In the solitude of his richly appointed
suite he collected a few cork-bound stumps, which he impaled on a
toothpick in order to light them.
Meanwhile he amused himself by baiting the purser. He dogged that
serious-minded gentleman through all his waking hours, finding a
rare delight in playing upon his suspicion and lack of humor. To
him Kirk was always Mr. Locke, while he insisted upon being called
Mr. Anthony by the others, and the officer never quite got the
hang of it. Moreover, the latter was full of dignity, and did not
relish being connected with a certainly dubious and possibly
criminal character, yet dared not resort to rudeness as a means of
riddance.
The situation was trying enough to the young man at best; for the
ship's hirelings began to show a lack of interest in his comfort,
once it became known that he did not tip, and he experienced
difficulty in obtaining even the customary attentions. It was
annoying to one who had never known an unsatisfied whim; but Kirk
was of a peculiarly sanguine temperament that required much to
ruffle, and looked upon the whole matter as a huge joke. It was
this, perhaps, that enabled him to make friends in spite of his
unsociable habits, for the men liked him. As for the women, he
avoided them religiously, with the exception of Mrs.
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