"It is a great pleasure to me to meet you. I have heard so much of your work."
"I hope it may have been good."
"What else could it be? I am told that it is marvellous what you have accomplished in so short a time and almost alone."
"All have not that opinion of my work."
"All who spoke of it to me had that opinion. If what they told me is true, as I believe it is, how could they think otherwise?"
"Different men have different methods. So have different missions. Some can see no good in any but their own. My methods differ from those of others. They have not approved themselves to many of my seniors in the mission fields of China."
"I shall be glad to study your methods and see your results for myself."
"You shall have the opportunity."
The little group of officers and passengers were ere this seated at the table. In addition to those already mentioned there was the chief engineer, Watson, a Scot from the Clyde. There was also a passenger, a tea-buyer from New York.
The latter sat opposite Dr. MacKay at the mate's left. He had been listening to the conversation with a look of amused contempt on his flabby face. At the head of the table the captain, the engineer, Sinclair, and MacAllister formed one group, who were soon deep in conversation. The tea-buyer took advantage of their preoccupation to address his neighbour across the table: