate……However，nevermind。IknowwhereIhaveafriendforlife。
`Well，Ruthvelsayshewasgivinghimaseverelecture——onofficialmorality，Isuppose——whenheheardakindofsubduedcommotionathisback，andturninghisheadhesaw，inhisownwords，somethingroundandenormous，resemblingasixteen-hundredweightsugar-hogsheadwrappedinstripedflannelette，up-endedinthemiddleofthelargefloorspaceintheoffice。Hedeclareshewassotakenabackthatforquiteanappreciabletimehedidnotrealizethethingwasalive，andsatstillwonderingforwhatpurposeandbywhatmeansthatobjecthadbeentransportedinfrontofhisdesk。Thearchwayfromtheante-roomwascrowdedwithpunkah-pullers，sweepers，policepeons，thecoxswainandcrewoftheharboursteam-launch，allcraningtheirnecksandalmostclimbingoneachother’sbacks。Quiteariot。Bythattimethefellowhadmanagedtotugandjerkhishatclearofhishead，andadvancedwithslightbowsatRuthvel，whotoldmethesightwassodiscomposingthatforsometimehelistenedquiteunabletomakeoutwhatthatapparitionwanted。Itspokeinavoiceharshandlugubriousbutintrepid，andlittlebylittleitdawneduponArchiethatthiswasadevelopmentofthePatnacase。Hesaysthatassoonasheunderstoodwhoitwasbeforehimhefeltquiteunwell——Archieissosympatheticandeasilyupset——butpulledhimselftogetherandshouted：“Stop!Ican’tlistentoyou。YoumustgototheMasterAttendant。Ican’tpossiblylistentoyou。CaptainElliotisthemanyouwanttosee。Thisway，thisway。“Hejumpedup，ranroundthatlongcounter，pulled，shoved：theotherlethim，surprisedbutobedientatfirst，andonlyatthedooroftheprivateofficesomesortofanimalinstinctmadehimhangbackandsnortlikeafrightenedbullock。“Lockhere!what’sup？Letgo!Lookhere!“Archieflungopenthedoorwithoutknocking。“ThemasterofthePatna，sir，“heshouts。“Goin，captain。“
Hesawtheoldmanlifthisheadfromsomewritingssosharpthathisnose-nippersfelloff，bangedthedoorto，andfledtohisdesk，wherehehadsomepaperswaitingforhissignature：buthesaystherowthatburstoutintherewassoawfulthathecouldn’tcollecthissensessufficientlytorememberthespellingofhisownname。Archie’sthemostsensitiveshipping-masterinthetwohemispheres。Hedeclareshefeltasthoughhehadthrownamantoahungrylion。Nodoubtthenoisewasgreat。Ihearditdownbelow，andIhaveeveryreasontobelieveitwasheardclearacrosstheEsplanadeasfarastheband-stand。OldfatherElliothadagreatstockofwordsandcouldshout——anddidn’tmindwhoheshoutedateither。HewouldhaveshoutedattheViceroyhimself。Asheusedtotellme：“IamashighasIcanget；mypensionissafe。I’veafewpoundslaidby，andiftheydon’tlikemynotionsofdutyIwouldjustassoongohomeasnot。Iamanoldman，andIhavealwaysspokenmymind。AllIcarefornowistoseemygirlsmarriedbeforeIdie。“Hewasalittlecrazyonthatpoint。Histhreedaughterswereawfullynice，thoughtheyresembledhimamazingly，andonthemorningshewokeupwithagloomyviewoftheirmatrimonialprospectstheofficewouldreaditinhiseyeandtremble，because，theysaid，hewassuretohavesomebodyforbreakfast。However，thatmorninghedidnoteattherenegade，but，ifImaybeallowedtocarryonthemetaphor，chewedhimupverysmall，sotospeak，and——ah!ejectedhimagain。
`ThusinaveryfewmomentsIsawhismonstrousbulkdescendinhasteandstandstillontheoutersteps。Hehadstoppedclosetomeforthepurposeofprofoundmeditation：hislargepurplecheeksquivered。Hewasbitinghisthumb，andafterawhilenoticedmewithasidelongvexedlook。
Theotherthreechapsthathadlandedwithhimmadealittlegroupwaitingatsomedistance。Therewasasallow-faced，meanlittlechapwithhisarminasling，andalongindividualinablueflannelcoat，asdryasachipandnostouterthanabroomstick，withdroopinggreymoustaches，wholookedabouthimwithanairofjauntyimbecility。Thethirdwasanupstanding，broad-shoulderedyouth，withhishandsinhispockets，turninghisbackontheothertwowhoappearedtobetalkingtogetherearnestly。HestaredacrosstheemptyEsplanade。Aramshacklegharry，alldustandvenetianblinds，pulledupshortoppositethegroup，andthedriver，throwinguphisrightfootoverhisknee，gavehimselfuptothecriticalexaminationofhistoes。Theyoungchap，makingnomovement，notevenstirringhishead，juststaredintothesunshine。ThiswasmyfirstviewofJim。Helookedasunconcernedandunapproachableasonlytheyoungcanlook。Therehestood，clean-limbed，clean-faced，firmonhisfeet，aspromisingaboyasthesunevershoneon；and，lookingathim，knowingallheknewandalittlemoretoo，IwasangryasthoughIhaddetectedhimtryingtogetsomethingoutofmebyfalsepretences。Hehadnobusinesstolooksosound。