right way of going to work, which made these humble pages, thought out so many years ago, luminous with another than а professional light. The simple old sailor, with his talk of chains and purchases, made me forget the jungle and the pilgrims in а delicious sensation of having come upon something unmistakably real. Such а book being there was wonderful enough; but still more astounding were the notes pencilled in the margin, and plainly referring to the text. I couldn’t believe my eyes! They were in cipher! Yes, it looked like cipher. Fancy а man lugging with him а book of that description into this nowhere and studying it – and making notes – in cipher at that! It was an extravagant mystery.
‘I had been dimly aware for some time of а worrying noise, and when I lifted my eyes I saw the wood-pile was gone, and the manager, aided by all the pilgrims, was shouting at me from the riverside. I slipped the book into my pocket. I assure you to leave off reading was like tearing myself away from the shelter of an old and solid friendship.
‘I started the lame engine ahead. “It must be this miserable trader-this intruder,” exclaimed the manager, looking back malevolently at the place we had left. “He must be English,” I said. “It will not save him from getting into trouble if he is not careful,” muttered the manager darkly. I observed with assumed innocence that no man was safe from trouble in this world.
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