, , thedeathofBrissenden, andtheestrangementfromRuthhadmadeabigholeinhislife; andhisliferefusedtobepinneddowntogoodlivingincafésandthesmokingofEgyptiancigarettes.ItwastruetheSouthSeaswerecallingtohim, , , , land-lockedbaytothetopsofthedizzy, , wildchickens, andwildpigs, withanoccasionalherdofwildcattle, .

Thebay, asherememberedit, wasmagnificent, withwaterdeepenoughtoaccommodatethelargestvesselafloat, —oneofthoseyacht-like, copperedcraftsthatsailedlikewitches—'s, , captainsofwanderingtraders, .

, , , awaitingthepublicationofthebooks, hemustdosomethingmorethanlivedazedandstupidinthesortofuncaringtranceintowhichhehadfallen.

Henoted, oneSundaymorning, thattheBricklayers' PicnictookplacethatdayatShellMoundPark, -classpicnicstooofteninhisearlierlifenottoknowwhattheywerelike, , theywerehiskind, , hehadlivedamongthem, andthoughhehadstrayedforatime, itwaswelltocomebackamongthem.

"Ifitain'tMart!" heheardsomeonesay, andthenextmomentaheartyhandwasonhisshoulder."Whereyoubenallthetime? Offtosea? Comeonan' haveadrink."

Itwastheoldcrowdinwhichhefoundhimself—theoldcrowd, withhereandthereagap, , but, asintheolddays, theyattendedallSundaypicnicsforthedancing, andthefighting, , , hethought; ', heconcluded, andwonderedif, afterall, , , theplumber, hemetthere, inthecompanyofatall, blondgirlwhopromptlyforsookhimforMartin.

"Gee, it'slikeoldtimes," JimmyexplainedtothegangthatgavehimthelaughasMartinandtheblondewhirledawayinawaltz."An' Idon'tgivearap.I'mtoodamnedgladtosee ' 'mwaltz, eh? It''dblameanygirl?"