Next I tried the shipping-offices connected with the lines of steamers leaving the port, but with no more, luck than before.

The case seemed rapidly going from bad to worse, and already it had been suggested that I should give it up and return to my duty without further waste of time.

This, as you may naturally suppose, I had no desire to do.
I worried myself about it day and night, giving it a great deal more attention in fact than I should bestow upon such a matter now, or even upon cases of twice the importance.

If there had been nothing else in my favour, my attention to duty should have been sufficient to have commended me to my superiors.

It was the other way round, however.