A very big man, Mr Vantoch. They call him a captain of industry.’

‘A captain?’ mused Captain van Toch. ‘So I’m not the only captain from Jevicko after all! Hell, that boy Gus is a captain too! I really ought to meet him. And has he got money?’

‘What do you think? Piles of it, Mr Vantoch. Sure to have several hundred million. Richest man in the country.’

Captain van Toch turned profoundly serious. ‘And a captain as well. I’m most grateful to you, my boy. I’ll set course for that man Bondy straight away. Such a little Jew he used to be. And now he’s Captain G. H. Bondy. Ah well, time does fly,’ he sighed melancholically.

‘Captain, we’ll have to leave now or we’ll miss the evening train - ’

‘I’ll see you down to the harbour,’ said the captain and began to weigh anchor. ‘Jolly glad you hove to, gentlemen. I know an editor chap in Surabaya, a very sound lad and a good friend of mine. Frightful old soak. I could find you jobs on that Surabaya paper, if you’d like me to, boys. No? Just as you like.’

When the train pulled out Captain van Toch slowly and ceremoniously waved his huge blue handkerchief. As he did so a large irregular pearl dropped into the sand. A pearl nobody ever found.

3

G. H. Bondy and His Fellow Countryman

It is a well-known fact that the greater a man is the less he has on his door-plate. An old chap like Max Bondy in jevíčko had to have large letters painted above his shop, on both sides of the door and on the windows, that this was the place of Max Bondy, merchant of all types of drapery, brides’ trousseaux, canvas, towels, napery and household linen, printed cotton and flannel, top-quality cloth, silk, curtains, pelmets, braids and all kinds of sewing material. Founded 1885. His son, G. H. Bondy, a captain of industry, President of MEAS Incorporated, Commercial Counsellor, Stock Exchange Consultant, Vice-Chairman of the Federation of Industries, Consulato de la República Ecuador, member of numerous boards of directors, etc. etc., had on his house only a small black-glass plate with the gilt lettering

BONDY

Nothing more. Just Bondy.