hadbeenresponsibleforhisstate：helookedatmeasifIhadbeentheembodiedeviloflife。“It’sallover，“Istammered。“Yes，“hesaid，thickly。
“Andnowletnoman……“Hejerkedhisarmoutofmygrasp。Iwatchedhisbackashewentaway。Itwasalongstreet，andheremainedinsightforsometime。Hewalkedratherslow，andstraddlinghislegsalittle，asifhehadfounditdifficulttokeepastraightline。JustbeforeI
losthimIfanciedhestaggeredabit。
“`Manoverboard，“saidadeepvoicebehindme。Turninground，IsawafellowIknewslightly，aWestAustralian；Chesterwashisname。He，too，hadbeenlookingafterJim。Hewasamanwithanimmensegirthofchest，arugged，clean-shavedfaceofmahoganycolour，andtwoblunttuftsofiron-grey，thickwiryhairsonhisupperlip。Hehadbeenpearler，wrecker，trader，whaler，too，Ibelieve；inhisownwords——anythingandeverythingamanmaybeatsea，butapirate。ThePacific，northandsouth，washisproperhunting-ground；buthehadwanderedsofarafieldlookingforacheapsteamertobuy。Latelyhehaddiscovered——sohesaid——aguanoislandsomewhere，butitsapproachesweredangerous，andtheanchorage，suchasitwas，couldnotbeconsideredsafe，tosaytheleastofit。“Asgoodasagold-mine，“hewouldexclaim。“RightbanginthemiddleoftheWalpoleReefs，andifit’strueenoughthatyoucangetnoholding-groundanywhereinlessthanfortyfathom，thenwhatofthat？Therearethehurricanes，too。Butit’safirst-ratething。Asgoodasagold-mine——better!Yetthere’snotafoolofthemthatwillseeit。Ican’tgetaskippertocarttheblessedstuffmyself。“……Thiswaswhatherequiredasteamerfor，andIknewhewasjustthennegotiatingenthusiasticallywithaParseefirmforanold，brig-riggedseaanachronismofninetyhorse-power。Wehadmetandspokentogetherseveraltimes。HelookedknowinglyafterJim。“Takeittoheart？“heasked，scornfully。“Verymuch，“Isaid。“Thenhe’snogood，“heopined。“What’salltheto-doabout？Abitofass’sskin。Thatneveryetmadeaman。Youmustseethingsexactlyastheyare——ifyoudon’t，youmayjustaswellgiveinatonce。Youwillneverdoanythinginthisworld。Lookatme。Imadeitapracticenevertotakeanythingtoheart。“
“Yes，“Isaid，“youseethingsastheyare。““IwishIcouldseemypartnercomingalong，that’swhatIwishtosee，“hesaid。“Knowmypartner？OldRobinson。Yes；theRobinson。Don’tyouknow？ThenotoriousRobinson。ThemanwhosmuggledmoreopiumandbaggedmoresealsinhistimethananylooseJohnnynowalive。Theysayheusedtoboardthesealing-schoonersupAlaskawaywhenthefogwassothickthattheLordGod，Healone，couldtellonemanfromanother。Holy-TerrorRobinson。That’stheman。Heiswithmeinthatguanothing。Thebestchanceheevercameacrossinhislife。“Heputhislipstomyear。“Cannibal？——well，theyusedtogivehimthenameyearsandyearsago。Yourememberthestory？AshipwreckonthewestsideofStewartIsland；that’sright；sevenofthemgotashore，anditseemstheydidnotgetonverywelltogether。Somemenaretoocantankerousforanything——don’tknowhowtomakethebestofabadjob——don’tseethingsastheyare——astheyare，myboy!Andthenwhat’stheconsequence？