In which a friend’s letter reveals Jim’s quiet virtues and the gentle affection he inspires, though hints of a mysterious fault linger unsaid; yet Jim’s restless spirit soon leads him to leave without explanation, taking refuge in a modest clerical post far from comfort or fortune. Amidst the commonplace bustle of a ship-chandlers’ shop and the sharp disputes of its owners, Jim’s untamed energy for the sea endears him to some even as it foretells a silent, enigmatic departure from the life he might have claimed.