‘You’re an American,’ was the Captain’s first remark, not a very novel observation; ‘I’ve been in America a good deal myself.’ He adjusted a monocle and explained with customary originality that he had one bad eye. ‘What do you think of my “stuff” in the Press?’ was his next remark. ‘A little personal, isn’t it? I read that despatch about your being unable to get any washing done at the hotel because of scarcity of water, and your leaving it for that reason.’ ‘Yes, that’s what the British public like to read, personal touches, don’t you think?’ ‘Where are you living now? We have to find a place.’ ‘Come with me. You know the Americans were always very hospitable to me, and I like to have a chance to do them a good turn. I’m living on a roof and getting my own grub. You know I’m an old campaigner--I mean to say, I’ve been in South Africa, and on the Canadian border, and I got my chest smashed in by a Russian in the Japanese war,--I mean a hand to hand conflict, you know, using the butts of our guns.’ ‘Were you a correspondent out there?’ ‘No, I was fighting for the Japs; I’m a soldier of fortune, you know.’ ‘But the Japanese Government did not allow Europeans to enlist.’ ‘I was the only one they would enlist; I mean to say, my father had some influence with the Japanese minister in London.’ ‘But you’re very young; how old are you?’ ‘Well, I don’t like to say; I mean there’s a reason I can’t tell my age,--I mean, I went to South Africa when I was sixteen; you see that’s under age for military service in the British Army.’ The Captain waited a moment, then started off again. ‘I’ve got medals from five campaigns.’ ‘I’d like to see them.’ Indifferently he opened his jacket. ‘There are six,’ I remarked. ‘Oh, that’s not a campaign medal; that’s a medal of the Legion of Frontiersmen. I mean to say, I was one of the organisers of that.’ Weare and I recognised the type. There are many of them abroad and some wear little American flags. But, of course, to us they are more grotesque when they affect the monocle. We knew Squall would not be insulted if we turned the conversation to the matter of most interest to us at that moment. ‘For my part,’ said Weare, ‘I could do well with something to eat just now. One doesn’t eat much on a torpedo-boat.’ With the prospects of our companionship--for Squall was boycotted by most of the correspondents--he led us away to his roof to get us a meal; and, for what the town provided, a good meal he served us. He did his own cooking, but he did it because he liked to cook,--he meant to say, he had money coming to him from the sale of a motor-car in London, and he had just lost fifteen or twenty thousand pounds--the exact amount did not matter either to us or to him.