"Business getting on all right?" asked Chéri-Bibi when they were all together in Fernandez's private room with a bottle of golden wine before them.
"Bless me, yes," he returned. "What with convicts, gold-diggers, smugglers and pirates I hold my own."
The Nut asked for news of the great war.
"Very unsatisfactory for France," said Fernandez, shaking his head. "But the steamer which puts in here to-morrow morning may bring us better news."
"I thought that the boat from the Antilles did not reach here for another week," said Chéri-Bibi.
"That's true," returned Fernandez, "but a boat now starts from Martinique, and calls at the ports along the coast on dates announced beforehand. She has to pick up Frenchmen of military age coming from the interior to join up."
Chéri-Bibi turned to the Nut.
"That's just the very thing to meet the wishes of my friend Didier d'Haumont, who has left his business on the Upper Oyapok—a very fine and prosperous business—to go back to France and do his duty. Only, old chap, Didier d'Haumont came away in such a tearing hurry that he absolutely forgot to bring his wardrobe with him. As I know you always have these things on hand, I hope that he won't be much the worse for it."
"Your friend will be able to get anything he wants here," returned Fernandez, bowing to the Nut with every mark of politeness.
"That's all right then. You'll go with my friend to the ship, of course?"