Ieremia looked gravely over the rims of his glasses when his employer entered, gravely marked the place in the Bible and set it aside, and gravely shook hands.
"I am glad you came in person," he said.
"How else could I come?" Grief laughed.
But Ieremia had no sense of humour, and he ignored the remark.
"The commercial situation on the island is damn bad," he said with great solemnity and an unctuous mouthing of the many-syllabled words. "My ledger account is shocking."
"Trade bad?"
"On the contrary. It has been excellent. The shelves are empty, exceedingly empty. But----" His eyes glistened proudly. "But there are many goods remaining in the storehouse; I have kept it carefully locked."
"Been allowing Tui Tulifau too much credit?"
"On the contrary. There has been no credit at all.
