"I tell you what, Stanley," said the admiral, "I don't care what they did to me, for it's done me no harm. But after this you should be able to make them enforce the laws. If they would only do that, the Pacific Coast wouldn't stink so in the nostrils of shipmasters and shipowners." The consul explained the local system of politics. It appeared that every one with any business on the borders of crime insured against the results of accidents by being in politics. "And if the thieving politicians appoint the man to control them, what's the result?" "The result is--Shanghai Smith," said the admiral. "Well, I'll see you later. I've an appointment with Mr. Sant, of the _Harvester_." The consul stared. "What, with Sant? Why, he got eighteen months' hard labour for killing a man six months ago." "But he's not in prison?" "Of course not," said the consul. "He was pardoned by the Governor." "He's just the man I wish to see," cried Dicky Dunn. He found Sant waiting at Cartwright's office. He was a hard-bitted, weather-beaten gentleman, and half his face was jaw. That jaw had hold of a long cigar with his back teeth. He continued smoking and chewing, and did both savagely. What Peter had said to him did not come out, but by agreement the admiral was introduced as Mr. Dunn. "You have reason not to like Shanghai Smith?" said Peter. "That's so," nodded Sant. "Mr. Dunn does not like him either. Could you make any use of him on board the _Harvester_?" "I could," said Sant, grinning; "he'd be a useful man." "If you imagined you missed a man to-morrow morning just as you were getting up your anchor, and some one hailed you and said they had picked one up, you would take him aboard?" "Wet or dry," said Sant. "I'll undertake he shall be wet," said the admiral. "Eh?" And he turned to Selwyn. "Yes, sir," replied the lieutenant, "that could be arranged." "Very well, Mr. Sant," said the admiral. "And it's understood, of course," said Peter, "that you gentlemen never saw each other and don't know each other when you meet, it being a matter of mutual obligation." "I agree," said Sant. And the admiral shook hands with a gentleman who had been pardoned by an amiable Governor. "And of course," Cartwright added as he escorted the admiral and Selwyn into the passage, "if there _should_ be a shindy at Smith's and any of your men are in it, we shall all explain that it was owing to your having been put away. And two wrongs then will make it right. I guess the newspapers will call it square." "Exactly so," said the admiral. And when he reached the _Triumphant_ he had very nearly worked out the plan by which the row at Shanghai Smith's was to occur.