The place was crowded with ship hands and dock labourers, and reeked

with that indescribable odour which is peculiar to the locality. Without

receiving an order, a one-eyed waiter slammed a cup of thick coffee and

two hunks of bread and butter before Dene; and Dene, eating and drinking

the rough fare with an enjoyment which amused him, looked round him with

the keenness of a man who is watching for an opportunity to seize upon

the extended hand of Chance.

At the same table were seated two men whom he found it rather difficult

to place; they did not look like dock labourers or sailors; and there

was a mixture of the artist, the actor, the cheap-jack about them which

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stirred his curiosity; he found himself listening to them involuntarily.

"About time we were moving, isn't it?" said one. "The whole caboose will

be down there by now; and it will be a devil of a job getting it on

board in the dark. Why the old man didn't go by the regular line I can't

think."

"'Thrift, Horatio, thrift,'" responded his companion; "he'll save a lot

of money by hiring this old tramp; and he won't care how we have to pig

it, so long as the blessed animals are all right. I had a look at her

just now, and if ever there was a jumping, rolling, sea-sick old tub,

she's one."

"A nice prospect," grunted the first man; "and we're short-handed, too;

catch the old man taking a single man more than he wants."

Dene pricked up his ears. Was the hand of Chance being extended already?

He waited for more, but the men ceased talking, and presently rose and

walked out, with a gait which was as curious as everything else about

them. Obeying an impulse, Dene rose and followed them. They joined the

crowd going down towards the docks, and, keeping them in sight, he

merged into a group of excited persons who were moving about in a scene

which struck Dene with amazement.

On the quay, beside which a steamer was moored, towered a couple of huge

elephants, surrounded by camels, horses, and mules, while on trollies

stood cages of wild beasts, lions, tigers, jackals; one of the elephants

was trumpeting, the camels were groaning, the carnivora roaring; mixed

with their din were the voices of a motley crew, men and women, having

the same appearance in dress and manner as that of the two men he had

followed. Dene saw that it was a travelling menagerie and circus, and he

looked on it with an amusement which predominated over his

self-interest. Presently there darted into the conglomerate mass an

extraordinary object--it might have been one of the monkeys escaped from

its cage and miraculously raised into imitation of a man's stature. The

diminutive figure was enveloped in a fur coat, much too large for it,

and crowned by a ridiculous sombrero hat. An extinct cigar was held in

the clenched teeth, and as the thing waved its hand Dene caught the

glitter of innumerable rings.




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