This was most necessary, because he was a man of expensive luxuries.

His family of Kwaque, Michael, and Cocky required food and shelter; more costly than that was maintenance of the Ancient Mariner in the high-class hotel; and, in addition, was his six-quart thirst.
But it was a time of industrial depression.

The unemployed problem was bulking bigger than usual to the citizens of San Francisco.

And, as regarded steamships and sailing vessels, there were three stewards for every Steward's position.

Nothing steady could Daughtry procure, while his occasional odd jobs did not balance his various running expenses.
Even did he do pick-and-shovel work, for the municipality, for three days, when he had to give way, according to the impartial procedure, to another needy one whom three days' work would keep afloat a little longer.
Daughtry would have put Kwaque to work, except that Kwaque was impossible.