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Diplomatic coat。〃
He was dressed in a linen suit at that moment； but； Mr。 Kitten
started off himself and brought down the Diplomatic coat； which was
a blue cloth one； gold…laced； and with a crown on the button。
〃Now； Mr。 Kitten；〃 says Pordage； 〃I instruct you； as Vice…
commissioner； and Deputy…consul of this place； to demand of Captain
Maryon； of the sloop Christopher Columbus； whether he drives me to
the act of putting this coat on？〃
〃Mr。 Pordage；〃 says Captain Maryon； looking out of his hammock
again； 〃as I can hear what you say； I can answer it without
troubling the gentleman。 I should be sorry that you should be at
the pains of putting on too hot a coat on my account； but；
otherwise； you may put it on hind…side before； or inside…out； or
with your legs in the sleeves； or your head in the skirts； for any
objection that I have to offer to your thoroughly pleasing
yourself。〃
〃Very good； Captain Maryon；〃 says Pordage； in a tremendous passion。
〃Very good； sir。 Be the consequences on your own head！ Mr。 Kitten；
as it has come to this； help me on with it。〃
When he had given that order； he walked off in the coat； and all our
names were taken； and I was afterwards told that Mr。 Kitten wrote
from his dictation more than a bushel of large paper on the subject；
which cost more before it was done with； than ever could be
calculated； and which only got done with after all； by being lost。
Our work went on merrily； nevertheless； and the Christopher
Columbus； hauled up； lay helpless on her side like a great fish out
of water。 While she was in that state； there was a feast； or a
ball； or an entertainment； or more properly all three together；
given us in honour of the ship； and the ship's company； and the
other visitors。 At that assembly； I believe； I saw all the
inhabitants then upon the Island； without any exception。 I took no
particular notice of more than a few； but I found it very agreeable
in that little corner of the world to see the children； who were of
all ages； and mostly very prettyas they mostly are。 There was one
handsome elderly lady； with very dark eyes and gray hair； that I
inquired about。 I was told that her name was Mrs。 Venning； and her
married daughter； a fair slight thing； was pointed out to me by the
name of Fanny Fisher。 Quite a child she looked； with a little copy
of herself holding to her dress； and her husband； just come back
from the mine； exceeding proud of her。 They were a good…looking set
of people on the whole； but I didn't like them。 I was out of sorts；
in conversation with Charker； I found fault with all of them。 I
said of Mrs。 Venning； she was proud； of Mrs。 Fisher； she was a
delicate little baby…fool。 What did I think of this one？ Why； he
was a fine gentleman。 What did I say to that one？ Why； she was a
fine lady。 What could you expect them to be （I asked Charker）；
nursed in that climate； with the tropical night shining for them；
musical instruments playing to them； great trees bending over them；
soft lamps lighting them； fire…flies sparkling in among them； bright
flowers and birds brought into existence to please their eyes；
delicious drinks to be had for the pouring out； delicious fruits to
be got for the picking； and every one dancing and murmuring happily
in the scented air； with the sea breaking low on the reef for a
pleasant chorus。
〃Fine gentlemen and fine ladies； Harry？〃 I says to Charker。 〃Yes； I
think so！ Dolls！ Dolls！ Not the sort of stuff for wear； that
comes of poor private soldiering in the Royal Marines！〃
However； I could not gainsay that they were very hospitable people；
and that they treated us uncommonly well。 Every man of us was at
the entertainment； and Mrs。 Belltott had more partners than she
could dance with： though she danced all night； too。 As to Jack
（whether of the Christopher Columbus； or of the Pirate pursuit
party； it made no difference）； he danced with his brother Jack；
danced with himself； danced with the moon； the stars； the trees； the
prospect； anything。 I didn't greatly take to the chief…officer of
that party； with his bright eyes； brown face； and easy figure。 I
didn't much like his way when he first happened to come where we
were； with Miss Maryon on his arm。 〃O； Captain Carton；〃 she says；
〃here are two friends of mine！〃 He says； 〃Indeed？ These two
Marines？〃meaning Charker and self。 〃Yes；〃 says she； 〃I showed
these two friends of mine when they first came； all the wonders of
Silver…Store。〃 He gave us a laughing look； and says he； 〃You are in
luck； men。 I would be disrated and go before the mast to…morrow； to
be shown the way upward again by such a guide。 You are in luck；
men。〃 When we had saluted； and he and the lady had waltzed away； I
said； 〃You are a pretty follow； too； to talk of luck。 You may go to
the Devil！〃
Mr。 Commissioner Pordage and Mrs。 Commissioner； showed among the
company on that occasion like the King and Queen of a much Greater
Britain than Great Britain。 Only two other circumstances in that
jovial night made much separate impression on me。 One was this。 A
man in our draft of marines； named Tom Packer； a wild unsteady young
fellow； but the son of a respectable shipwright in Portsmouth Yard；
and a good scholar who had been well brought up； comes to me after a
spell of dancing； and takes me aside by the elbow； and says；
swearing angrily：
〃Gill Davis； I hope I may not be the death of Sergeant Drooce one
day！〃
Now； I knew Drooce had always borne particularly hard on this man；
and I knew this man to be of a very hot temper： so； I said：
〃Tut； nonsense！ don't talk so to me！ If there's a man in the corps
who scorns the name of an assassin； that man and Tom Packer are
one。〃
Tom wipes his head； being in a mortal sweat； and says he：
〃I hope so； but I can't answer for myself when he lords it over me；
as he has just now done； before a woman。 I tell you what； Gill！
Mark my words！ It will go hard with Sergeant Drooce； if ever we are
in an engagement together； and he has to look to me to save him。
Let him say a prayer then； if he knows one； for it's all over with
him； and he is on his Death…bed。 Mark my words！〃
I did mark his words； and very soon afterwards； too； as will shortly
be taken down。
The other circumstance that I noticed at that ball； was； the gaiety
and attachment of Christian George King。 The innocent spirits that
Sambo Pilot was in； and the impossibility he found himself under of
showing all the little colony； but especially the ladies and
children； how fond he was of them； how devoted to them； and how
faithful to them for life and death； for present； future； and
everlasting； made a great impression on me。 If ever a man； Sambo or
no Sambo； was trustful and trusted； to what may be called quite an
infantine and sweetly beautiful extent； surely； I thought that
morning when I did at last lie down to rest； it was that Sambo
Pilot； Christian George King。
This may account for my dreaming of him。 He stuck in my sleep；
cornerwise； and I couldn't get him out。 He was always flitting
about me； dancing round me； and peeping in over my hammock； though I
woke and dozed off again fifty times。 At last； when I opened my
eyes； there he really was； looking in at the open side of the little
dark hut； which was made of leaves； and had Charker's hammock slung
in it as well as mine。
〃So…Jeer！〃 says he； in a sort of a low croak。 〃Yup！〃
〃Hallo！〃 says I； starting up。 〃What？ You are there； are you？〃
〃Iss；〃 says he。 〃Christian George King got news。〃
〃What news has he got？〃
〃Pirates out！〃
I was on my feet in a second。 So was Charker。 We were both aware
that Captain Carton； in command of the boats； constantly watched the
mainland for a secret signal； though； of course； it was not known to
such as us what the signal was。
Christian George King had vanished before we touche