ADRIFT ON THE PACIFIC A Boys Story of the Sea and its Perils By EDWARD S. ELLIS Author of "The Young Pioneers, " "Fighting to Win, " "Adrift in the Wilds, ""The Boy Patriot, " Etc. A. L. BURT COMPANY; PUBLISHERS NEW YORK Copyright, 1911 By A. L. BURT COMPANY Adrift on the Pacific ADRIFT ON THE PACIFIC CHAPTER I CAPTAIN STRATHMORE'S PASSENGER A few hours before the sailing of the steamer _Polynesia_, from SanFrancisco to Japan, and while Captain Strathmore stood on deckwatching the bustle and hurry, he was approached by a nervous, well-dressed gentleman, who was leading a little girl by the hand. "I wish you to take a passenger to Tokio for me, Captain Strathmore, "said the stranger. The honest, bluff old captain, although tender of the feelings ofothers, never forgot the dignity and respect due to his position, and, looking sternly at the stranger, said: "You should know, sir, that it is the purser and not the captain whomyou should see. " "I have seen him, and cannot make a satisfactory arrangement. " "And that is no reason, sir, why you should approach me. " The captain was about moving away, when the stranger placed his handon his arm, and said, in a hurried, anxious voice: "It is not I who wish to go--it is this little girl. It is a case oflife and death; she must go! You, as captain, can take her in your owncabin, and no one will be inconvenienced. " For the first time Captain Strathmore looked down at the little girl, who was staring around her with the wondering curiosity of childhood. She was apparently about six years of age, and the picture ofinfantile innocence and loveliness. She was dressed with good taste, her little feet being incased in Cinderella-like slippers, while thepretty stockings and dress set off the figure to perfection. She worea fashionable straw hat, with a gay ribbon, and indeed looked like achild of wealthy parents, who had let her out for a little jaunt alongsome shady avenue. When Captain Strathmore looked down upon this sweet child, a greatpang went through his heart, for she was the picture of the littlegirl that once called him father. Her mother died while little Inez was an infant, and, as soon as thecherished one could dispense with the care of a nurse, she joined herfather, the captain, and henceforth was not separated from him. Shewas always on ship or steamer, sharing his room and becoming the petof every one who met her, no less from her loveliness than from herchildish, winning ways. But there came one awful dark day, away out in the Pacific, when thesweet voice was hushed forever, and the rugged old captain was bowedby a grief such as that which smites the mountain-oak to the earth. The little girl who now looked up in the face of Captain Strathmorewas the image of Inez, who years before had sunk to the bottom of thesea, carrying with her all the sunshine, music and loveliness thatcheered her father's heart. With an impulse he could not resist, thecaptain reached out his arms and the little stranger instantly raninto them. Then she was lifted up, and the captain kissed her, saying: "You look so much like the little girl I buried at sea that I couldnot help kissing you. " The child was not afraid of him, for her fairy-like fingers beganplaying with the grizzled whiskers, while the honest blue eyes of theold sailor grew dim and misty for the moment. The gentleman who had brought the child to the steamer saw that thiswas a favorable time for him to urge his plea. "That is the little girl whom I wished to send to Tokio by you. " "Have you no friend or acquaintance on board in whose care you canplace her?" "I do not know a soul. " "Is she any relative of yours?" "She is my niece. Her father and mother are missionaries in Japan, andhave been notified of her coming on this steamer. " "If that were so, why then were not preparations made for sending herin the care of some one, instead of waiting until the last minute, andthen rushing down here and making application in such an irregularmanner?" "Her uncle, the brother of my wife, expected to make the voyage withher, and came to San Francisco for that purpose. He was takendangerously ill at the hotel, and when I reached there, a few hoursago, he was dead, and my niece was in the care of the landlord'sfamily. My wife, who is out yonder in a carriage, had prepared toaccompany me East to-morrow. Her brother had made no arrangements fortaking the little one on the steamer, so I was forced into thisunusual application. " While the gentleman was making this explanation, the captain washolding the child in his arms, and admiring the beautiful countenanceand loveliness of face and manner. "She does look exactly like my poor little Inez, " was his thought, ashe gently placed her on her feet again. "If we take her to Japan, what then?" "Her parents will be in Tokio, waiting for her. You, as captain, havethe right, which no one would dare question, of taking her into yourcabin with you, and I will compensate you in any manner you maywish. " "What is her name?" asked Captain Strathmore. "Inez. " "She shall go, " said the sailor, in a husky voice. CHAPTER II THE CAPTAIN AND INEZ The steamer _Polynesia_ was steaming swiftly across the Pacific, inthe direction of Japan--bravely plunging out into the mightiestexpanse of water which spans the globe, and heading for the port thatloomed up from the ocean almost ten thousand miles away. Although but a few days out, little Inez had become the pet of thewhole ship. She was full of high spirits, bounding health--a laughing, merry sprite, who made every portion of the steamer her home, and whowas welcome wherever she went. To the bronzed and rugged Captain Strathmore she was such a reminderof his own lost Inez that she became a second daughter to him, andsomething like a pang stirred his heart when he reflected upon hisarrival at his destination and his parting from the little one. Inez, as nearly as the captain could gather, had been living forseveral years with her uncle and aunt in San Francisco, from whichport her parents had sailed a considerable time before. The strangergave a very common name as his own--George Smith--and said he wouldawait the return of the _Polynesia_ with great anxiety, in order tolearn the particulars of the arrival of his niece in Japan. However, the captain did not allow his mind to be annoyed by anyspeculations as to the past of the little girl; but he could not avoida strong yearning which was growing in his heart that something wouldturn up--something possibly in the shape of a social revolution orearthquake--that would place the little girl in his possession again. And yet he trembled as he muttered the wish. "How long would I keep her? I had such a girl once--her verycounterpart--the sweet Inez, my own; and yet she is gone, and whoshall say how long this one shall be mine?" The weather remained all that could be wished for a number of daysafter steaming out of the Golden Gate. It was in the month ofSeptember, when a mild, dreamy languor seemed to rest upon everything, and the passage across the Pacific was like one long-continued dreamof the Orient--excepting, perhaps, when the cyclone or hurricane, roused from its sleep, swept over the deep with a fury such as strewsthe shores with wrecks and the bottom with multitudes of bodies. What more beautiful than a moonlight night on the Pacific? The _Polynesia_ was plowing the vast waste of waters which separatesthe two worlds, bearing upon her decks and in her cabins passengersfrom the four quarters of the globe. They came from, and were going to, every portion of the wide world. Some were speeding toward their homes in Asia or Africa or the islandsof the sea; and others living in Europe or America, or the remotecorners of the earth, would finally return, after wandering overstrange places, seeing singular sights, and treading in the footstepsof the armies who had gone before them in the dim ages of the past. Now and then the great ship rose from some mighty swell, and then, settling down, drove ahead, cleaving the calm water and leaving a widewake of foam behind. The black smoke poured out of the broad funnels, and sifted upward through the scant rigging, and was dissipated in theclear air above. The throbbing of the engine made its pulsations feltthrough the ponderous craft from stem to stern, as a giant breathesmore powerfully when gathering his energy for the final effort of therace. A few drifting clouds moved along the sky, while, now and then, a starlike point of light, far away against the horizon, showed wheresome other caravansary of the sea was moving toward its destination, thousands of leagues away. Although Captain Strathmore was on duty, and it was against the rulesfor any passenger to approach or address him, yet there was one whowas unrestrained by rules or regulations, no matter how sternly theywere enforced in other cases. The captain was standing on the bridge, when he felt some one tuggingat his coat, and he looked down. There was Inez demanding his attention. "Take me up, pop, " said she. "Bless your heart!" laughed the captain as he obeyed the littleempress; "you would ruin the discipline of a man-of-war in a month. " While speaking, he perched her on his shoulder, as was a favoritecustom with him. The day had been unusually warm, and the night was so mild that thesteady breeze made by the motion of the steamer was scarcelysufficient to keep one cool. Little Inez had thrown aside her hat withthe setting of the sun, and now her wealth of golden hair streamed andfluttered in fleecy masses about her shoulders. The steamer was plowing straight to the westward, cutting the waves sokeenly that a thin parabola of water continually curved over in frontof her from the knife-like prow. Perched aloft on the shoulder of the captain, Inez naturally gazedahead, and the figure was a striking one of innocence and infancypeering forward through the mists and clouds toward the unknownfuture. But Inez was too young to have any such poetical thoughts, and the captain was too practical to be troubled by "æstheticmeditations. " He chatted with her about their arrival in Japan, saying that shewould be glad to see no more of him, when she replied: "If you talk that way, I'll cry. You must go home and live with us. Uncle Con says papa has a big dog, and if we haven't room in thehouse, you can sleep with him, and I'll feed you each morning--oh, look!" CHAPTER III AN ACCIDENT That which arrested the attention of the little girl in the arms ofCaptain Strathmore, was a sight--unique, rare and impressivelybeautiful. All around the steamer stretched the vast Pacific, melting away intodarkness, with here and there a star-like twinkle, showing where someship was moving over the waste of waters. Overhead, the sky was clear, with a few stars faintly gleaming, while the round, full moon, forwhose rising so many on the steamer had been watching, had just comeup, its disk looking unusually large, as it always does when so closeto the horizon. Just when the moon was half above the ocean, and when the narrowingpath of the illumination stretched from the ship to the outer edge ofthe world, a vessel under full sail slowly passed over the face of themoon. The partial eclipse was so singular that it arrested the attention ofInez, who uttered the exclamation we have recorded. It was seen bynearly all the passengers, too, most of whom were looking toward thehorizon for the rising of the orb, and expressions of delight wereheard from every quarter, for such a sight, we say, is rare. When observed by the passengers on board the _Polynesia_, the moon hadbarely cleared the horizon, as we have stated, and the top of themainmast just reached the uppermost portion of the periphery, whilespars, rigging and hull were marked against the yellow disk asdistinctly as if painted in India ink. Such an obscuration, like a total one of the sun, could last but a fewseconds, for the _Polynesia_ and the other ship were moving inopposite directions, while the moon itself was creeping upward towardthe zenith. Slowly the black ship glided toward its destination--hull, masts and rigging gradually mingled with the gloom beyond, until themoon, as if shaking off the eclipse, mounted upward with its faceunmarred, excepting by the peculiar figures stamped there when it wasfirst launched into space. When the wonderful exhibition was over there were murmurs ofadmiration from the passengers, who, grouped here and there, orpromenading back and forth, had stood spellbound, as may be said, while it was in progress. Captain Strathmore and two of his officers had seen the same thingonce or twice before, but they had been favored in this respect aboveothers, and could hardly expect anything of the kind again. The captain now prepared for an interesting and novel ceremony, whichhe had announced would take place that evening by moonlight. Descending to the deck, and approaching the stern, where the expectantpassengers had gathered together, the group were silent a minute, while he stood among them holding little Inez by the hand. A fewminutes later the purser came aft, carrying a parcel in his hand, which he carefully placed upon the taffrail. Then he spoke in asepulchral voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, we all have lost minutes and hours, but it isseldom that we deliberately throw away a day. But we are to do so now. We are about to bury a day. To-day is the Twentieth, to-morrow will bethe Twenty-second, and where, then, is the Twenty-first? There itlies" (pointing to the parcel on the taffrail). "Life is short enough, without deliberately casting an entire day into the sea; but there isthe consolation of knowing, on your return, that it shall be restoredto you, and thus beautifully does nature preserve the equilibriumthroughout the world. What more fitting than that the day should beburied by the hands of one whose life is as spotless as the snow uponthe peaks of the Sierras we have left behind us?" All now uncovered their heads--that is, the gentlemen did--and thecaptain advanced, leading Inez Hawthorne by the hand. Holding her up ashort distance from the deck, she called out: "Good-by, Twenty-first of September!" She repeated the words correctly, for the captain whispered them inher ear, and as she spoke she gave the parcel a slight shove, andoverboard it went, striking the water with a splash, and instantlysinking out of sight. The package was nothing but some old iron, wrapped about with coarse brown paper. The ceremony of burying a day, as the reader knows, is a common, andit may be said, a necessary, one with vessels sailing westward overthe Pacific, as the picking up of a day is necessary on the return. Atfirst sight it seems incongruous, but it is in fact the only way inwhich the reckoning of time can be kept correctly. The little ceremony naturally caused the matter itself to become oneof discussion, and probably a goodly number of young ladies andgentlemen picked up more knowledge of the matter than they had everdreamed of before. Two curious things happened within a half hour of this novelceremony. The _Polynesia_ was driving along with that steady motion in which thethrobbing of the vessel can only be detected by carefully standingstill and watching for it, when every passenger, and especially thecaptain and his officers, suddenly felt an alarming jar, which shookthe steamer from stem to stern. It was noticed that the engineinstantly stopped and the enormous ship gradually came to rest uponthe long, heaving swell of the Pacific. In a few minutes it was ascertained that the steamer had broken theshaft of her propeller, thus rendering the all-important screwuseless. This necessitated the hoisting of her sails, and a monotonousvoyage to her destination, a return to San Francisco, or a longdeviation to Honolulu for repairs. While the necessary investigation was going on, a sail had beensighted bearing down upon them, and in half an hour it came-to, ashort distance off, in the hope of being able to afford someassistance--as the sight of a steamer lying motionless on the watermeant that something was amiss. This new craft was the schooner _Coral_, a stanchly-built, sharp-bowedlittle vessel of forty tons burden, built for the Honolulu trade. Shewas about seven years old, very fast, and constructed as strongly asiron and wood could make her. The forecastle, cook's quarters andcabin were all under deck, so that in heavy weather there was nodanger of being washed from one's bunk whenever a big sea camethundering over the rail. The skipper or captain of this trim little craft was Jack Bergen, ofBoston, and he with his mate, Abram Storms, had made the trip acrossthe continent by rail to San Francisco--thus saving the long, dangerous and expensive voyage around Cape Horn. In the Golden Gate City they--for the mate and captain were jointpartners--bought the _Coral_ at auction, paying just two-thirds thesum they expected to give for the vessel they needed. However, whenshe was fitted up and provisioned, they found very little of theirfunds left, and they could but feel some anxiety as to the result ofthe extraordinary enterprise upon which they were engaged. The crew ofthe little schooner consisted of the two sailors, Hyde Brazzier, Alfredo Redvignez, and a huge African, Pomp Cooper, who shipped ascook and steward, with the liability of being called upon to do dutyin an emergency. But of these, more hereafter. Captain Bergen, after his craft came-to, was rowed across the short, intervening distance with his mate, and they were assisted upon deck, where they were received most courteously. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" he asked after he and hisbrother officer were received by Captain Strathmore. "I'm obliged to you, but I'm afraid not, " was the courteous response. "You know, there's no way of telling when a piece of iron is going tofracture, and so there is no way of providing against such anaccident. " "Is the shaft broke?" "Yes; broken clean off. " "Where?" The captain of the steamer smiled, for he saw no need of such aquestion, since he considered the damage irremediable. "Quite a distance from the screw, and it's a curious fracture. Wouldyou like to look at it?" "I would, indeed. You see, we have got considerable out of ourcourse--being too far west--and we shall make a pretty sharp turn tothe south, toward Honolulu. " "I am debating whether to go there, turn back to San Francisco, orkeep on under sail to Tokio. " "This is my mate, Abram Storms, from Enfield, Connecticut, " saidCaptain Bergen, introducing the two. "I bring him along because he isthe most ingenious man ever turned out by that home of ingenuity; andwhen I saw that something was the matter with you, I came alongside, more because I believed he could help you, than in the expectationthat I could be of any service. " "Captain Bergen does me too much honor, " protested the stoop-shoulderedNew Englander, who, had there been more of daylight, would have beenseen to blush under the compliment. "I have no doubt he speaks the truth, " replied Captain Strathmore, leading the way below to where the broken shaft rested motionless;"but this trouble is too much like a broken neck for any surgery tohelp. " A minute later, a group of half a dozen stood about and stooped overthe broken shaft, and examined it by the aid of lanterns, the chiefengineer showing a more courteous spirit than is usual under suchcircumstances. As one looked at the huge cylinder of solid iron, gleaming with asilvery whiteness all over the jagged face where it had been twistedoff, the wonder was how it could be possible for any force to betremendous enough to do such damage. The peculiarity about thebreakage, however, was that, instead of snapping nearly squarely off, the fracture extended longitudinally for fully eighteen inches, sothat the face of each part was a great deal broader and longer than isgenerally the case in such accidents. The group surveyed it a minute or two in silence, stooping down andfeeling of the innumerable jagged protuberances, the indentations, andthe exceedingly rough surface, the minute particles gleaming in thelamp-light like a mass of silver ore split apart. The first remark came from the New Englander, Abe Storms. "That is curious, for there are no signs of crystallization, nor can Idetect a flaw. " "Nevertheless, it must be there, for perfect iron would not havebroken in that manner, " said the chief engineer. "I beg your pardon, " said the mate, courteously, "but it frequentlyhappens. There has been some peculiar combination of the movement ofthe steamer on the swell of the sea, with the position of the screw atthat moment--a convergence of a hundred conditions--some almostinfinitesimal, but necessary, and which convergence is not likely totake place in a million revolutions of the screw--that has brought anirresistible strain upon the shaft--one that would have wrenched itoff, had the diameter been twice what it is. " The group looked wonderingly at the speaker, for every intelligent manfelt that the theory of the New Englander had a stratum of truthbeneath it. It was hard to make clear what the mate meant, but all toa certain extent understood, and no one ventured to gainsay it. "However, " added Abe Storms, "there's one good thing about this; itwill be easy to mend it. " Captain Bergen smiled, for he expected something of the kind, and heknew that that wonderful Yankee mate of his never boasted, and woulddemonstrate every assertion he made. But the others stared at thespeaker with something like consternation, and seemed to be debatingwhether he was crazy or a natural born idiot. CHAPTER IV MISSING "Mend a broken shaft?" repeated the chief engineer, in amazement. "Howdo you expect to do that?" "I will show you, " replied the mate of the little schooner, whoimmediately proceeded to business. The first thing he asked for was several coils of wire, which wereimmediately furnished him. Then, with great labor, the two parts ofthe shaft were fitted together and the wire was twisted tightly aroundthe fractured portion over and over again. As the tenacity of iron is tremendous, the shaft was securelyfastened, but this was not enough. Ropes and chains were bound aroundthe iron in turn, until there was really no room to bandage the brokenshaft further. "There, sir!" exclaimed Storms, as he stepped back and viewed hiswork. "That is as secure as before, though, if you can possibly do so, you should avoid reversing the screw until you reach Tokio, for youcan understand that to reverse and start will wrench the shaft to adangerous degree. " The captain now told the engineer, who had been assisting in theoperation, to start the engine slowly and with great care. Captain Bergen ran on deck to see that the _Coral_ was in position toreceive no harm from the forward motion, while the rest of the groupwatched the movements with intense interest, standing away from theshaft so as to escape the "splinters, " that more than one thoughtmight be flying about their heads the next minute. There came the sound of steam, of plunging rods and cylinders fromahead, then there was heard a furious splash at the stern, and all sawthat the shaft in its entirety was revolving. The keen eyes of Abe Storms, who had leaned directly over hishandiwork, lamp in hand, his nose almost touching the gleaming chains, detected the very yielding which he had prophesied. He heard thecreaking of the chains, the faint gasping, as it may be called, of therope, and the soft grinding of the fine wire beneath. All this showed what an enormous strain was brought upon them, andalmost any other person detecting the rasping of the ragged edges ofiron against each other would have started back appalled, believingthat everything was about to fly apart. But it was precisely what themate expected, and what was inevitable under the circumstances. Then, at his request, the engineer was ordered to put on a full head ofsteam, and the _Polynesia_ plowed forward, cleaving the water beforeher. Abe Storms knelt down and bent almost lovingly over the round massrevolving on its axis. Then he beckoned to the engineer to approachand do the same. He obeyed, as did several others, and placing theirears close, they listened intently to the revolution of the shaft. Not even the faintest noise could be detected to show that there wasanything but a normal movement of the shaft. Every one saw, too, thatthe revolutions were not only going on regularly, but would continueso for an indefinite time. The shaft was practically whole again, withthe exception that a reverse movement would be likely to undoeverything, and by scraping the corrugated surfaces of the fractures, render it impossible to do anything of the kind again. Captain Strathmore and his officers stood for a full hour moresteadily watching the revolving shaft, and at the end of that timethey were satisfied. Then the new acquaintances saluted and bade eachother good-by, the officers of the _Coral_ passing over the rail, andwere rowed back to their own vessel, which had followed in the wake ofthe steamer, as may be said. By this time it was midnight, and the captain returned to hisstation on the bridge, reflecting to himself that some of the mostinsurmountable difficulties, apparently, are overcome by the simplestmeans, and that there are some persons in the world who reallyseem capable of inventing anything. The hour was so late that all the passengers had retired, and littleInez, as a matter of course, had become invisible long before. She haddeclared several times that she was going to sit up with the captain, and she tried it, but, like most children under such circumstances, she dropped off into slumber by the time it was fairly dark, and wascarried below to the cabin. The child was like so much sunshine flitting hither and thither uponthe steamer, and whose presence would be sorely missed when the hourcame for her to go. But Captain Strathmore was a disciplinarian, whocould never forget his duty, and he remained at his post until thetime came for him to go below to gain the few hours' sleep whichcannot be safely dispensed with by any one, no matter how rugged hisframe. Tumbling into his berth, he stretched out with a sigh of comfort, andwent to sleep. "Inez will be in here bright and early to wake me, " was hisconclusion, as he closed his eyes in slumber. But he was disappointed, for when he was called from his couch, it wasnot by the little one whom he expected to see. At the breakfast-tableshe did not appear, and then Captain Strathmore, fearing that she wasill, made inquiries. He heard nothing, and filled with a growingalarm, he instituted a thorough search of the vessel from stem tostern and high and low. Not a spot or corner was omitted where a catcould have been concealed, but she was not found. And then the startling truth was established that little InezHawthorne was not on board the steamer. "Oh!" groaned poor Captain Strathmore, "she became my own child! Now Ihave lost her a second time!" CHAPTER V THE NEW PASSENGER Captain Strathmore rewarded Abe Storms liberally for the service hehad rendered them, and the mate and captain of the schooner, as wehave said, were rowed back to the boat by Hyde Brazzier. Reaching the deck of the _Coral_, they watched the progress of thegreat steamer until she vanished from sight in the moonlight, and thenthe two friends went into the cabin to "study the chart, " as theyexpressed it. It may be said that this had been the principal business of the twosince leaving the States, though the statement is not strictlycorrect. The hum of conversation went on for hours; the nightgradually wore away, but still the two men sat talking in low tones, and looking at the roll of paper spread out between them, and whichwas covered with numerous curious drawings. The theme must have beenan absorbing one, since it banished all thought of the passage of timefrom their minds. "I tell you, " said the captain, as he leaned back in his chair, "thereisn't the remotest doubt that a colossal fortune is awaiting us, andunless some extraordinary accident intervenes, we shall gather itup. " "So it would seem, " replied the mate, with a weary look, "and yet Isometimes feel certain that it will never be ours--Good gracious!" The two men almost leaped out of their chairs, and their hair fairlyrose on end. They were absolutely certain that no one else was in thecabin besides themselves. Redvignez was at the wheel, and Brazzierawaited his call in turn at the end of the watch. But just then bothheard a rustling, and saw a movement in the berth of Captain Bergen, which showed something was there. It couldn't be a dog or cat, forthere was nothing of the kind on board. Besides which, just then, thetwo men caught sight of the little white hand which clearly belongedto some one of their own species. Then the covering was thrown back; amass of tangled golden hair was observed, and instantly after, thefair face of a young child peered wonderingly out, as if seeking tolearn where she was. Of course the little one was Inez Hawthorne, though neither of the twomen had ever seen or heard of her before, and it is, therefore, idleto attempt to picture their overwhelming astonishment when theybecame aware so suddenly of her presence in the cabin. Neither of the two men was superstitious; but there was good excusefor their being wonder-struck. If an individual in the middle of adesert should suddenly become aware of the appearance of a strangeperson at his elbow, a situation apparently in which he could only beplaced by supernatural means, it would be a very mild word to say hewould be surprised. Flinging the coverlet from her shoulders and throwing back her mass ofrich golden hair, Inez assumed the sitting position, with her dimpledlegs swinging over the side, and her little hands resting on the rail, as if to steady herself during the long swells of the sea, while shelooked at the two men as if trying to recollect where she was and whothey were. "Well, if that doesn't beat anything that was ever heard or read ofbefore!" exclaimed the captain, turning about and staring at her. "Where in the name of the seven wonders did you come from?" Abe Storms, the mate, did not speak, but seemed to be waiting to seewhether the child had a voice, and thus settle the question in hismind as to whether it was mortal or not. The problem was quickly solved, for Inez was never backward inasserting her individuality. "How did I come here? That's a great question to ask! I got tired andlay down to sleep, and have just woke up. I think this is a real niceboat. Are you the captain? My name is Inez Hawthorne--what is yours?" These questions, uttered with childish rapidity and ingenuousness, threw some light upon the apparent mystery. "She belongs to the steamer, " said Abe Storms, with his eyes fixedwonderingly upon her. "She has managed to get in our boat in some way, and we have carried her off. Did you ever see anything so pretty?" As the reader has learned, there was good cause for this admiringquestion. Both of the men were bachelors, but they possessed naturalrefinement, and they could reverence the innocence and loveliness ofchildhood. With the discovery that she was an actual human being, theawe-struck wonder of the two men vanished, though their curiosity wasgreat to learn how it was she was carried away from the steamer. "Won't you come here and talk with me?" asked Storms, reaching out hisarms invitingly, but a little doubtful whether she would respond, though the stoop-shouldered inventor was always popular with children. The answer of Inez was a sudden spring, which landed her plump intothe lap of the mate, while she flung her arms around his neck with amerry laugh, and then wheeled about on his knee, so that she couldlook in the face of either of the men, who, not unnaturally, felt astrange and strong attraction toward the beautiful child. Then the two began a series of questions that were answered in thecharacteristic fashion of childhood, but from which the friendssucceeded in extracting something like a clear explanation of herpresence on board the _Coral_--so many miles from the steamer on whichshe had set sail at San Francisco. They learned that Inez--who was such a pet on the _Polynesia_ that shewas allowed to do as she chose--was invited by one of the crew tovisit the _Coral_, while she lay so close to the disabled steamer. Theone who gave this invitation was Hyde Brazzier, and he was struck withthe wonderful loveliness of the child, when she questioned him aboutthe schooner. There is no nature, however steeped in crime, in which there is not adivine spark which may be fanned into a flame--which, perchance, mayillumine the whole soul; and but for the subsequent strange events, little Inez Hawthorne might have proved, in the most literal sense, aheaven-sent messenger upon that craft, which carried so muchwickedness in the forecastle. Brazzier rowed the short intervening distance, and then took the childby the hand and showed her through the schooner, there being little toexhibit. Finally she was led into the cabin, where she said she wastired and wished to lie down. Thereupon Brazzier lifted her upon thecaptain's berth and drew the coverlet over her. A minute later theweary eyes closed in slumber and he left the cabin. Brazzier had no intention, up to this time, of using any deception inthe matter; but, under the persuasion of Redvignez, he gave way to theinnate wickedness of his nature, and chuckled over the lamentableoccurrence. They felt pleasure in the certainty that what they weredoing was sure to make other hearts ache. CHAPTER VI "PORT YOUR HELM!" When a thorough search of the steamer _Polynesia_ made known the truththat little Inez Hawthorne was nowhere upon it, the sorrowfulconclusion was that she had fallen overboard in some manner and beendrowned. But the belief was scarcely formed, when the discovery was made thatsuch was not the case; that in fact she had been taken away by theschooner _Coral_, whose mate performed such good service in mendingthe broken shaft of the _Polynesia_. The story as told Captain Strathmore was as follows: The two officers of the schooner were rowed to the steamer by one ofthe crew, who climbed up the ladder at the side of the _Polynesia_, and spent a few minutes in inspecting the broken shaft. He then cameback. His attention was attracted to little Inez, whose childishcuriosity was excited by the appearance of a stranger who had but oneeye, and who looked so different from the trim-looking members of thesteamer's crew. The two fell into conversation, and Inez asked so manyquestions about the schooner that the stranger invited her to take alook at it. He was heard to say that the captain and mate would beengaged for two or three hours, and there would be plenty of time torow the child over the intervening distance, explore the _Coral_, andcome back before Captain Bergen and his mate would be ready to leave. Naturally, Inez gladly accepted the invitation, and the sinister-lookingman, picking her up, carefully descended the ladder to his small boat, and rowed away to the schooner. This story, it will be observed, corresponded with that told byBrazzier himself. No one thought anything of the proceeding, which was one of the mostnatural in the world, and there was nothing to arouse misgiving on thepart of those who witnessed it. Inez was almost a spoiled child from the indulgence shown her by everyone with whom she came in contact. She distrusted no one, because shehad never had any reason to do so. It was night when the officers ofthe schooner were rowed back, and those who had seen Inez taken awaydid not observe that the boat returned without her. Holding no thoughtof anything wrong, they gave no further attention to the strangesailor. The moment Captain Strathmore learned these facts, he caused an abruptchange to be made in the course of the _Polynesia_. For he wasdetermined that no effort should be spared to recover the lost child, who had so endeared herself to every one on board the steamer. The precise point where the accident had befallen the shaft wasrecorded on the log, as a matter of course, and it was within thepower of the chief officer to return wonderfully close to that spot. If the schooner _Coral_ should remain anywhere in that latitude andlongitude, she could be found and Inez recovered. "But it is not likely the schooner is near there, " reflected CaptainStrathmore, as he swept the horizon with his glass and failed to catchsight of a sail. "They could not have taken away the child ignorantly, and instead of remaining there or attempting to find us, the captainhas headed in some direction which is not the one he named, as if byaccident, when he was aboard. " The captain was in that mood that it would have been dangerous for himto come upon the daring thieves. He could conceive of no explanationthat would relieve them from his wrath, and as the steamer describeda huge curve in the sea and headed toward the point where he hoped togain sight of the sail, full steam was put on, and she ran at a rateof speed which, in the condition of her shaft, was certainly dangerousto a high degree. It may be said there was not a heart on board the _Polynesia_ that didnot share in the general anxiety, and there was scarcely an eye thatdid not scan the broad ocean again and again in the hope of catchingsight of the schooner. Several sails were descried in the course of the day, but not one wasthat of the _Coral_, and when the night descended not only had therebeen a complete failure, but the captain was convinced that it wasuseless for him to delay the steamer by hunting further. With an angry and sad heart he gave over the search, and the_Polynesia_ was headed once more toward the far-off imperial Japanesecity of Tokio. "I would give a thousand dollars to know what it all means, " saidCaptain Strathmore, as he stood on the bridge debating the matter withhimself. "There is something about the whole business which I don'tunderstand. In the first place, Inez came under my charge in anextraordinary way. I don't believe that that man who brought her downto the wharf told the truth, and I very much doubt whether the parentsof the little one have ever been in Japan. She may have been stolenfrom some one, and this means has been resorted to in order to get herout of the way. I wish I had questioned her more closely, " continuedthe perplexed captain, following up the train of thought, "for she letdrop an expression or two now and then that showed she had someremembrances which it would have been interesting to call up. It's toolate now, " added the old sailor, with a sigh, "and probably I shallnever see her again. She had nestled down into that spot in my heartwhich was left vacant many weary years ago, when my own Inez died andmy only boy became as one dead, and there is no sacrifice I would notmake would it but bring this one back to me. It is curious, but thefeeling is strong upon me that somewhere at some time we shall meetagain. " "Port your helm!" This was the startling order which the quartermaster sent to thewheel-house at that moment, and which was obeyed with as muchpromptness as is possible on such a gigantic craft as an oceansteamer. The night, for a rarity, was dark and misty, a peculiar fog restingupon the water, and shutting out the view in every direction. It wouldseem that there could be little danger of a collision on the broadbosom of the mightiest ocean of the globe, but there must always be acertain ratio of danger, and none realized this more than CaptainStrathmore. The _Polynesia_ had been running at half speed ever since the sun wentdown, and her whistle blew at irregular intervals. At the moment thestartling order was communicated to the man at the wheel, the lightsof another steamer were discerned directly ahead. And these werescarcely observed when the mountainous hull loomed up to view inappalling proximity, and a cold shudder ran through every officer andsailor at the sight, for there was just a single second or two when itseemed certain that the two crafts would come together with anearthquake shock and such an irresistible momentum as would crash thetwo prodigious hulls to splinters, and send the crews and passengersto join the multitudes who have gone before them to the bottom of thesea. Signals and commands were rapidly exchanged, and the slightmisunderstanding which existed between the two steamers at first wasquickly removed. The shouts and orders, the tinkling of the engineer'sbell, and even the sound of hurrying feet, were heard on one ship asdistinctly as on the other. Most fortunately the officers of each were sensible men, who enforceddiscipline, and who, therefore, did not lose their heads when suddenperil came upon them. There was desperate need of haste on the part of all, but the hastewas intelligent, and something was accomplished. The stranger instantly reversed her screw, while the _Polynesia_ wasequally prompt in her backward movement. They escaped by a chance sonarrow that it was terrifying. The bow of the _Polynesia_ grazed theside of the stranger as they passed upon their diagonal courses, andevery one on the two ships who understood the dreadful peril drew adeep breath and uttered a prayer of thankfulness when it swept by, andthe two steamers vanished from each other's sight in the mistydarkness. The engineer of the _Polynesia_ was signaled to go forward again, andthe screw was started; but, if the one who uttered the order hadforgotten the contingency against which they had been warned, the onewho executed that order had not, and he gave the engine just enoughsteam to start the shaft. As he did so, listening intently the meanwhile, he heard an ominouscrunching, grinding and jarring in the after hold, and he knew toowell what it meant. He instantly shut off steam, and with the captainhastened to make the investigation. As they feared, the broken shafthad been wrenched apart again, and it looked as if it were injuredbeyond repair. But what man has done, man can do, and the ingenious recourse of AbeStorms was resorted to again. With great care the fractured pieceswere reunited and bound, but the task was, in reality, harder thanbefore, since the terrific grinding and wrenching to which it had beensubjected broke off much of the corrugated surface. The work was completed after many long hours of hard work, and oncemore the _Polynesia_ started slowly under steam for the strangeisland-empire of Asia. This unexpected delay, as the reader will see, doubtless had much to do with the failure of the schooner to find thesteamer, since it threw out all possibility of calculating where thelarger craft could be. "Now, if we have no more vessels trying to run into us, " muttered thecaptain, as he resumed his place on the bridge, "we stand a chance ofreaching Japan after all, without calling on our sails to help us. " But, standing at his post, with everything going well, his thoughtsnaturally reverted to the strange mischance by which little InezHawthorne was lost to him. "I don't believe Captain Bergen or his mate, Abe Storms, wouldknowingly take off the child in that fashion, though the girl wasenough to tempt any one to steal her. There is something about thewhole business which I don't understand. We ought to have found eachother, though, if he is still hunting for me. This second breakage ofthe shaft will tend to keep us apart. " The long voyage of the steamer to Japan terminated without anyincident worth the recording, and Captain Strathmore naturally becameanxious to meet the parents of Inez, though sorrowing very much overthe story he would be forced to tell them. But no one appeared atTokio to claim the child, and the wondering captain proceeded to makeinquiries. It was easy to obtain from the church authorities a list of the namesof the Christian missionaries in Japan, and they were scannedcarefully by the captain, who was given such assistance by theofficials themselves that there could be no mistake. Among them was noone by the name of Hawthorne. It was plain then that deception hadbeen used when the man in San Francisco declared that the parents ofInez were missionaries in Japan. As day after day passed and the steamer _Polynesia_ was graduallyprepared for her return voyage to California, there was one strong, harrowing conviction which forced itself upon the distressed captain: "Had Inez not been stolen from the steamer, no one would have come toclaim her, and she would have been mine. " His heart thrilled at the thought of how close he had come toobtaining such a priceless prize for his possession, and then headded, as if to cheer himself: "Never mind; the earth is far and wide. She is alive somewhere uponits face, and at some time, at heaven's own pleasure, she and I shallmeet again. " Brave and rugged Captain Strathmore! Was the spirit of prophecy uponyou when you muttered the cheering words? CHAPTER VII THE REASON WHY THE VOYAGE WAS UNDERTAKEN At this point it is necessary that the reader should be madeacquainted with what has been only hinted up to this point. We meanthe reason why it was that the little schooner _Coral_, under thecharge of Captain Bergen and Abram Storms, the mate, was on thePacific Ocean, voyaging toward the South Seas. The skipper was fond of telling the strange story, and the mate heardit many times, as repeated to him one stormy night, around the roaringfire of Captain Bergen's hearthstone in New England. It ran thus: "You see, Abe, I was going down Washington Street, in Boston, one day, when I came upon a drunken sailor, who was suffering a terriblebeating at the hands of a couple of land-sharks, that were wereevidently determined to rob him, if they had not already done so. "It r'iled my blood to see such scandalous proceedings going on, and Isailed in. "Then I helped pick up Jack tar, and he was taken to the hospital, where his wounds were found to be of a dangerous nature. Hisassailants were so badly hurt that they went to the hospital, and whenthey came out they were shifted to the penitentiary, where they'relikely to stay for a good many years to come. "Having taken the part of Bill Grebbens, as he told me his name was, Icalled at the hospital to see him every day, for I wasn't busy justthen. The poor fellow was very grateful for the service I had donehim, though sad to say I was too late. "Bill had been on such a terrible spree that his system wasn't incondition to resist disease, and before long it was plain he was goingto make a die of it. He was a plucky fellow, and when the doctor toldhim he had to go, he didn't weaken. "Just before he died, he took me by the hand, and told me he hadn't aliving relative in the world, nor one who had been such a friend tohim as I had proved to be. By that time my own eyes were gettingmisty, and I begged him to say nothing about it. "I told him I would see that he had a decent burial, and would attendto anything he wanted me to do. He said there wasn't anything, for itcould make no difference to him what became of his body after hisdeath, and for his part he would as lief the doctors should have it. "However, he took this paper from under his pillow and showed it tome, and told me all about it. I thought at first his mind waswandering, but I soon saw that his head was level, and he knew what hewas talking about. " The paper which Captain Bergen produced at this point of his narrativewas covered with some well-executed drawings, which, having been doneby the sailor himself, showed that he was a man of education. "Those dots there represent the King George Islands of the SouthPacific, lying in about fifteen degrees south latitude and one hundredand forty-three degrees west longitude. To the north here is MendinaArchipelago, and here to the east are the Paumotu Islands, sometimesknown as the Pearl Islands. There are a good many of them, and away tothe northeast of the group is another island, which, although much thelarger on the map, is really a small coral island, with a lagoon, andso unimportant that it has no name, and cannot be found on any map Iever saw. "You will observe the figure and directions marked on this paper, "added Captain Bergen, who invariably became excited at this point inhis narration, "which, with his explanations, are so easily understoodthat no one can go astray. "Well, Bill Grebbens once belonged to a party of mutineers of aBritish vessel, who found it growing so hot for them that they put into this island, scuttled and sunk their ship, and lived there twoyears. It was uninhabited, and they led a lazy, vagabond life in thatcharming climate till a strange sort of sickness broke out among themand carried off eight, leaving only Grebbens and a single shipmate. "These two spent several months longer in wandering about the islandlooking for and yet dreading to see a sail, when one day theydiscovered a bed of pearl-oysters, which they examined and found to beof surpassing richness. The majority of the shells contained pearls, many of them of great size, and the two men saw that an immensefortune lay only a few fathoms under the surface. "They instantly set to work with great eagerness; but it is seldomthat a man obtains wealth in this world by walking over a path ofroses. "Within the first half-hour, a huge man-eating shark glided into theclear water, and with one snap of his enormous jaws actually bit thebody of the other sailor in two. The horrified Grebbens managed to getout just in time to save himself. "He had enough of pearl-diving, and he shudderingly turned his backupon the spot, and began looking out to sea again for a sail, determined now to leave, no matter if he should be carried to Englandand executed. "He managed to set up the topmast of the wreck, and to catch theattention of a whaler a few days later, and was taken off. Beforegoing, however, he made a careful drawing of the place, and bystudying other charts on the American whaler which took him away hewas able to locate the island with such correctness that he couldreturn to it at any time, his intention, of course, being to do so atsome period when he could go provided with means to prosecute hissearch without such frightful risk. "But Bill never saw the time, for he was too fond of liquor whenashore. He met his death just as I told you, and he gave me this chartor map of the locality, telling me that a fortune lay at that pointwhere my finger is resting to whosoever should go after it. " Such was the story of Captain Bergen, as he related it to his friend, Abe Storms, to whom he proposed that they should fit out an expeditionto go to the South Seas in quest of the fortune that awaited them inthe shape of pearls. Abe was slower and more deliberate, but he finally fell in with thescheme, and the two, as we have already stated, became joint partnersin the grand enterprise. Both were frugal men, and they now decided to invest all their fundsin the scheme, which promised to make or break them. Instead ofsailing from the port of Boston, they took an important cut "acrosslots" by going by rail to San Francisco, thus saving the longest andmost dangerous portion of the voyage, which otherwise would benecessary. In San Francisco, at a sale of bankrupt property, theybought the schooner, which has already been described, and shippedtheir crew. The wonder was that two men possessing the shrewdness of Storms andBergen should have been so deceived respecting their men. Hyde Brazzier was an American sailor, with blotched, bleared face, with one eye gone, while over the sunken, sightless cavity he wore agreen patch, his face covered by a scraggly beard, and his single eye, small and deep-set, added to the sinister expression of hiscountenance. He had the reputation of being a good seaman, and undoubtedly he was, and being strong and vigorous, in the prime of life, he was consideredan especially valuable man to Captain Bergen, who paid him fivedollars more per month than he expected. Since Captain Bergen had pursued a rather original course from thebeginning, he continued to do so. He engaged his men without any helpfrom the shipping-master, and had hardly reached an understandingwith the American when Alfredo Redvignez put in an appearance andapplied for a berth, saying that he had heard the best kinds ofaccounts of the captain's seamanship and humanity--even in far-awayBoston. Redvig--so called for convenience--said that he had been employed inthe East India trade, and was a sailor of nearly twenty years'experience. It struck both Captain Bergen and Mate Storms that, asthey were going to the tropics, he was likely to prove a useful man, and he was engaged. The captain ventured to ask Brazzier's opinion of the other sailor, but the American said he had never heard of him before--though heliked the cut of his jib, and was glad he had been hired. But had anyone been watching the faces of the American and Spaniard, he wouldhave detected several suspicious signals which passed between them;and this, added to the fact that, in a very short time, they becameintimately acquainted, as may be said, looked as if there had beendeception on that point. The fact was, the two had arranged the matter beforehand, so as to gotogether in this business--somewhat on the same principle that theiremployers entered into partnership. They were both serving underassumed names, and were obliged to take no little precaution to keeptheir identity concealed, for they were "wanted" for serious crimes inmore than one port. Redvig was a small, swarthy, muscular man, with coal-black, curlinghair, short, curly beard and mustache, black eyes, with an aquilinenose, and both he and Brazzier had a fashion of wearing small goldear-rings. Their arms and breast were plentifully tattooed, so thatbut for the great exception of their evil dispositions, they mightwell have passed for good specimens of the proverbial Jack tar. It was different with the huge colored man, Pomp Cooper, who had beenknown about the wharves of San Francisco for a number of years. He wasjolly and good-natured, possessed of prodigious strength, and had beenon shipboard enough to acquire a fair knowledge of navigating acoasting vessel. While many believed he possessed the proverbial loyalty of his race, and could not be induced to commit any grave crime, yet it must beadmitted that there were ugly rumors afloat concerning him. It wasasserted by more than one that he was a river and harbor pirate, andbelonged to one of the worst gangs that ever infested the harbor ofSan Francisco. While Captain Bergen was not ignorant of these rumors, yet he placedno credence in them, and believed Pomp to be one of the most valuablemen he could obtain. Such in brief was the crew of the _Coral_, whenshe sailed on her long voyage to the South Seas, in quest ofpearls--the location of which had been given by the dying sailor inthe Boston hospital. CHAPTER VIII VOYAGING SOUTHWARD It was certainly very wonderful that little Inez Hawthorne should havebeen transferred from the steamer to the schooner, and that many hoursshould have passed before the discovery was made by the respectivecaptains of the craft. Yet such was the fact, and Captain Bergen and Mate Storms had nosooner learned the real situation than Hyde Brazzier was sent for totell how it occurred. As he was the one who rowed the small boat, there could be no doubt that he knew. The story he told was the trueone, with the exception of the supplement--that he actually forgotabout the little girl after she went into the cabin and fell asleep. It was impossible, it may be said, that such could be the fact, andthe officers looked knowingly at each other. They knew he wasfalsifying, but they made no comment, except to declare that she mustbe taken back to the steamer without an hour's delay. Captain Bergen learned from Inez that she had no relatives on boardthe steamer, and she did not show any special distress over beingwhere she was. But, for all that, the honest New Englander felt thatshe should be restored, and he immediately took every means for doingso. His supposition was that she would be speedily missed from the_Polynesia_, which would at once make search for the schooner. Accordingly, the _Coral_ was headed northwest, under all sail, the sunjust rising at the time this change of course was made. "The steamer will go so much faster than we, " said the captain, "thatthere is no possibility of overhauling her, unless her shaft shouldgive out again. " "There's no danger of that. More likely she'll turn about and look forus. " As the sun climbed the heavens, the horizon was anxiously scanned forsome point where the black column of a steamer's smokestack could beseen staining the clear sky. Far away to the northward, a vapor wasobserved, which at first was set down as the sight for which they weresearching; but it was soon learned that it was a peculiarly-formedcloud, resting almost upon the water. The upper rigging and sails of possibly an American whaler weredescried a long distance to the northward, and a full-rigged ship wasdetected closer in, and further to the eastward. But no sign of the_Polynesia_ was discovered through the powerful binocular glasseswith which Captain Bergen swept the horizon. There was strong hope, inspite of this, that she would be seen before sunset, and the _Coral_held to her course toward the southwest, not only for that day andnight, but for the two succeeding ones. But it is useless to dwellupon the search made by the smaller vessel, which was without thefaintest glimmer of success. Captain Bergen and Mate Storms did their utmost to undo the wrong actof their sailors, but at the end of the third day they held an anxiousconsultation as to what was the right course left to pursue. They hadgiven up hope of meeting the _Polynesia_ except by chasing her all theway to Japan, they having learned that Tokio was her destination. Should the _Coral_ follow her there, or first fulfil its own destinyin the Paumotu Islands? This was the all-important matter to besettled. When a man makes a great invention or discovery, his first dread isthat some one else will anticipate him and gather to himself all theglory and profit. This had been a constant fear in the case of thecaptain and mate of the schooner _Coral_ ever since they began theirpreparations for the journey to the South Seas. It cost them a pang ofdread when, therefore, they headed the schooner about in the hunt forthe steamer, for, as will be readily understood, the apprehension ofwhich we have spoken intensifies the nearer one gets to the goal. There were other considerations which entered into the question as towhether they should go on or turn about. Inez Hawthorne had, as mighthave been expected, adapted herself to her new position as passengeron the schooner, and ran hither and thither at will, just as she didon the _Polynesia_, and she climbed all over the captain and mate, asif they were Captain Strathmore and his officer, or some of thepassengers. She occasionally expressed a longing to see the grizzled oldsea-captain, whom she called her second, or new "papa, " but there wasno one else for whom she particularly longed. Her affection wasdistributed so equally and spontaneously that among several hundred itcould not be very profound. Only in the case of the brave old CaptainStrathmore was it deep and steadfast. It would delay the voyage to the Pearl Islands not for weeks, but formonths, to sail away to Asia, and then turn about and put back to thesouthern seas, and during that interval what might not take place?What assurance could there be that the precious pearl-bed would not bedevastated? With the plans which Abe Storms had perfected on the way from home, itwas believed that a week's time after their arrival at theirdestination would be sufficient to make them enormously wealthy, andthus the voyage which they would afterward take to Japan would bedelayed only a month or two, perhaps. Furthermore, the parents andfriends of Inez would have every reason to believe she was in safehands, and would soon be restored to them. All these were weightyconsiderations, it must be confessed, and they decided the question. "We have done all that can be done, " said Captain Bergen, standing atthe stern with his hand upon the wheel, while Abe Storms, thoughtfullysmoking his pipe, was at his elbow, with his arms folded and his eyesgazing dreamily toward the western horizon, where the sun was about todip into the ocean. "I agree with you, " was the reply of his mate, who was as conscientiousin everything he did as was the captain. "I consider that the chance isas one in a thousand that we shall meet the steamer this side ofTokio, and if we undertake to follow, we shall lose several monthsof most precious time, without accomplishing any commensurate good. Thechild is contented and happy here. " As if to emphasize this assertion, the laugh of Inez was heard at thatmoment as she came bounding up the steps of the cabin, and ran towardthe bow, where the giant negro, Pomp, was leaning against thegunwale, his arms also folded, and an expression of contentment uponhis broad, shiny countenance. The instant he caught sight of Inez his face lighted up and his white, even teeth were displayed with pleasure, as she ran toward him. It was singular, indeed, that, ever since her first awaking on boardthe _Coral_, Inez had shown not a positive dislike of Redvig andBrazzier, but what may be called a lack of friendship toward them. Shewas trusting and loving to Pomp and the two officers, but it wasevident that she avoided the others. Possibly she could not have toldthe reason had she tried, and it is equally possible that she was notaware of it herself. But every one else on board saw it plainly. When two men in authority talk as did the captain and mate of theschooner _Coral_, the conclusion is inevitable. The decision was madeto go on to the Paumotu Islands, after which the voyage would be madeto Japan, and, alas! that it was so. CHAPTER IX GROPING IN THE DARK Life on board the schooner _Coral_, bound for the South Seas, nowbecame like one delightful dream. The sails, fanned by the steady trade-wind, hardly ever requiredattention, since the course of the craft never varied more than a fewpoints for days at a time, and whoever it was at the wheel, he mightas well have lashed it fast and gone to sleep, for all the necessitythere was of keeping awake. There had been some elemental disturbances which required seamanshipto weather, but nothing like that usually encountered in the Atlantic. But there came a long spell of weather, faultless in every respect, and whose only drawback was the dread that each day would be the lastof such delight. The sun rose clear and bright, and at high noon, asthey approached the equator, it was sometimes hot, but the breezewhich continually swept the deck tempered it to the crew andpassenger. Had they been caught in a calm the heat would have beensuffocating; but Providence favored them, and they sped along like aseagull toward their destination. There seemed to be times when thegreen surface of the sea was at perfect rest; but the regular risingand sinking of the _Coral_ showed that the bosom of the great deep washeaving as it always does, though the long swells came only atextended intervals. The water was of crystalline clearness, and, looking over the gunwale, one could see far into the depths, where strange-looking fish weresporting, sometimes coming to the surface and then shooting far downbeyond the reach of human vision. Now and then, too, as little Inezleaned over the side of the vessel and peered downward, she caughtsight of something like a shadow, gliding hither and thither, apparently without the slightest effort to keep pace with theschooner, which was bowling along at a rapid rate. It was one of thosemonstrous sharks, that will snap a man in two as quickly as if he werebut an apple, should he fall overboard. Not a day passed without descrying one or more sails at varyingdistances, but our friends did not hail or approach any. Both CaptainBergen and Mate Storms were in a nervous condition, and were morbidlyapprehensive of being anticipated by some one in dredging for theinvaluable pearl-oysters. They were afraid their errand would besuspected, or they would be attacked after they should secure theirprize. One day, under the pretense of wanting medicine, Hyde Brazziersuddenly appeared at the cabin door. The mate and captain were, asusual, studying the chart, and while the mate was ransacking themedicine chest for the drug, that single eye of the sailor securedfive minutes' sharp scrutiny of the all-important map. Redvignez and Brazzier were not much together, as a matter of course, for one was in the captain's watch and the other in the mate's, butduring the long, pleasant days and nights when they were voyagingtoward the South Seas, they obtained many opportunities forconfidential talks. All this might have been in the natural order ofthings on board the schooner, where the discipline was not strict, butAbe Storms had become pretty well satisfied that harm was meant, andmischief was brewing. He saw it in the looks and manner of these twomen, who, while they were watching others, did not suspect they werewatched in turn. About Pomp he was not so certain. The steward and cook seemed to be ongood terms with the two sailors, and he frequently sat with them asthey formed a little group forward, on the bright moonlight nights, when they preferred to sit thus and smoke and spin yarns to goingbelow and catching slumber, when it was their privilege to do so. "I believe he is in with them, " was the conclusion which Storms, themate, finally reached, after watching and listening as best he couldfor several days. "They're hatching some conspiracy--most likely amutiny to take possession of the ship. Captain Bergen doesn't suspectit--he is so absorbed in the pearl business; and I'll let him alonefor the present, though it may be best to give him a hint or two tokeep him on his guard. " It never can be known what the restraining power of little InezHawthorne was on board that vessel on her extraordinary voyage to thePaumotu Islands, in the South Seas. She lived over again the same lifethat was hers during the few days spent on the _Polynesia_. She ranhither and thither, climbing into dangerous places at times, but withsuch grace and command of her limbs that she never once fell or evenlost her balance. She chatted and laughed with Brazzier and Redvig, but she preferred the others, and showed it so plainly in her manner, that, unfortunately, the two could not avoid noticing it. "See here, " said Captain Bergen, one evening while sitting in thecabin with the child on his knee, "I want you to try and think hardand answer me all the questions I ask you. Will you?" "Of course I will, if you don't ask too hard ones. " "Well, I will be easy as I can. You have told me all about the bigsteamer that you were on when we found you, and you said that youlived with your Uncle Con in San Francisco, and that it was he andyour Aunt Jemima that put you on board. " "I didn't say any such thing!" indignantly protested Inez. "I haven'tgot any Aunt Jemima--it was my Aunt Letitia. " The captain and mate smiled, for a little piece of strategy hadsucceeded. They had never before got the girl to give the name of heraunt, though she mentioned that of her uncle. But she now spoke it, her memory refreshed by the slight teasing to which she wassubjected. "That's very good. I'm glad to learn that your uncle and aunt had twosuch pretty names as Con and Letitia Bumblebee. " "Ain't you ashamed of yourself?" demanded Inez, turning upon him withflashing eyes. "I never heard of such a funny name as that. " "I beg pardon. What, then, is their name?" The little head was bent and the fair brow wrinkled with thought. Shehad tried the same thing before, though it must be believed that shecould not have tried very hard, or she would not have failed toremember the name of those with whom she lived but a short timebefore. But she used her brain to its utmost now, and it did not takeher long to solve the question. In a few seconds she looked up andlaughed. "Of course I know their name. It was Hermann, though he sometimescalled himself George Smith. " "The other sounds German, " remarked Storms, in a lower voice. "Goahead and get all you can from her. " "How long did you live with them?" "Let me see, " said Inez, as she turned her lustrous blue eyes towardthe roof of the cabin, as if she expected to read the answer there. "Iguess it was about two--three hundred years. " She was in earnest, and Storms observed: "She must be a little off on that; but take another tack. " The captain did so. "Do you remember living with any one excepting your Uncle George andAunt Letitia?" Inez thought hard again, and replied, after a few seconds: "I don't know. Sometimes he was Uncle George and sometimes Uncle Con. We lived in the city a good while, where there were, oh, such lots ofhouses! but there was a time before that when we come such a long, long way in the cars. We rode and rode, and I guess we must have comefrom the moon, for we was ten years on the road. " "Do you remember what sort of looking place the moon was?" "It was just like San Francisco--that is, it was full of houses. " The officers looked at each other with a smile, and the mate said: "It's plain enough what that means. She has come from New York, overthe Union Pacific, and her trip was probably the longest of herlife. " "Do you remember your father and mother?" "I don't know, " said Inez, with a look of perplexity on her young facewhich it was not pleasant to see. "Sometimes I remember or dream ofthem, before we took such a long ride on the cars. My mother used tohold me on her lap and kiss me, and so did my father, and then therewas crying, and something dreadful happened in the house, and then Ican't remember anything more until I was on the cars. " "It may be all right, " said Captain Bergen to his mate, "for thiscould occur without anything being amiss. " "It is possible; but I have a conviction that there is something wrongabout the whole business. I believe, in short, that the person whoplaced her on board the steamer _Polynesia_ had no claim upon her atall. " "That, in fact, the man stole her?" "That's it, exactly; and still further, I don't believe she has anyfather or mother in Japan, and that if we had gone thither we shouldhave lost all the time and accomplished nothing. " "It may be, Abe, that you are right, " said the captain, who held agreat admiration for his mate, "but I must say you can build a fraudand conspiracy on the smallest foundation of any man I ever knew. But, Abe, you may be right, I say, and if you are, it's just as well thatwe didn't go on a fool's errand to Tokio, after all. " "The truth will soon be known, captain. " CHAPTER X THE MUTINEERS A few degrees south of the equator, the schooner _Coral_ ran into atempest of such fury that with all the skilful seamanship of hercaptain and crew, and the admirable qualities of the schooner itself, she narrowly escaped foundering. There were two days when she was in such imminent peril that not aneye was closed in slumber, excepting in the case of little InezHawthorne, who felt the situation only to the extent that it compelledher to stay close in the cabin, while the vessel pitched and tossedfrom the crest of one tremendous billow, down, seemingly, into thefathomless depths between, and then laboriously climbed the mountainin front, with the spray and mist whirling about the deck and rigginglike millions of fine shot. But the gallant _Coral_ rode it outsafely, and the steady breeze caught her and she sped swiftly in thedirection of the Pearl Islands. The little girl had run hither and thither, until, tired out, she hadflung herself upon the berth in the cabin, where she was sleepingsoundly, while the captain was doing the same; Abe Storms, the mate, being on deck at the wheel. It was yet early in the evening, and HydeBrazzier and Alfredo Redvignez were sitting close together, forward, smoking their pipes and conversing in low tones. The breeze was almostdirectly abeam, so that the sails carried the craft along at a rapidrate, the water foaming and curling from the bow, while the rising andsinking of the schooner on the enormous swells were at such longintervals as almost to be imperceptible. As far as the eye couldextend in every direction, no glimpse of a sail or light could beperceived, nor had any been observed through the day, which confirmedwhat Bill Grebbens, the sailor in the Boston hospital, said, to theeffect that, despite the location of the Paumotu Islands, the approachto them from the direction of California took one in a section wherethe sails of commerce were rarely seen. The captain and mate had been consulting their chart, and had takentheir reckoning more frequently and with greater care than everbefore. The conclusion at which they arrived was that they werealready south of the northernmost island of the Paumotu group, andwere close to the Coral Island, along whose shore were to be found theprecious pearls which were to make them all, or rather the two, wealthy. "It's a curious business, " reflected Abe Storms, while holding thewheel motionless. "When I consider the matter fairly, I don't see whythe expedition should not succeed. But it is so different from thecoasting business, in which the captain and I have been engaged foryears, that it is hard to believe we're going to make anything out ofit. " He listened a minute to the murmur of the voices forward, and then headded, pursuing the same train of thought: "What an extraordinary thing it is that we should have this littlegirl for a passenger! Suppose we carry her back to Tokio after thispearl hunt, and fail to find her parents?" He took but a minute to consider the question, when he answered: "It can never make any difference to Inez herself, for her sweet faceand winning ways will secure her a welcome and a home in a hundreddifferent places. " While the mate was indulging in these fancies and reveries, Brazzierand Redvignez were holding an important conference forward. "I'm sure we won't have much further to sail, " observed the Spaniard, with a slightly broken accent. "We're in the latitude of thePaumotus. " "Have you ever been there?" asked his companion. "No; but I know something about them, and then you had a glimpse ofthe chart, which they're continually looking at, and I'm certain fromwhat you said that the particular spot we're after isn't far off. " "I conclude you're right, more from the way they're acting thananything else. I wish I could get hold of that chart. " "What would you do?" asked Redvignez, with a significant side-glanceat his companion. "What would I do? Why, I wouldn't wait--that's all. " "I don't see as it will make much difference, " said the other, in themost matter-of-fact voice, as he coolly puffed his pipe. "We might aswell take them there and make sure of the spot, before we knock themin the head. " Brazzier gave a contemptuous sniff and a vicious puff of his pipe, andremarked: "Did you ever see two such fools, Redvig?" He continued, with mocksolemnity: "Beware of the temptations of wealth. Behold those twospecimens, who have come all the way from Boston to fish for pearls inthe Paumotu Islands. Some old sailor had the secret, and told thecaptain about it, and he has told his friend, and they have formed apartnership and hired us to go with them to dredge up the oysters. " "What is there so foolish in all that?" asked the Spaniard, with agrin, which showed his white teeth in the moonlight. "Nothing; for you or I would have done the same had we been placed intheir shoes. But we would have shown more sense than they. Theybelieve we do not suspect what their business is; and yet we bothunderstand the whole thing. Here we are within a few hours' sail ofthe spot, and what's to be done?" The Spaniard indulged in a light laugh, and replied: "To think that we should consent to take twenty-five dollars a month, while they scooped in their thousands--their millions--it strikes mesometimes as the greatest joke I ever heard. But, Brazzier, the bestplan is for us to be good boys, and go on to the island and help takeup the pearls; for then we shall be sure of the right spot, and thereshall be no mistake; whereas, if we should take possession now, wemight miss the place, even with the help of the chart. " "I don't know but what you're right, Redvig, though it galls me towait. You know a lot of us took charge of the _Spitfire_, and set thecaptain and first-mate adrift, off Valparaiso. You were in favor ofwaiting, and it was well if we had done so, for we came nearerrunning our necks into the halter that time than we ever did since, and there wasn't anything aboard the old hulk that was worth thesaving. " "But what about Pomp?" asked Redvig, in a half-whisper, and with anaccent which showed that he considered the question of the highestimportance. "Is he all right?" "You needn't have any fear about him. I had a long talk with him lastnight, and we shook hands on the question. " The negro was an important factor in this business, for, a giant instature and strength, whichever side he precipitated himself and hisprowess upon was sure to win--judging from the ordinary humanstandpoint. Pomp, as we have hinted further back, was not an African with aperfectly clear record. The rumors about his belonging to a gang ofriver pirates in San Francisco were correct, and he had been engagedin some deeds which were of a character that the law puts the severestban upon. He was known to be daring, and possessed such prodigiouspower, united to activity, that, beyond a doubt, if he were placedupon an even footing, he could have conquered the captain, mate andthe two sailors, without any special effort upon his own part. The importance of his declaring himself can therefore be understood. He was a far better man than either of the two Caucasians, whohesitated about approaching him. As it had to be done, however, thematter was skilfully broached, after they had left San Francisco andwere sailing southward. It was agreed by the two mutineers that, if the negro held off, he wasto be gotten rid of by some treachery, though it was such a seriousmatter that they hesitated long as to how it could be safelyaccomplished. To their surprise and delight, however, Pomp listenedeagerly to the project and expressed his willingness to go into it, though he insisted there should be no murdering done, as he was notbase enough at heart to wish the death of either of the officers. Brazzier consented; but in doing so he deceived the negro. A mutiny, such as he contemplated, could never be carried to a successfulconclusion without disposing finally and forever of the two officersthemselves. If they should be spared, the mutineers would never besafe. But Pomp was misled from the first, because it was believed hecould be won over before the time came to strike the blow. Redvignezset himself very skilfully to do so, for Pomp was ignorant andexceedingly greedy for wealth. Redvignez began by telling him of alarge number of fictitious mutinies, in which the mutineers had madetheir fortunes and lived happy and respected afterwards, and thenarrator made certain to impress upon the African the fact that thejob was rendered a perfect one by following out the proverb that deadmen tell no tales. Then he incidentally mentioned others in which themutineers came to grief, all from the fact that they allowedthemselves to be controlled by a foolish sentiment of mercy. The evilseed thus sown did not fail to take root and bring forth its fruit, just as the sower intended. These little incidents were multiplied, and by-and-by Pomp was toldthat there was but one way in which to secure the enormous riches thatlay in the little bay in the South Seas, awaiting their coming, andthat was by making themselves complete masters of the situation. Thenegro could not mistake the meaning of this, and, after a feebleopposition, he gave his assent, and said he would help carry out theterrible programme, as it had been arranged from the first. It was certainly very curious how the coming of little Inez Hawthorneupon the ship threatened for awhile to disarrange every plan; but soit was. There was a time when the better nature of the two evil menasserted itself, and they began to consider the question in the lightof their awakened consciences; but these divine monitors were onlyroused into temporary wakefulness and speedily dropped asleep again. The manifest distrust which Inez showed toward them seemed to filltheir hearts with the most atrocious feelings, and neither of themwould have hesitated to fling her overboard, had the opportunity beengiven. Incredible as it may seem, it is the fact that they would havepreferred to do so, being restrained by the simple question of policy. They saw that Pomp had grown very fond of her, and any such action ontheir part might alienate him--a catastrophe which they were anxiousto avert above everything else. "You say he shook hands with you upon it?" repeated Redvignez. "Whatdoes all that mean?" "It means that he is with us heart and soul. He sees the necessity ofputting the captain and mate out of the way, and he will help do it. " "But what about the little girl--the viper?" "It was a bad thing for us, Redvig, when we played that little trick, for I have been ready to despair more than once, but the remedy is sosimple that I wonder we have not thought of it before. " "How is that?" "We will spare her, for Pomp gave me to understand that on no otherconditions would he go into it. She will be a pleasant playmate forhim, and will help keep him true to us. She is so young andsimple-hearted that we can make her believe that some accident hasbefallen the other two, by which they came to their death, so therewill be no danger from anything she ever can tell. When we havegathered in all the pearls we will set sail for South America. AtValparaiso or some of the ports we will place the girl in some conventor school, with enough money to take care of her, and then we willland at another port, sell the schooner, divide up the proceeds andseparate, each taking a different route home, if we choose to gothere, and then all we'll have to do, Redvig, is to enjoy the wealthwhich shall be ours. " "How much do you think it will be?" asked the Spaniard, with sparklingeyes. "There is no telling, " was the reply. "I hardly dare think, but I knowit runs into the hundreds of thousands, and it is not at allimpossible that it touches the millions. " Redvignez drew a deep breath and his heart gave a great throb, aswould be the case with the most phlegmatic being who contemplated thenear possession of such vast wealth. Visions of the wild round ofdissipation and excesses in which they would indulge came up beforethe two evil men, and it was no wonder that they were impatient forthe hour to come when they should strike the blow for the prize. Likethe officers, they were so full of the scheme that they had no desireto sleep; and while the figure of Mr. Storms was visible at the wheel, and the _Coral_ sped on to the southward over the calm, moonlit sea, these two men talked about and agreed upon the particulars of thefrightful crime which had been in their hearts, as may be said, fromthe moment they hoisted sail and passed out of San Francisco harbor. CHAPTER XI CAPTAIN BERGEN MAKES TWO IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES Before the faintest streak of light appeared in the eastern horizon, Captain Bergen was awake and in the rigging, with the binocularglasses in his hand. The most careful computation showed they were in latitude about 19south and longitude 140 west. They had passed to the eastward of theMendina Archipelago, catching a glimpse of one of the islands, wherethe mate proposed they should touch and obtain some supplies. But thecaptain was too eager to push ahead, and Grebbens had told him thatone peculiarity about the little island which was their destinationwas that it contained fresh water, with some tropical fruit, whilethere could be no difficulty in catching all the fish they wished. Since the island was altogether uninhabited, and very rarelyvisited, it would have been a good thing for the party could thesuggestion of the mate have been carried out. But it was theconviction of Captain Bergen that they would not spend more thantwo weeks at the fishery--if such it might be called--and, underthe circumstances, it cannot be said he was imprudent. Steadyinghimself with one arm about the mast, the captain stood firmly in hiselevated position, and, as the sun came slowly up and the goldenradiance spread over the sky and sea, he swept the arch of thehorizon to the south, east and west, straining his keen vision for thefirst sight of the eagerly-wished-for land. "Water, water, " he murmured, despondingly. "Water everywhere, and nosight of the haven! Hello!" His heart gave a great bound, for, just in the edge of the horizon--atthe very point where ocean and sky met--he saw a dark substance, likea fleecy vapor, no bigger than a man's hand. "It may be a cloud, " said the captain to himself, as he carefullyscrutinized it, "and it may be land; and, by the great horn spoon, itis land! Land ho!" "Where away?" called back Storms, from below, quite confident what theanswer would be. "Two points on the weather-bow. " The mate headed toward the point indicated, and then silence reignedfor awhile on board, excepting in the case of Inez, who bounded up ondeck, and was here, there and everywhere. The captain was left to himself, for Abe Storms knew he would comedown and report as soon as he had anything definite; and, in thenature of things, he could know nothing positive for a considerabletime to come. As the _Coral_ sped forward--sometimes on the long, sloping crest ofan immense swell, and then again in the valley between--the captainsaw and thought of nothing else but the little island ahead, which wasslowly rising out of the ocean. He had discovered that it was circularin shape, quite small, and fringed with vegetation. This corresponded, in a general way, with the description given by the sailor in thehospital; but there are hundreds of other islands in the South Seas towhich the same description will apply, and it was not impossible thatthe _Coral_ was many a long league astray. "When I was on the island, ten years ago, " said Grebbens, "I foundremains of a ship that had been wrecked there but a short time before. There was a portion of the mast, which we managed to erect by scoopinga deep hole in the beach and then packing the sand about the base. Onthe top of this we kept our signal of distress flying, in the hope ofcatching the notice of some passing vessel, as was the case after along while. It was my jacket which fluttered from the top of thatmast, and the old garment has been blown away long ago; but I don'tknow any reason why the pole itself shouldn't be standing, and if itis, you will find it on the right of the entrance to the lagoon. " The island, it will be understood, was an atoll--that is, a circularfringe of coral, with a lagoon of the sea inside which was enteredthrough a comparatively narrow passage from the ocean. The atoll towhich the old sailor referred was extensive enough to furnish freshwater and fruit, while at the entrance, and in other places, there wasa sufficient depth of sand to afford secure "anchorage" for the polewhich they erected. Peering through the spy-glass, Captain Bergencould see the white line where the sea beat against the coral shoresand was rolled back again in foam. And while he was gazing, hispracticed eye detected a gap in the line of breakers--that is, a spotwhere the white foam did not show itself. This must necessarily be theopening through which the ocean flowed into the lagoon within theisland. Since it met with no opposition, it swept inward with asmooth, grand sweep, which proved that the water was deep and withoutany obstruction. "Suppose he deceived me?" Captain Bergen asked himself the question while he was scanning theisland. It was the first time the thought suggested that maybe the sailor, dying in the Boston hospital, had told him an untruth, and such ashuddering, overwhelming feeling of disappointment came over the poorfellow at that moment that he grew dizzy and sick at heart, and camenigh losing his balance. "No, it cannot be, " he repeated, rallying himself, with a greateffort. "I have a better opinion of human nature than that. " His glasses were still pointed in the direction of the island, and hewas peering with an intensity that was painful at the spot where thedark break in the foamy breakers showed the entrance to the atoll, when he detected a black, needle-like column which rose from the beachat one side of the entrance. It was so thin that he could not makesure it was not some trick of his straining vision, and in doubt as toits reality, he relieved his aching eye by removing the glass for amoment and looking down on the deck beneath him. He saw Redvignez and Brazzier standing at the bow, also gazing towardthe island, which was plainly visible from the deck. They occasionallyspoke, but their tones were so low that no word could be distinguishedby any ears excepting those for which they were intended. Mr. Stormswas at his post, and as Pomp and Inez were invisible, the conclusionwas inevitable that they were in the cabin, whence issued theappetizing odor of cooking fish, and where no doubt the young ladywas receiving the attention which she expected as her right. At this instant a peculiar experience came to the captain of the yacht_Coral_. A slight flaw in the breeze, which was bearing the vesselforward, caused the sails to flap, and must have made a sort of funnelof one of them for the moment; or rather, as may be said, it made atemporary whispering gallery of the deck and rigging of the craft. Andbeing such, it bore the following ominous words to Captain Bergen, uttered, as they were, by Hyde Brazzier in a most guarded undertone: "We shall be the two richest men in America!" Captain Bergen was in that state of intense nervous sensibility inwhich his perceptions were unnaturally acute, and he felt, on theinstant the words struck his ear, that they had a frightful meaning. The two continued their cautious conference, but the sail favoredacoustics no longer, and the listener did not catch another syllable. "They mean to kill Abe and me, " he said to himself, "and run away withthe pearls. If they had determined to be honest men, and we hadsecured any particular amount of wealth, they would have been rewardedliberally. Forewarned is forearmed. " Captain Bergen was a brave man, and there was no fear of hisdisplaying any shrinking in the crisis which was evidently close athand. Once more he raised the glass to his eye and gazed toward the inlet ofthe atoll. During the few minutes that he had spent in looking downupon the deck and listening, the schooner had made good speed, and theisland was less than a half mile distant. When the instrument waspointed toward the place, he saw clearly and unmistakably the figureof the mast standing beside the inlet, where it had been placed yearsbefore by Grebbens and his companions. This, then, was Pearl Island, as the New Englanders had named it; andhere it was that the bed of pearl oysters of fabulous richness was tobe found. Something like a feeling of depression came over the captain when herealized that the land of promise had risen on his vision at last. Fordays, weeks and months this had been the one absorbing theme of hismind. He had dreamed of it until he was almost, if not quite, amonomaniac, and he had built air-castles until the whole sky of hisvision was filled with gorgeous structures. And it should be added, injustice to both Bergen and Storms, that these structures werecreditable to the builders; for, realizing in the fullest sense thatabout all they could extract personally from riches was their ownboard and lodging, they had perfected a number of colossal schemesfor benefiting humanity; indeed, charity was the foundation-stone ofall these castles. And now, after these long months of waiting, heseemed to see the wealth lying within his grasp, and something like areaction came to him. "Is it worth all this?" he asked himself. "Is the gain likely to payfor the peril in which we have placed ourselves?" Still further, the ominous words which he had overheard impressed himvividly with the impending danger in which he and his mate wereplaced. He saw now that in taking Brazzier and Redvignez he had takentwo mutineers aboard, and two who, in all probability, had won thegiant African, Pomp, over to their side. What was to be the outcome of all this? CHAPTER XII IN THE HAVEN AT LAST As Captain Bergen descended the rigging to the deck of the schooner hewas greatly depressed, for the conviction was strong upon him that inentering this promised land--as he had sometimes termed the littlecircle of coral and earth which he had named Pearl Island--he wouldnever leave it. The immense wealth which lay hidden along its coast, awaiting the coming of some one to gather it, would never be carriedaway by those who had already come more than half-way round the globeto garner it. As the captain stepped upon deck, Redvignez and Brazzier respectfullysaluted him, and looked as if they were the most loyal of sailors. Captain Bergen forced himself to respond to their salute, and then hewalked quietly over to where Abe stood at the wheel. "Well, what do you make of it?" asked the mate, in a low voice. "It's the island!" replied Bergen. "Are you sure of it?" "Yes; there can be no doubt. I made out the landmark that Grebbenstold me would identify it beyond all question. That's the mast whichthey erected on the shore, close to the inlet. You can see it withoutthe glass, " added the captain, turning about and looking in thatdirection. Such was the case, and Storms observed it plainly. "What's the matter, captain?" asked the mate, bringing his gaze backto the face of his friend, and scrutinizing him keenly. "You look paleand agitated. Have your nerves given out after this strain?" "Abe, " said the captain, in a carefully-guarded voice, and glancingover his shoulder, "I learned, a few minutes ago, that those two menforward intend to mutiny and run away with the pearls. " "Is that all? Why, I knew that weeks ago!" "You did?" demanded the astounded captain. "Why, then, didn't you tellme?" "I thought it was better to wait till we reached the island, by whichtime their plans were likely to be more fully developed. " "That sort of reasoning I don't understand, " said the captain, anything but pleased with his mate. "But never mind about it now. Tellme what you have learned. " "Not a great deal more than you have told. Those two men, I amsatisfied, are old acquaintances, who have been partners in more thanone crime, though we supposed them strangers at the time we shippedthem; and I have no doubt they began planning our deaths from the daywe sailed out of San Francisco harbor. " "What about Pomp?" "They had a hard time, but they have won him over, and he is pledgedto go with them. " "And you have tried to gain the good will of Pomp?" "I have done my utmost, and have treated him with unusual leniency, making him many presents, some of which I gave him to understand camefrom you. But they've got him, for all that. There's our greatestsafeguard. " As the mate spoke, he pointed to Inez, who, at that moment, camebounding up the steps of the cabin and ran laughing forward. "Pomp thinks all the world of her, and she will be the peacemaker, perhaps. " "But don't they like her as well?" "No; they wouldn't hesitate any more over killing her than they wouldin killing us. " "The villains!" muttered the horrified captain. "I never conceived itpossible that any human being could fail to love such beauty andinnocence as hers. " "There is no immediate danger, " said the mate, somewhat surprised toobserve how completely the discovery had taken possession of the mindof the captain. "Let's give our attention now to the business uponwhich we came, and there will be time enough to think of the othermatter between now and nightfall. " Captain Bergen was sorely perplexed, but the circumstances were suchthat he was able to follow the suggestion of his faithful mate. Theywere now close to the island, which was of that singular formation sofrequently seen in the Pacific. Countless millions of tiny insects, toiling through many years, had gradually lifted the foundations ofcoral from the depths of the ocean, until the mass, in the form of agigantic ring or horse-shoe, was above the surface. Upon this hadgradually gathered sand, seeds and vegetable matter, in the usual way, until beneath the tropical sun and the balmy climate the "desertblossomed like the rose. " This took a long while, but the process itwent through was similar to that of hundreds of much larger islandswhich to-day rest like nosegays upon the bosom of the vast Pacific. Among these fruits were the banana, plantain, breadfruit, and a sortof mango, found in Farther India, and which, at first disliked, becomes in time a great favorite with every one. Most singular of allwas the fact that at two widely-separated points burst forth a springof clear, fresh water. One might well wonder where the supply for this came from, since thewhole island had its foundation in salt water--but there are manystrange distillations going on at all times in nature's laboratorybeyond the power of man to fathom. These were probably stored away in some of the hidden vaults of theisland, and bubbled forth, the fountain being renewed before theprecious contents were exhausted. The entrance to the interior was through a deep passage, toward whichMr. Storms directed the vessel. As the _Coral_ glided into this"inland sea, " Captain Bergen took the helm, being as familiar with thecontour of the atoll as if he had spent a dozen years upon it. He knewwhere the best anchorage was to be found, and he headed over towardthe eastern shore, where it was safe to run close enough in to springfrom the deck to the land. He was a good seaman, and he brought hiscraft to with as much skill as a stage-driver brings his team to ahalt before the door of an inn. The anchor was let go at the propermoment, and the _Coral_ slowly swung at her mooring in the veryposition her master desired, both bow and stern being so close toshore that there would be no occasion to use the small boat which isgenerally called into requisition on such occasions. The scenery and situation were peculiar and novel in the highestdegree. These atolls are the natural harbors of the ocean, and if anyvessel can run through the openings into the calm waters within, shemay ride in safety from the severest tempest. The water within the lagoon was as calm as the surface of a mill-pond. On every hand rose the trees and vegetation so dense that the onlyportion where a glimpse of the ocean could be caught was at theentrance, which, it would seem, the builders of the island had left onpurpose for the ingress and exit of endangered shipping. Despite the alarming discovery which Captain Bergen had made but ashort time previous, he carried out the purpose formed weeks before, and which the mate urged him to fulfil. The schooner having beensecured in position and everything put in ship-shape order, headdressed the three men who composed the crew: "My friends, when I engaged you to go upon this voyage, I did not tellyou whither, and you may think it is late in the day to give you suchinformation, now that we have reached our destination. Some time ago, before I sailed, I received information that a bed of oysters existedat a certain portion of this island unusually rich in pearls. It isto obtain them I have come, and now I wish to say, what I determinedto say from the first, that if you work faithfully, and give me allthe assistance you can, each of you three shall receive enough to makeyou rich for life. In an enterprise of this kind the business is apartnership, and you shall be liberally treated, provided you proveworthy. " During the utterance of these words, both the captain and the matecarefully watched the faces of the three men to see the effectproduced. Had the African been alone he would have been won over, and as it washe turned about in an inquiring way, and looked toward the two men asif seeking to see how they took it. Their countenances were soimmobile that he gained no information from the looks there; but boththe officers did. Abe Storms, especially, was a skilful physiognomist, and that which he saw convinced him that the speech, coming as it did, was a mistake. As is frequently the case, it was accepted as anevidence of timidity on the part of the officers, and the conspiratorswere given a confidence which otherwise would not have been theirs. "It was a blunder, " whispered Storms, when the captain stepped besidehim. "Those wretches mean mischief, and it is coming withintwenty-four hours. " CHAPTER XIII THE OYSTER BED Little Inez Hawthorne was overrunning with delight at the prospect ofa romp on shore, after having been confined so long in the crampedquarters of the schooner, and she was darting hither and thither, eager to start upon her frolic. "I say, captain, " said Hyde Brazzier, bowing profoundly and withgreat humility, "we be greatly surprised by what you tell us aboutthe pearls, and we are very much obliged for your kindness, whichthe same is a great deal more than we expected; but it has set usall topsy-turvy, as we may say. If it's all the same, we would liketo go and take a look at that same pearl-oyster bed, if it isn'tinconvenient. " The captain and mate both understood the meaning of this, for itshowed only too clearly how impatient the men were to commit the crimewhich they had in mind. Still, there was no excuse for refusal, andthe officers were anxious enough to see the place for themselves. Eachhad his revolver carefully shoved into his pocket, and each knew thatthe six chambers were fully charged, when they sprang over thevessel's side and started toward the northernmost part of the island. The captain and mate led the way, for they were sure they were in nopersonal danger so long as the oyster-bed remained undiscovered. The fringe of coral trees was quite broad, but, as the little partymade their way through them, they could catch the gleam of the wateron each side, while the roar and boom of the breakers never ceased. The sun seemed to linger in the horizon to their left, as if to guidethem in the search they were making. As they advanced, all observed that the outer rim of this fringe wasvery irregular, as if it had been broken up and changed by the actionof fierce tempests for many decades. This peculiarity, if such it maybe termed, left many places where the ocean was as calm as within theatoll, and it was in one of these that the oyster-bed for which theywere searching was to be found. Mate and captain advanced quite spiritedly for some distance, untilthey were close to the northernmost portion, when they hesitated, slackened their gait, looked to the right and left, conferred in lowtones, and then the captain suddenly exclaimed: "This looks like the spot!" The words were scarcely out of his mouth when the two men dashed downthe slight slope, ran a short distance, and then abruptly halted closeto the water's edge, at a point where the sea was locked in so that itwas only slightly disturbed by the ordinary swell. Close behind themwere Redvignez and Brazzier, while Pomp brought up the rear. The threemen exchanged only a word or two while following, and those were heardby the leaders, because they were of no significance, but it is safeto conclude they did a great deal of thinking. The five grouped themselves along the water, standing side by side andpeering down into the depths before them. This perhaps averaged threefathoms, and the water itself was as clear as crystal, without eventhe tinge of green generally seen in the ocean. The bottom was quiteeven and flat, resting upon a substratum of coral. The glinting raysof the sun helped, so that a marble could have been distinguished manyfathoms down. And looking downward, the quintette saw the bottomstrewn with oysters of unusual size, lying so close together that inmany places they seemed to touch each other. For a full minute the five stood motionless and speechless. It wasPomp who was the first to recover his voice: "My gracious! am dem 'isters full of pearls?" "That can only be told by examination, " was the quiet reply of Mr. Storms. "Dat's ruther deep to dive down, an' how 'bout sharks?" The mate smiled. "We thought of all that before we left home, Pomp. " "Well, what good did all de thinkin' do? Dat won't drive away deshark, dat would as lief bite a man in two as to swaller a fish. " "If you and Redvig will return to the vessel and get that coat of mailon deck, I will agree to go down there and take all the risks. " The three mutineers, as they may be called, exchanged glances, butsaid nothing. The captain and mate noted this telegraphy of the eyes, and they, too, were silent, but it was a little test which they haddetermined upon before leaving the _Coral_, lying some distance away, safely moored close inshore. Evidently the three could think of novalid excuse, and Brazzier said, in a low voice, which was heard byall: "Go, men, and hurry back. " Pomp started off at once, Redvignez following close behind him. Themate and captain saw they were speaking together; but, of course, itcould only be conjectured what they were talking about. The three who remained behind were in an embarrassing situation, forthere could be no doubt that Brazzier, the leader in the plot, had hadhis suspicions aroused by this little incident, and it was hard workfor him to conceal a certain uneasiness at the thought that he hadlost the confidence of the two officers of the _Coral_. With a view of strengthening his position, Captain Bergen took out hisrevolver, looked at it in an inquiring way, and then shoved it backinto his hip-pocket. Abe Storms did precisely the same thing, excepting that he perhaps made a little more display about it. Not one of the three as yet had spoken a word; but Brazzier, as if toconceal his uneasiness, advanced to the edge of the water and peereddown into the crystal depths at the supposed wealth which layscattered over the bottom, awaiting the hour when some one should drawit forth from the hiding-place it had occupied for so many years. "If they've got pearls in 'em, " observed Brazzier, "it'll make a goodhaul for us. " "There is reason to think so, " replied the captain, holding his peace, for he began to suspect that too much deference had already been paidto the crew. Since Pomp and Redvignez were making good time, they soon reappeared, bearing between them the coat of armor which Abe Storms hadconstructed before leaving his New England home. This, it may be said, was an invention peculiarly his own, containing some conveniences notgenerally attributed to diving-bells or armor, and which, if theywithstood the test to which they were sure to be subjected, would be agreat step forward in the rapid improvements that have been made insubmarine armor during the last few years. A superficial examinationwould not discover anything out of the usual order in the make of thearmor, with its bulging glass eyes and general resemblance to thecoats of mail such as were used by the crusaders and knights of themiddle ages. There were the two pipes, one of which went in at thetop of the helmet, as if the man were going to breathe through the crownof his head, while the other was adjusted so as to come nearer thefront of the face. One of these was for the admission of fresh air, andthe other for the expulsion of that which was exhaled. Besides this, there was the rope, fastened around the waist of the diver, to assisthim to the surface should a sudden necessity arise. But, withoutgoing into any detailed description, we may say that the ingenious NewEnglander had so constructed it that he required the assistance of nosecond person at any portion of the work. Storms immediately began adjusting the apparatus, the others standingoff and looking on, for he had declined their proffers of service. The armor had never been tested, and the man might well pause, nowthat he was going to stake his life upon the issue, as may be said. But it was not that fact which caused the mate the most uneasiness, for his confidence in his own invention was so strong that he wouldnot have hesitated a moment to trust himself in water of twice thedepth. Indeed, the pearls were so near at hand that a very ordinarydiver would have found no difficulty in bringing them up without thehelp of any armor at all--the latter being required by otherconsiderations. "Now, all I want done is to allow the two upper ends of the pipes tobe kept clear, " said Storms, when he had adjusted the "harness" abouthim. "I will do the breathing for myself, provided I am not interferedwith. " The two ends were secured among the coral in such a way that there wasno danger of their being drawn in by any action of the armor itself, and then Storms, taking an immense sheath-knife in his hand, promptlystepped off from the shore, and as promptly sank under water. It was a singular sight the four companions whom he left behind saw, when they approached to the edge of the water and looked over. The mate, incased in his armor, looked like some huge, curiously-shapedshellfish or monster, whose weight was such that he went as straightdown as an arrow, and, a few seconds later, was seen bent over andmoving about the bottom, loosening up the oysters. This first venture of Storms' was more in the nature of an experimentor preliminary reconnoissance. He wished to find how the land lay, asthe expression goes. If everything should prove to be in good shape, he would venture down again, with a basket, and the real work ofgathering the pearl-oysters would begin. As we have intimated, Abe Storms felt no misgivings concerning hisarmor when he moved off from solid land and was submerged in the edgeof the Pacific, for he had constructed so many contrivances andmachines that he had learned to understand fully what they would dobefore they were put to work. He carried the enormous sheath-knife inhis right hand, and when his feet lightly touched the shells on thebottom, he began turning them over with the point of his knife. Thedepth of the water being so moderate, he found no difficulty inbreathing, and indeed the conditions were such that whoever chose tocollect the oysters in this armor was not likely to experience theslightest difficulty. Down where he was at work the water seemed to be of a light-yellowishtint, caused by the refraction of the sunlight as it made its way tohim. He noticed the mild glow, which, of course, would steadilydiminish as the sun went down, when all at once it was eclipsed sosuddenly by a dark shadow that he instantly suspected the true cause. Looking upward, he saw an immense shark, certainly a dozen feet inlength, that had halted and was evidently surveying with somecuriosity this intruder upon his domains. The man-eater being directly over the diver, was not in the bestposition to use his fearful jaws with effect, but he was evidentlyreconnoitering with a view to hostilities. Abe observed that thisshadowy figure was motionless, its fins slightly moving back and forthas if it were using them like a balancing-pole, to maintain itselfmotionless in position, and he marked the horridly-shaped mouth whichyawned over his head. Reaching upward with his long-bladed knife, hetouched it against the white belly of the monster, and then gave it astrong push. It was so keen and sharp that it entered deep into the yielding fleshand inflicted a severe wound. Just then the gigantic man-eatersuspected he had committed a blunder, and with a lightning-like whirlof his huge body, he dashed out to sea, leaving a crimson trail afterhim. Indeed, his charge was so sudden that the huge knife was wrenched fromthe grasp of Abe Storms, and he was drawn forward off his balance. Had it been in the open air, he would have been hurled to the groundwith great force. But he managed to recover himself, and caught ashadowy glimpse of the great shark darting off, as the knife droppedfrom the wound and sank to the bottom. Not wishing to lose thevaluable weapon, Storms walked forward, and seeing it lying on thebottom, at a point which seemed to be the edge of the oyster-bed, hestooped over and recovered it. He had now been down a considerable while, and muttered: "The captain promised to signal me if trouble came, and he hasn't doneso. But, for all that, I don't believe it will be safe for me to staydown here much longer. I may as well----" The sentence was never finished, for it received a startlinginterruption. The rubber pipes by which he breathed were suddenlyclosed, and Abe Storms knew it had been done purposely by some oneabove. CHAPTER XIV THE REVOLT For a brief while after the descent of the mate of the _Coral_, incased in his new diving armor, the four men above did nothing morethan merely wait for his coming up. But all the time the parties werewatching each other, for Captain Bergen was convinced that the crisiswas at hand. The mutineers had learned where the oyster-bed was, andtherefore could be no longer restrained by that consideration. Theycould get on without the diving-armor, though they saw how convenientit might be to have it; but, since it was connected with the shore, itcould be drawn in and recovered if they should need it. The mate was down in the ocean, and the captain was standing on terrafirma. What more favorable separation was likely to present itself?Here were three men against one, and the three had gained the secretwhich had restrained them so long. "I say, " said Hyde Brazzier, "does the mate down there find things ashe expected?" "We can tell that better after he comes up, " was the reply of thecaptain, who kept his hand at his hip, where it could rest on the buttof his revolver. "But there is reason to believe that he isn'tdisappointed. " "And he breathes through these pipes that lie here?" pursued Brazzier, while the expression on the face of Pomp and Redvignez convincedSkipper Bergen that serious mischief was coming. "You can see that without asking me, " replied he, stepping back a paceor two so as to keep the men before him. "Well, if a man can't get what air he wants, what is likely tohappen?" continued Brazzier, with an insolent swagger that wasexasperating, following upon his fawning sycophancy. "Any fool would know that he would die. " "Well, now that we've landed, I don't see as there is any need of amate or a captain neither, with this crew--do you, boys?" And he turned toward his companions with a laugh. "Of course not. The best place for him is in Davy Jones' locker!" saidRedvignez. "Now you is talkin' right!" was the characteristic comment of thenegro, Pomp, who seemed the most eager of the three, when the mutinyhad come to a head. It was evident that Brazzier had determined to drown the mate while hewas below the surface. "The first man who interferes with those pipes I will shoot dead!" Captain Bergen spoke the words in a low voice, but there could be nomistaking his deadly earnestness. Feeling that the crisis had come, the captain determined to give the signal agreed upon with Abe Storms, which was a sudden jerk of the rope fastened to the one around thewaist of the mate. The latter would understand that his presence abovewas needed at once. The captain was in the act of stooping over, when Redvignez sprangbehind him with the stealth and agility of a cat, and struck his arm aviolent blow. His purpose was to knock the revolver out of thecaptain's hand, so that he and his friends could secure the use of it. But he overdid the matter, for the revolver went spinning out of thecaptain's hand and dropped into the water, where it sank out of sight. Startled and shocked, he straightened up without giving the signal toAbe Storms below the surface. None of the party had any firearms, but Captain Bergen saw it would bemadness for him to make any resistance. Without a moment's hesitation, therefore, he wheeled about and ran with all the speed of which he wascapable. His flight was not altogether an aimless one, for he hoped to reachthe schooner, lying an eighth of a mile away, far enough in advance ofhis pursuers to seize one of the rifles carefully concealed there, andto make defense against his foes. The instant he broke into a run, hispursuers did the same, uttering loud shouts, as if they were AmericanIndians who were certain of their prey. For the time, it was a question of speed between pursuers and pursued. If the latter could reach the craft considerably ahead of the others, there was a chance of his making a successful defense against thethree who were seeking his life. If he failed to attain the goal, hefelt it would be all over with him, for they were not the men to showany mercy. Darting among the palm-trees, therefore, he strained every nerve todraw away from his enemies, while they strove, with equal desperation, to overtake him. It was a straight run, and comparatively an unobstructed one, for thepalm-trees were far enough apart to give him a pretty fair course, which was of equal advantage to all parties. Perhaps it is possible, therefore, to imagine the anxiety with which, after running a shortdistance, Captain Bergen glanced over his shoulder to see how hispursuers were making out. But it is not possible to appreciate hisconsternation when he saw that two of them were outrunning him, and, as he had striven to his very utmost, the frightful truth was manifestthat he was sure to be overtaken before he could reach the _Coral_. Those who were gaining upon him were Pomp, the negro, and Brazzierhimself. But the fact that they were gaining upon him was no cause forthe fugitive falling down and yielding without a struggle. He stillhad his sheath-knife, which he grasped with a despairing feeling as herealized, during those awful seconds, that complete, disastrousfailure, instead of the brilliant success he had counted upon, hadovertaken him at last. The pursuers gained rapidly, and not one-half the distance was passed, when all three of the men were almost within striking distance, forRedvignez was at the elbow of his companions. Captain Bergen lookedover his shoulder, and was about to throw his back against apalm-tree, with the view of turning at bay and fighting to the last, when, like the historical John Smith of our own earlier times, hislack of attention to his feet precipitated the very fate against whichhe was struggling. His feet struck some obstruction, and beingexhausted from his extraordinary exertion, he pitched forward and fellon his face. As he went down he was conscious of hearing two widelydifferent sounds--one the exultant cries of the pursuers, and theother the terrified scream of a little girl. Captain Bergen attempted to rise, but Redvignez and Brazzier were uponhim, and the knife of the latter was upraised with the purpose ofending the matter then and there forever, when the cry of the childwas heard the second time, and little Inez sprang, like Pocahontas, between the uplifted arm and the intended victim. "Oh, don't hurt him! Please don't hurt him! Please, please don't hurthim, 'cause I love him!" pleaded the agonized child, with all theearnestness of her nature. The position of the prostrate captain attempting to rise, and thelittle one interceding for him, was such that the mutineer hesitatedfor the moment, for he could not strike without endangering her life. Seeing this, with the wonderful quickness which sometimes comes overthe youngest child in such a crisis, Inez persistently forced her bodywith amazing quickness in the way of the poised knife as it started todescend more than once--the other two holding back for their leader tofinish the work. Brazzier was a man of tigerish temper, and he became infuriated in afew seconds at this repeated baffling of his purpose. "Confound you!" he suddenly exclaimed, with a fierce execration. "Ifyou will keep in the way, then you must take it!" The arm was drawn still further back, with the intention of carryingout this dreadful threat, when the wrist was seized in the iron gripof Black Pomp, who said: "Hold on, dere! None ob dat! De man dat hurts a ha'r ob dat littlegal's head will got sot down on by me, an' mashed so flat dat he'llneber rose ag'in. Does you hear me, sah?" CHAPTER XV THE FRIEND IN NEED There was no excuse for not hearing this warning, for it was utteredin a voice loud enough to reach over the whole extent of the atoll. Both Redvignez and Brazzier were enraged at the interference, andthere was an instant of time when the two were on the point ofattacking him. But he was a terrible foe for any one to assail, and hewould have made warm work, as they well knew, for he was not afraid ofthe two together. Brazzier was quick to comprehend the situation, and he refrained. "Take away the girl, then, " he commanded, "so I can get at him. " "I will not leave him, " declared Inez, throwing her arms about theneck of the captain, who was rising to his feet. "You mean to hurthim, and you shan't hurt him without hurting me. He has been kind, andhe's a good man. " "Take her away, " commanded Brazzier, with difficulty repressing hisanger at the repeated delay. "Oh, Pomp! You won't let him hurt the captain?" pleaded Inez, turningtoward him, and ready to throw her arms about his dusky neck, were itnot that she was afraid to leave the captain for the moment--he havingrisen to his feet, while he held her hand and looked at his enemies, panting from his own great exertion, though he did not speak a word. Even in the dreadful peril which enveloped him, he was too proud toask for mercy from such wretches. But the appeal of Inez to Pomp had produced its effect. When sheturned her misty eyes upon him, and pleaded in such piteous tones formercy, the mouth of the huge African twitched, and any one could seethat a hard struggle was going on within. "If you don't keep those bad men from hurting Captain Bergen, " sheadded, in the same impassioned manner, "I'll never speak toyou--never, never, never--there!" This was accompanied by a stamp of her tiny foot, and then she burstinto weeping--sobbing as if her heart would break. Hyde Brazzier stood irresolute, and seemed on the point of leaping, knife in hand, upon the captain. But the prayer of the innocent childhad settled the question, and the sable Hercules sprang in front ofthe endangered man. "Dis 'ere thing hab gone fur 'nough; let de cap'in alone. If dere'sany killin' to be done, why I'm de one dat's gwine to do it. " The two mutineers were wild with fury, for this unexpected show ofmercy promised to upset the whole scheme they had been hatching forweeks. Both Redvignez and Brazzier protested vehemently, seeking toshow that it was imperatively necessary that both the officers shouldbe put out of the way, and that since the mate was gone, it was thesheerest folly to allow the captain to remain. But the words were thrown away. The prayer of little Inez Hawthorne had reached the heart of thegigantic African, and the sight of the child standing there weepingwas more than he could bear, although it but served to add to theexasperation of the other two savages. Captain Bergen did not stand mute and motionless during all this rushof events, which really occupied but a few seconds. As soon as he sawthe way open, he took the hand of little Inez and began moving in thedirection of the schooner, his purpose being to secure refuge uponthat if possible. As he moved away he saw Pomp and the two mutineersin conference, for Brazzier and Redvignez at that moment would havegiven a large share of their prospective wealth for the purpose ofdisposing finally and forever of the captain. "We have been in mutinies before, Pomp, and the only safe course--andthat ain't safe by any means--is to follow the rule that dead men tellno tales. " "Dat may be de rule, but it ain't gwine to work in dis case; an' dereason am 'cause de little gal dere don't want it done. You can talkan' argufy fo' fourteen years, but it won't do no good. De only wayyou can finish up de job am by killin' me fust. " The foregoing is the substance of the protests and replies of the twoparties to the angry discussion. It so happened, as we have shown, that the African held the balance of power. He was strong andcourageous, and he was armed and ready to fight, and they knew it. They did not dare to attack him openly, where the result was so likelyto be disastrous to both, and they were compelled to fall in with hisscheme of saving the captain, though it can well be understood that itwas the most distasteful thing to which they could consent. This discussion lasted but a few minutes; but, as we have said, it wasimproved by Captain Bergen, who saw that the wisest course for him topursue was to remove the cause as far as practical. He walked backwarda few steps until he was some way off, when he turned about, stillholding the hand of Inez in his, and they continued until a number ofpalm-trees intervened, when he sped so rapidly that the child was kepton a run to maintain her place at his side. She had ceased her crying, but her face and eyes were red, and she was in an apprehensive, nervous and almost hysterical condition from the terrible scene shehad witnessed--a scene such as should never be looked upon by one ofher tender years. A minute later Captain Bergen caught sight of the trimly-builtschooner lying at rest in the lagoon, close to the shore, and hisheart gave a throb of hope, that, if he could once secure position onher deck, he would be able to hold his own against the mutineers. During the next few hurried minutes occupied in the passage to theschooner, the conviction had grown upon him that this mercy which hadspared his life for a brief while would not be continued. Pomp Cooperwould not continue to be his friend after his spasm of affection forInez should spend itself, and devoid as the African was of intellect, he was likely to understand that the true course of the party who hadentered upon the villainy was to make thorough work of it. The captain saw the three men still talking and gesticulating angrilywhen he reached the schooner. In a twinkling he had lifted Inez upon the deck, and then he sprangafter her. He ran into the cabin, reappearing in an instant with thethree loaded rifles. "Now, " said he, with a sigh of relief, "let them come! I am ready. " CHAPTER XVI A STRANGE VISITOR But the mutineers took good care not to show themselves just then; andthe captain, deeming such a course prudent, tugged at the anchor untilit was lifted, when he managed to shove the craft off, and reachingthe middle of the lagoon, the anchor was dropped. "Now they won't be likely to approach without my seeing them, " was hisconclusion; "and so long as I can keep awake, I can hold them at bay. I hate to shoot a man, but if ever a person had justification fordoing so, I have. I am rather inclined to think that if eitherBrazzier or Redvignez should wander into range, one of these rifleswould be likely to go off!" Seeing no immediate danger, Captain Bergen descended into the cabinfor a few minutes. Poor, tired Inez had thrown herself on the hammockand was sound asleep. "Sleep, little one, " murmured the captain, as he lingered for a minuteto look at the sweet, infantile face, in the gathering twilight. "Itis a sad fate which orders you to witness so much violence, and sorryI am that it is so; but where would I have been excepting for you?" Then he softly left the cabin and took his position on deck. The moonwas full, which was gratefully noticed by the captain, for he couldeasily keep awake all night, and thus detect the approach of hisenemies. In fact, his nerves were so unstrung that he would not beable to sleep for many hours to come. "But what is to be done hereafter?" This was the question he put to himself, and which had to beanswered. The mutineers kept carefully out of sight, and, as night settled overthe scene, the captain remained wide awake and vigilant. There wasample food for thought and reflection--the cutting of the hose-pipesof the diving apparatus, the attack by the mutineers, the terribleflight and pursuit, the interference of Inez--all these and moresurged through the brain of the captain, while he slowly paced backand forth, with eyes and ears wide open. Inez still slumbered, and allwas silent, excepting the boom of the ocean against the coral-reef;while, as the night wore on, the captain maintained his lonely watch. Captain Bergen scanned the fringe of shore which circled about him, like a great wall thrown up between the lagoon and the Pacific, thatsteadily broke on the outside. But turn his keen eyes wheresoever hechose, he could detect not the slightest sign of the mutineers. Hethought it likely they would start a fire somewhere, but no starlikepoint of light twinkled from beneath the palm-trees, and he was leftto conjecture where they were and what they were doing. "They will probably wait till they think I am asleep, " was histhought, "and then they will swim quietly out and try to board. " He believed it would be either that way or they would construct a raftand paddle themselves out to the schooner. Knowing the captain was onthe Coral, and knowing how important it was that he should not beallowed to run away and leave them there, they would neglect noprecaution to prevent his going off. They, too, would understand whatit was he was waiting for, and they were seamen enough to know thehour when he would be able to sail, and, consequently, what they wereto do to prevent it. "They have no way of closing the channel, or they would do so, and itremains----Hello!" He was standing at the prow, looking carefully about him, and with allhis senses alert, and he stood thus fully twenty minutes, expectingsomething whose precise nature he had already conjectured. "That splash meant something, and I think----" Just then he heard a commotion in the water directly under the prow, and, looking over, he saw a strange-looking object, like one of theuncouth monsters of the deep, come to the surface and begin climbingup by aid of the fore-chains. "I say, cap'n, can't you give a fellow a lift?" It was the mate, Abe Storms, who asked the question, and, as thecaptain extended his hand, he said, in a low, fervent voice: "Thank heaven! I was about giving you up for lost!" CHAPTER XVII ON THE CORAL Captain Bergen and Abe Storms, as may be supposed, greeted each otherardently when the latter stepped upon the deck of the schooner, cladin his diving-suit. "I was growing very anxious about you, " said the captain, "for I couldnot understand what kept you away so long. " The eccentric New Englander, removing his headgear, but leaving therest of his armor on, laughed and asked: "Tell me what took place after I went down. " The captain hurriedly related his experience, which has been alreadytold the reader. "We took a good deal of risk, as you know, " said the mate, "and when Iwent down in the water, I was a great deal more uneasy than I seemedto be. I was expecting a signal from you, and when it did not come Istarted for the surface. The shore is rough and craggy, you know, sothat it was something like climbing up stairs. "Well, I had got pretty well up when the pipes were cut. I understoodwhat it meant, and, holding my breath, with the water rushing down thetwo hose-pipes, I scrambled for the top. "It may have been a perilous thing for you that the rascals pursuedyou with such enthusiasm, but it was fortunate for me, for, although Ihad a dry revolver under my armor, it was several minutes before I wasin a condition to use it. "As soon as possible, however, I made ready, believing you were insore need of help. Crawling forward on my hands and knees, I took aquick look over the bank, and saw you and Inez walking off in thedirection of the schooner, with the three scamps sullenly watchingyou. "I suspected what you tell me was the truth, and I was on the point ofrushing forward and making short work of them with my revolver, but itflashed upon me that they possessed a fearful advantage over us. Redvignez and Brazzier are as cunning as serpents, and one of them, more than likely, would have caught up the little girl and held her infront of him as a screen. "Inez would have proved an effectual armor, indeed, and, with her intheir possession, they would have been masters of the situation, andcould have dictated whatever terms they chose to us. Pomp would havebeen transformed into a bitter enemy at once, and the chances ofdisaster to us all were so great that I remained quiet, but watchful, ready to dash forward to your assistance should it become necessary. "I lay down in a secluded place to rest, when--shall I confess it?--Ifell asleep, and did not wake up until half an hour ago. Afterthinking the matter over, I decided still to deceive the rascals. Iwas quite certain that the water in the lagoon was not very deep, so Ifastened the upper ends of the hose to floats, and walked out here onthe bottom. " "Did you see anything of them?" "No; I don't know where they are; but you can feel sure they'll nevertake their eyes off the schooner. " After further discussing the exciting events of the day, theyconsidered the all-important question as to what should be their ownline of action. The decision which they reached was a most remarkableone, being no less than to make a direct proposition to the mutineersto turn over the schooner to them, with a portion of the oysters, andto allow them to depart, while the captain, mate and little girl wereleft upon the island. The captain was not convinced that this was altogether wise, and hesaid: "Since your plan is for us to stay on the island, and allow them toleave with the schooner, will you tell me how we are to depart, whenready?" The mate indicated the inlet, where the mast was still pointing towardthe sky. "We've got to run our chances. We may be taken off in a week, andpossibly not for years; but, with all these probabilities before us, Iam in favor of surrendering the schooner, and allowing them to leaveus forever, if they will agree to do so. " "But, if we make the proposition, will they not suspect our purpose, or take it as a confession of weakness on our part?" "We must prevent that. But, captain, I've had all the sleep I want, and you are in need of it. Better secure it, therefore, while you can. Go below in the cabin and take your rest. I will stand guard here, andyou need have no fear of my dropping into slumber again. " The captain remained some time longer, and even then was loth toleave, but he consented to do so, and finally descended into thecabin, where he threw himself upon his hammock without removing hisclothes. The incidents of the day were exciting enough to keep him awake, and, despite the exhaustion of his body, he lay a long time before heclosed his eyes in slumber. Even then his sleep was haunted byhorrible dreams, in which he lived over again the scenes through whichhe had passed, when, but for the piteous pleadings of little Inez, hewould have fallen a victim to the ferocity of the mutineers, and heawoke more than once with a gasp and a start, which showed howdisturbed his mind was. He had not slept long when he suddenly awoke again, and looked aroundin the gloom. The lamp overhead had been extinguished, and he was inutter darkness, though the silvery glow of the moonlight outside wasperceptible through the windows and partly-open door. He could hearthe dull booming of the breakers on the outside of the atoll, but allelse was quiet, except the gentle breathing of Inez, in the berthbeneath his. "God protect her and us all!" he prayed, his heart, in the solemnstillness and solitude, ascending to the only being who could assisthim and his friend in their dire extremity; for Captain Bergen wassure that no one could be placed in greater peril than were he and AbeStorms, so long as they remained among the Pearl Islands. CHAPTER XVIII A VISIT FROM SHORE In the meantime Abram Storms was acting the part of a vigilantsentinel at his station on deck. There was no doubt in his mind that the mutineers were fearful theschooner would sail away and leave them on the lonely coral island, and they were certain, as he viewed it, to make some effort to preventsuch a disaster to them. But precisely how this was to be done was aserious question. They knew that the captain, having reached the_Coral_, had several rifles at command, and would not hesitate toshoot them the instant any attempt was made against him or littleInez, under his charge. Nothing was more certain than that an unremitting watch would be keptupon the _Coral_, and, though they might believe there was but thesingle man there, yet unquestionably he commanded the situation. "They will try some trick, " muttered the mate; "but I shall have avery small opinion of myself if they win. Pomp Cooper's affection forInez led him to interfere, when his interference accomplished a gooddeal more than he imagined. Ah!" At that moment the mate heard a ghostly "Halloo!" from the shore, andhe recognized the voice as belonging to Pomp. "Just as I suspected, " said Storms, to himself; "they're using thenegro as a cat's-paw. Well, I'll see what they are driving at. " Imitating the tones of Captain Bergen as closely as possible, the mateshouted: "What do you want?" "Am you dere?" was the rather superfluous question. "Yes. " "Won't you let me come on board?" "What for?" "I'm sick ob dis business. I hab quarreled wid Redvig an' Brazzier, an' I want to jine you an' git away from dis place. " Abe Storms was not deceived for a moment by this transparent story. Heknew there had been no quarrel, but that the mutineers had planned toget the negro on the schooner with the hope of deceiving the captainand gaining a chance to overpower him when off his guard. "Come on out here, then, " replied the mate, who quickly determined hiscourse of action. Almost at the same instant a loud splash was heard, and the head ofPomp was descried in the moonlight, swimming toward the boat. The matekept himself concealed as much as he could, stepping back when thenegro began clambering up the fore-chains. Panting from his exertion, he speedily came over the gunwale upon the deck. "Yes, cap'in, I's tired ob dem willains, an' I'm gwine----Oh! oh!oh!" At that instant his eyes fell upon the figure of the mate, clad in hisdiving-armor, with the exception of his face, which was so clearlyrevealed in the moonlight that there could be no mistaking hisidentity. Worse than that, the mate, standing as rigid as iron, had a gleamingrevolver pointed straight at him. Pomp sank on his knees in the mostabject terror. "Oh, my heben!" he chattered, clasping his hands, "I t'ought dat youwas drowned. Am you sartin dat you ain't?" "I am quite well satisfied on that point. But, Pomp, get up; I've gota word or two to say to you. " "I will, I will; but please p'int dat weepon some oder way. " The mate complied, and the African, somewhat reassured, though stillconsiderably frightened, listened to the words of the man who hesupposed was drowned hours before. "I am alive and well, Pomp, as you can see, and so is the captain, whois taking a short nap in the cabin. We are well armed, as youknow----" "Yas! yas! yas!" chattered the negro. "And we can sail away in the morning, at the turning of the tide, andleave you here----" "Dat's what I want you to do, an' I'll go wid you. " "You can't go! I know well enough what you came out here for. Youthought you would find a chance to get the upper hand of the captain, and would let the other villains on board. There! you needn't deny it. I understand the matter too well to be deceived. " "Didn't I sabe de cap'in's life?" quavered Pomp, still fearful of thecold, measured tones of the mate. "You befriended him at a critical moment, and therefore I won't shootyou, when I have such a good chance to do so. But you have regrettedyour interference more than once, and you are seeking now to undo allthe good you have done. We have it in our power not only to go away, but to bring back a force which shall hang every one of you three, asyou deserve to be, but----" "Oh! oh-o-o-o!" "But we don't propose to do it. We are not going away to leave youhere. To-morrow we shall have a proposal to offer to your mates, whichthey will be glad to accept. That is about all I have to say to you. " CHAPTER XIX THE DEPARTURE As Mate Storms said, he had but little more communication to make withthe negro. "You may now swim back to your friends and say that we will be readyto negotiate to-morrow morning. If they will come down to the shore, we will have a talk and arrange the whole business. Now, perhaps, youhad better go back. " Pomp Cooper was quick-witted enough to understand that this utterancewas in the nature of a hint for him to depart, and he stood not on theorder of his going. "Good-by, sah, " he called out. "Much obleege fo' your kindness, dat Ishall remember a good while. " Mate Storms stood motionless, watching him until he was perhaps ahundred feet from the craft, when he said, just loud enough to beheard: "Sharks are mighty plenty hereabout, and I saw a big one yesterday. Shouldn't wonder if he has a leg bit off before he gets back. " Pomp heard the words, and they "disturbed" him, to put it mildly. Evidently he had forgotten the peril to which all persons are exposedin tropical waters, and, as the truth was impressed upon him with suchsuddenness, he uttered a "whiff" like a porpoise and began swimmingwith fierce energy toward the shore. In fact, he never put forth somuch effort in all his life. The expectation of feeling a hugeman-eating monster gliding beneath you when in the water is enough toshake the nerves of the strongest swimmer. He kept diving and swimmingas far as he could below the surface, and then came up and continuedhis desperate efforts until he reached the land, where he joined hiscompanions. Abe Storms stood looking and listening, his face expanded in a broadsmile, when he heard a light laugh at his elbow. Turning his head, hefound the captain there. "I heard your summons to him, " said the captain, by way of explanation, "and I came up to hear what it meant. I must admit, you managed thecase well. " "It might have been worse. My only fear is that the imps won't believewe honestly intend to hold the conference with them, and offer acompromise. " "They will find it out at daylight, and meanwhile they can't helpthemselves. It is useless for me to stay below, Abe, " added thenervous captain. "There's too much on my mind to sleep. " Therefore, the two remained on watch until the sun rose, at which timethere was nothing to be seen of the mutineers. "They're suspicious, " concluded the mate, who called out, in a loudvoice that reached every portion of the island: "Hello, men! come and show yourselves. We want to have a talk withyou!" A few minutes later Hyde Brazzier appeared on the shore and answeredback again. It was deemed best to give the mutineers a proof of theirsincerity, and instead, therefore, of holding the conversation fromthe deck of the schooner, the small boat was lowered, and both thecaptain and mate entered it and rowed ashore, where all three awaitedthem, as may be supposed, with some degree of astonishment. Storms and Captain Bergen were not without some misgivings, and theydid not venture unprepared into the lion's den. Both carried a loadedrevolver at command, and in case of an attack the business would havebeen lively. But it was unreasonable to suppose that our friends wouldbe assailed under the peculiar circumstances. Furthermore, as theparties understood each other, there was no time wasted in reproachesor recriminations, but Captain Bergen came directly to the point. "This state of things can't last, " said he; "we are deadly enemies, and we would kill each other on the slightest pretext. The island istoo small to contain us all. Either you three or we two must leavebefore the sun reaches meridian, or we shall go to fighting like cagedtigers. Neither can we go away together, for I would not trust any ofyou again, nor would you trust either of us; therefore, one party mustgo, and the other must stay--which shall it be? We were prepared toleave, when we reflected that if we should be caught in some of thestorms which sweep over this region, the mate and I would hardly beable to manage the schooner, and we are anxious to take care of thelittle girl, to whom we are greatly attached. There are three of you, all able-bodied seamen, and in case of a tempest you would be able tonavigate the _Coral_. It would be safer, therefore, for you to takethe vessel and go to some of the ports, secure assistance and sendthem after us. We make, therefore, this proposition: We will turn overthe schooner to you, on condition that you leave with us such storesas we may choose to take, and that you proceed at once to the nearestof the inhabited Paumotu Islands and send assistance to us. Furthermore, as you know all about the pearl-oysters, we will agreeto divide with you. You can take up half of what are on the bed outyonder, and you may carry them away with you, leaving a moiety to us. You are to sail just as soon as the oysters are placed on board. That's our proposition--what do you say?" There could be no doubt that the mutineers were astonished by thegenerosity of the offer, coming, as it did, from those who were inreality masters of the situation. Had they been a little more cunning, they might have suspected therewas something behind it all, which was kept carefully out of sight;but the terms were so good that Brazzier answered, the instant thequestion was put to him: "We'll do it, and carry out our part fair and square. " "Very well; there's no need of delay. We'll bring the schooner inshoreand take out what we want, and then turn the craft over to you. " This amazing programme was carried out to the letter. Captain andmate, accompanied by Pomp, rowed back in the small boat, and theschooner was carefully worked toward the shore. Abe Storms and Captain Bergen saw that among the possibilities of thefuture was a long stay on the lonely island, and they thereforeprepared for such a contingency, having an eye mainly to securingthat which little Inez would be likely to need. Pomp informed theofficers that there was a small cabin a short distance away, which hadno doubt been put up by the sailors of whom Grebbens had told thecaptain. It was made of planking that had come ashore from the wreck, and the fact that it had stood so long proved that it must have beenbuilt with much skill as well as strength. It was found just as represented by Pomp--there being two compartments, each a dozen feet or so square, and one of these was so well puttogether that it seemed to be waterproof. Our friends were greatlysurprised and pleased over the discovery, for Grebbens had never saidanything about the structure. The goods from the _Coral_ were carried to this building and depositedin the rear room, which was so tight that one would have almostsuffocated had he remained in it during the tropical weather whichprevails among the Paumotu Islands most of the time. The goods stowed there were of a varied assortment, including thethree breech-loading rifles, ammunition, tool-chest and contents, aportion of the medicine-chest, some biscuits, cooking utensils, and atrunk of calicoes, linens and materials such as are used in the makingof feminine costumes. It was a singular coincidence that Abe Stormshad provided a considerable quantity of this before leaving SanFrancisco, knowing as he did the fondness of savages for such finery, and having a suspicion that it might be turned to good account in theway of barter in some of the South Sea islands. Little did he suspectthe use to which it would be put, and thankful indeed was he that itwas at his command, when it was so likely to be needed for InezHawthorne. There was a goodly amount of stock, which was transferred to thecabin, the mutineers assisting with the rest, for all felt there wasno time to lose. There was mistrust at first, each party seeming to besuspicious of the other, but it soon wore off, and any one lookingupon them could not have been made to believe they were deadlyenemies. When the transfer was completed, it was evident that the current wasclose upon its turn, and unless they should leave the island soon, they would be compelled to wait perhaps twelve or twenty-four hourslonger. Since the sea was very calm, Hyde Brazzier proposed that the schoonershould be taken outside and anchored directly over the pearl-oysterbed, so that sail could be hoisted as soon as they were ready. Therewas a slight risk in the action, but it was done, and after somecareful maneuvering the _Coral_ was secured in position. It looked very magnanimous and somewhat stupid for Abe Storms tovolunteer to go down in his coat of armor and scoop the oysters into ahuge basket, for the very parties who had tried so hard to drown himwhen similarly engaged the day before. Nothing, it would seem, couldbe more absurd, and yet the reader is requested to suspend judgmentuntil he shall have read the following chapter. All this was done, and in the course of the succeeding two hours fullythree-fourths of the oysters scattered over that particular bed weredumped upon the deck of the _Coral_, and Abe Storms, pretty wellexhausted, was pulled to the surface. The captain and mate, with thearmor, rowed themselves the short distance ashore in the small boat. The _Coral_ hoisted sail, and, heading out to sea, rapidly sped awayover the Pacific. And all this time the three mutineers felicitated themselves upon themanner in which they had gotten the best of the bargain. And yet, never in all their lives had they been so completely outwitted as theywere by Abe Storms and Captain Jack Bergen, as we shall now proceed toshow. CHAPTER XX HOW DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND The three mutineers on board the schooner Coral had sailed away anddisappeared from view on the face of the vast Pacific, and the captainand mate were left with little Inez alone upon a small, lonely memberof the Paumotu Group, in the distant South Seas. Inez was too young to realize the gravity of the situation, and sheran hither and thither, delighted with her new home, though she foundthe cabin too warm inside to be comfortable, and she made frequentdraughts upon the spring of cool, clear water near which the formerresidents of the atoll had built the cabin. Then, too, she had foundthat there was considerable tropical fruit growing in the place, andshe made such havoc among it that Captain Bergen felt impelled tocaution her, if she should become sick on their hands, she would beapt to fare ill, for they had little medicine at command. While she was thus engaged, captain and mate were reclining on theground, in the shade of the palm-trees. They spoke only now and then, but there was a peculiar expression on their faces as they watched theschooner gradually disappearing in the distance, for it was a longwhile in sight. The time came at last, however, when even theirstraining vision could not detect the faintest resemblance to a sailin the horizon, though it was still visible, as a matter of course, through their glasses. "I believe she is gone, " said Storms, looking toward the captain. "Yes; I see nothing of her. " "Then it's about time to shake. " The two brawny hands clasped, and the friends greeted each other withremarkable cordiality; and, as they did so, they laughed heartily, andthe mate almost shouted: "Captain, but it was a good trick!" "So it was; and I give you the credit of inventing it. I never wouldhave thought of it. " "Shake again; and now to work. " The mate had deposited some of the oysters brought up on the bank, andthey were carefully opened. They were eight in number, and there wasnot found a single pearl among them. In all probability the entire lot which were carried away upon theschooner were not worth as much as the same quantity of bivalves fromChesapeake Bay. In short, this was not the pearl-oyster bed which hadbrought the two friends the greater part of the way around the globe. Suspecting--or, rather, knowing--the evil intentions of the mutineers, Abe Storms proposed the ruse, by which the visit was made to the wrongplace. The mutineers themselves were outwitted, and, under the beliefthat they were carrying away a cargo of fabulous wealth, they did notwait to make an examination of the mollusks until they were well outto sea. When they should open and examine them they were not likely to suspectthe trick, but would think that the whole journey was a failure, andthe three left on the island were, in reality, worse off thanthemselves. And yet the true bed of oyster-pearls remained to be visited. "It is possible they may suspect something and come back again, " saidthe mate, "but it is hardly probable. " "Are they likely to send any friends to take us off?" asked thecaptain, with a quizzical look. "Not to any great extent. They will be sure to give us as wide aberth hereafter as possible. In the meantime, I propose that weinvestigate. " The two rose to their feet, and, lugging the armor between them, moved off toward a point whose location was as well known to them asif they had spent years upon the atoll. While they were thus walking, the mate, who was much the better-educatedman, said: "This pearl-hunting is a curious business. Those specimens that Ibrought up were the genuine species, and yet they have very few or nopearls among them. It must be because the conditions are not favorablefor their creation or development, while, at the place we are about tovisit, the mollusks are the same, and yet there are conditionsexisting there which cause an abnormal growth of the preciousjewels. " "Did you make a careful examination of those other oysters?" "Yes. As I told you, they are genuine, but they have no pearls of anyaccount, the conditions being unfavorable for their formation. Youknow the pearls grow within the oysters, being composed of slimysecretions deposited around some foreign substance that enters them. It may be that a peculiar action of the tide drives a grain of sandinto the mollusks, where we are to visit--though that is allconjecture. " But Mate Storms, who was only fairly launched out in the discourseupon pearls, was here interrupted by the captain exclaiming: "This must be the spot. " The particular bank had been designated so clearly that there could beno mistake, and had the chart, or map, fallen into the hands of themutineers, they would have discovered the trick played on them in aninstant. The spot was a peculiar one where the two friends stopped. Instead of being partly landlocked like the other, it opened outfairly upon the sea, and appeared to be entirely unprotected from theforce of the breakers, which boomed against the beach. It would have been supposed naturally that the true course was for thefishermen to go out in a small boat, and make their explorations fromthat, but Grebbens had instructed the captain that the formation wasso peculiar that nothing would be gained by this course. The shoresank like the side of a wall to a considerable depth, and the oysterslay on the bottom, with some clusters clinging to the rocks, wherethey could be torn off like sponges. It can be understood that the work of removing these would be almostimpossible for any one excepting a professional diver, unless, as wasthe case with our friends, he should have some artificial assistance. But for the diving-armor, it is hardly possible that Abe Storms wouldhave made a serious attempt to secure anything, knowing the dangerfrom sharks, and the difficulty of retaining his breath for anyextended time below the surface of the water. It was near the middle of the afternoon when this spot was reached. The sea was calm, but there were signs in the sky ominous of a comingstorm, so that the two were anxious to make a beginning without anyunnecessary delay. Stooping almost upon their faces, when the swellhad receded enough to permit them, they peered down into the crystaldepths, and caught shadowy glimpses of the prizes. They saw the craggyclusters, big and brown, clinging to the rocks, while others wereoutlined on the floor of the bank. "They're there, beyond a doubt, " said Storms, "and it now remains tosee whether they are worth the gathering. Help me get on this suit. " Both worked deftly, and it was soon adjusted. The main thing was thebreathing apparatus, Storms having some fear that at such a depth thepressure would be so great as to close the pipes, and thus shut outthe air. However, the only way to learn was by experiment, and he didnot wait. Carefully coiling his pipe, he took the rope in his hand andbegan descending, the two having arranged the signals so that withordinary care no accident need result. Captain Bergen held one end ofthe rope in his hand, ready to draw his friend to the surface theinstant he should receive notice that it was necessary. "It is a long way to the bottom!" exclaimed the captain, standing likethe harpooner in a whale-boat, and saw the line steadily paying out. "It won't do for him to go much further, " was his conclusion, noticing, with some alarm, that but little more of the hose was lefton the ground. "I wish those pearls had fixed themselves notquite----Hello!" He knew from the instant cessation of the weight on the rope, and themotionless condition of the hose, that the bottom had been reached byAbe Storms, and none too soon, either. Peering carefully into theclear depths, Captain Bergen saw, too, that his mate was attending tobusiness. CHAPTER XXI AT LAST Mate Storms, so far as could be seen, looked like an immense crab atwork on the bottom of the pearl bank and along the rough rocks. He wasso far below the surface that he was insensible to the long, heavyswells, which at intervals broke upon the beach with a thunderousboom, and so long as the breathing apparatus kept right he couldpursue his labor without difficulty. As he anticipated, he had not been long at work when several sharksmade their appearance and reconnoitered the mysterious intruder upontheir domains. They were evidently puzzled over the appearance of thestrange visitor, and when Storms gave one of them an ugly prod withthe point of his knife, he darted out of sight, instantly followed bythe others, who seemed to suspect they were in danger from themonster, whose slightest touch was so emphatic. It did not take long for the diver to fill his basket, and when hegave the signal, Captain Bergen pulled with might and main, and, afew minutes after, the man in his armor scrambled upon shore, tumbledover by a huge swell, which broke at that moment. The basket was full, and catching it up, Captain Bergen left his friend to himself andbegan hurriedly prying open the mollusks with his sheath-knife. Hisheart throbbed, for they were the largest oysters he had ever seen, and he was full of high hope. The first bivalve opened disclosed a pearl almost as large as arobin's egg. It possessed the faint yellowish tinge which isrecognized in the East as belonging to the most valuable species. With trembling, eager hands, Captain Bergen opened the second, anddiscovered another, nearly as large as the first. Half beside himself, he snatched up the largest oyster in the heap, and forced it apartwith such precipitancy that he cut his hand. There lay a pearl beforehim fully a third larger than the first, with the purest tint, oval inform, and worth thousands of dollars. Captain Bergen could contain himself no longer, but springing to hisfeet he threw his hat in the air, and shouted, and danced about like amadman. Mr. Storms did not remove his armor, for he intended to go down again. His laugh, muffled and sounding strangely from within the visor, washeard as he joined in the demonstrations of his companion. When, encumbered as he was with his awkward armor, he began executinga double shuffle on the beach, the sight was so grotesque that thecaptain came near going into convulsions. But the exercise was tooexhausting, and the mate speedily sat down on the shore and also beganopening oysters. His ardor was somewhat dampened when he failed todiscover anything in the first, and he became quite solemn when thesecond was equally barren of results; but the third yielded abeautiful pearl, fully equal to the first which the captain broughtforth. There could be no doubt now that the men had struck a pearlbank of marvelous richness. "There are plenty more down there, " said the mate, preparing todescend with his knife and basket again. Captain Bergen allowed him to go, while he took the rope in hand, restraining his excitement with difficulty, for he was now sure thatthe wildest dreams in which he had indulged promised to be more thanrealized, and he considered the fortune of himself and friendassured. "The fools, " he muttered, referring to the mutineers; "if they hadacted the part of honest men they might have shared this, but theychose to be scoundrels, and truly they have had their reward. " He noticed this time that the mate drew more upon the hose thanbefore--so much so, indeed, that he threatened to draw the upper endsunder water--and the captain gave a warning tug at the rope, toapprise him that he must venture no further. The warning was heeded, and when, a few minutes later, the diver was helped to terra firmaagain, his basket was filled heaping full. This was dumped out, and he prepared to descend once more. CaptainBergen was so occupied in attending to his friend that he gainedlittle time to open the oysters, and could only look longingly atthem. Now and then, while the diver was cautiously working below, thecaptain snatched one up and pried the shells apart, and the success hemet with was enough to turn the head of the coolest and mostunconcerned of men. Beyond question, as we have said, the bankcontained oysters of astonishing richness, fully three-fourthspossessing pearls of extraordinary size and value. Abe Storms went down and came up with the basket heaped to the top sixseparate times, and then doffed his armor. "What's the matter?" asked the captain, in surprise. "That's all!" "What! are there no more?" "Not another one, so far as I can see. " "That's too bad, " observed the captain, in a tone of disappointment. "I supposed there was enough to keep us employed several days. " "Ah, Jack, " replied the mate, in a reproving tone, "see the emptinessof riches, and how little they can do to satisfy the cravings of thehuman heart. There is enough wealth there at your feet to make you andme independently rich for life, and yet you complain because you haveso little. " "It was wrong, " said the captain, meekly. "I am in such a nervouscondition that I'm hardly myself. I am truly grateful for what we havehere, and glad that we made the long voyage to secure them. We haveenough--to crave more is wicked. " They now set to work opening the shells between which were nestlingthe pearls, and the result was simply astonishing. It was hard work toget some of the thick, ridgy bivalves apart, but when they succeededthey rarely failed to be rewarded munificently. Some of the pearlswere small, the majority large, and about twenty of enormous size andclearness. When the entire lot was placed in a little pile, there werefound to be one hundred and twenty-odd; and, although it wasimpossible to estimate their value, Mate Storms--who was the betterinformed--believed they were worth at least a quarter of a million ofdollars. All these had been taken in a few hours, though thepreparations and the voyage thither had occupied many long, longmonths. "I think I will go down and take a farewell look, " said Abe, when thetask was finished. "I have a suspicion that I may have missedsomething. " "I am quite sure you have, " replied the captain, assisting him withhis armor; "and you have but a short time at your disposal, either, for I think a storm is brewing. " This time the mate meant to proceed differently. In descending alongthe rocks the first time, he paused to break off some of the clusters, and he thought he caught the shadowy glimpse of an enormous oyster, further in; but there were so many closer at hand, and he was soexcited--despite his natural coolness--that he forgot about it untilnow, when he determined to look further, half hoping, more thanbelieving, that it might possess a still larger pearl than any he hadseen. He was confident that this was the only one he had missed, forthe search he made during his last descent, in other respects, wasthorough and left nothing to be done over again. Carefully he sank into the depths of the ocean, with one hand graspingthe rope, ready to give the signal to stop lowering the instant itshould become necessary. He passed several yawning crevices in therocks, which, of course, were of coral formation, and all at once hetugged smartly at the rope. He recognized the spot, and his feet werestill about three yards from the bank upon which he had walked backand forth so many times. Captain Bergen responded at once, and heldhim suspended where he was, which was anything but a comfortableposition, inasmuch as he could find no support for his feet, and hisleft hand was of little use. Immediately before his face the rock made an inward sweep, showing anabrupt ledge, a yard in width and depth. Scanning this as closely ashe could in the dim twilight of the ocean-cavern, Storms thought hesaw something resembling an oyster, which was fully a foot in length. Uncertain as to its identity, he shoved his hand in and found it wassuspended to the rock above, and after two or three violent wrenches, and by using his knife as well as he could, he broke it loose and drewit out. It was an oyster, indeed, of prodigious size, and he instantlysignaled to the captain to draw him up. The latter did so with a vigorthat threatened to dislocate the armor itself. "Here it is, " he exclaimed, the moment he reached the air. "But Idon't know whether there is anything in it or not. " "My stars! Is that an oyster?" asked the captain, picking it up andturning it over like a huge stone, with inquiring eyes. Little Inez Hawthorne had come to the spot while the mate was down thelast time, and she danced with delight at the sight of the beautifulpearls piled upon the ground like a heap of tiny cannon balls. "What are you going to do with that?" she asked, surveying the bigbivalve, with an expression of disgust on her pretty face. "That is yours, " said the captain, earnestly. The mate looked at him and said: "Do you mean that, captain?" "I do. Whatever we find inside of that shall be consecrated to the useof Inez Hawthorne--to be hers absolutely. There may be nothing at all, but if there be a pearl, it will possess a value which we cannotestimate. " The mate reached out his hand. "The proposition does credit to your heart, captain, and I join itwithout reservation. Now do you open it. " The captain hesitated a moment and looked at the big shell curiously, as if afraid to make the investigation. While thus employed, Storms called attention to the fact that the twoshells were already slightly separated, as if the mollusk were gaspingfor air, which could not be the case. Captain Bergen held up the hugeshell and peeped inside. He did so but an instant, when he dropped itupon the sand, and exclaimed, with a pale face and trembling voice: "It's there!" Mate Storms knew what it meant, and he in turn raised the oyster, ranhis knife in carefully, worked hard for a minute, and then managed toget the two shells apart. CHAPTER XXII THE PEARL OF THE PACIFIC There, at the front of the oyster, and slightly to one side, was themost marvelous pearl upon which the eyes of the men had ever rested. It was the size of an ordinary hen's egg, clear and pure, and worth asum of money which neither of the astounded men dared attempt toguess. For a few seconds they were speechless, and then Inez clapped herhands with delight, and asked: "Is that for me?" "Yes, that is yours, " replied Captain Bergen. "The mate and I give itto you, to be yours and no one's else. " "Isn't it splendid?" cried Inez, catching it up, passing it from onehand to the other, holding it up in the sunlight, and showing as muchgenuine pleasure as if she were a veritable South Sea Islander, presented with some new trinket. "That, " said Mate Storms, "may be called The Pearl of the Pacific!" "No, " objected the captain, "it is she who is the pearl of this greatocean, for it was upon its surface that we first saw her, and she hasproved herself far above the worth of pearls or diamonds or rubies. Toher, under heaven, my life, and not impossibly yours, is owing. Thegreatest pleasure of this voyage has come from her companionship, andall that I ask now is that we shall be able to preserve this wealthfor her, and that the opportunity may be ours to do our full dutytoward her. " Mate Storms looked admiringly at the captain, who had so eloquentlyexpressed his own sentiments. "You are right, Jack, " said he, speaking in his familiar way. "It isshe who is the Pearl of the Pacific!" The men surveyed, with the greatest pleasure, the frolicsome delightof the little one, who was all unmindful of the immense treasure whichhad fallen to her lot, and of the title of honor which her friends hadgiven her. Naturally, the entire party were so absorbed that for atime they hardly glanced beyond their immediate surroundings; but whenAbe Storms came up for the last time, he glanced, by the merestaccident, out to sea, and exclaimed: "Oh, my goodness! Just look there, Jack!" No more than half a mile distant, a flying proa was seen, speedingwith great swiftness over the water, while a number of dark figureswere discovered on the deck, evidently looking with no littlecuriosity at the white men. The singular craft, however, came no nearer, and soon vanished in thedistance. Its appearance caused some apprehension and uneasiness onthe part of our friends, and after discussing the matter they decided, as a matter of precaution, to bury the pearls. Inez was persuaded, without difficulty, to trust hers to the keepingof her friends, who dug a small well in the sand, and inclosing theentire number of pearls in strong canvas bags, made for that purpose, buried them out of sight, there to remain until one or both of the menshould choose to dig them up again, and it was agreed that that shouldnot be done until the way opened for them to leave the island. The long afternoon was well advanced when this task was completed, they fixing the precise spot so clearly in their minds that there wasno necessity of landmarks, either being sure of finding it whenever itshould become necessary. "It seems to me the swells are larger than usual, and they make morenoise when they break upon the beach, " observed Mr. Storms, lookingcuriously at the sky. They had just dumped back the remains of the pearl-oysters into thesea, so as to leave no trace of their work, and Captain Bergenstraightened up and surveyed the sky. "There's a storm coming--a regular screamer! Look, by the great hornspoon!" he added, in no little excitement. There was good cause for the emotion of the captain, for the light ofthe sun was obscured by a thick, yellow haze, which was fastoverspreading the sky, and, far out to sea, the long line of mistseemed to be churning the water into foam, and to be advancing rapidlytoward the island, where stood the two men contemplating the comingfury of the elements. The light of the sun was obscured, and there was a perceptiblechilliness in the air, and the barometer--which they had brought fromthe _Coral_--showed a most startling change. One of the fiercest ofthe tropical tempests was gathering, and was sure to break upon theisland in a few minutes. This was alarming to contemplate, for the men knew well what kind ofelemental disturbances spring up on the shortest notice in the SouthSeas. But it was not this alone which startled them. Looking directly out to sea, toward the yeasty waters, they saw aschooner sinking and rising upon the long swells, and certain to becaught, in the very vortex, as may be said, of the hurricane, ortornado, or typhoon, or whatever it should be termed. The craft wasnot an unfamiliar one--both knew it well--for it was the _Coral_, withthe mutineers on board. Unarmed as they were, they would not dare place themselves in thepower of those toward whom they had shown such enmity, but that theywere literally forced to do so to escape almost certain destructionfrom the impending tempest. If they should run into the lagoon to wait until the storm shouldsubside, neither the captain nor mate would disturb them--providedthey took their departure as soon as it became safe. Still, knowingtheir treacherous character so well, Bergen and Storms did not mean totrust them at all. Inez was therefore placed within the cabin, whileher protectors made certain they were armed and ready for anycontingency. Now that the sun was shut out from sight, a darkness like that ofnight overspread land and water, while the strong gale howled amongthe palms, which swayed and bent as if they would soon be uprooted andflung out into the boiling sea. The swells were topped with foam, andlarge drops of rain, sweeping almost horizontally across the island, struck against the face like pebbles. The mutineers were heading, so far as was possible, towards theopening in the atoll, but they were not in position to strike it, and, with the deepening darkness and increasing tempest, the task wasbecoming more difficult every minute. Suddenly a vivid flash oflightning illumined the gloom, and the schooner _Coral_ was observedon the crest of a high wave, heading toward the island; but the twomen who saw her, saw also, that she missed the opening and was tooclose in to make it. The rumble of thunder continued for some minutes, when once more ablinding flash swept across the murky sky, lighting up sea and islandfor the instant, as if with the glare of the noonday sun. CaptainBergen and Mate Storms were straining their eyes to catch sight of thelittle schooner and its crew, but it was invisible. In that singlesearching glance, they could not have failed to see her had she beenafloat. The conclusion, therefore, was inevitable. She and her crewhad gone to the bottom of the sea. Such was the fact. The mutineers had met a frightful though meritedfate, and could trouble our friends no more. CHAPTER XXIII A DISMAL HOME Captain Bergen and his mate were not certain that one or more of themutineers had not survived the foundering of the schooner _Coral_, andhad managed to reach the island. If such were the case, they considered it important that it should beknown as soon as possible, and on the morrow, therefore, they madecareful search, but none of the three men was ever seen again. A fewfragments of spars, floating here and there, were all the signs thatsuch a craft had ever sailed over the Pacific. Since the captain and mate were now given the opportunity to think oftheir own situation, they did so like men of gravity and sense. Theywere safely upon Pearl Island, as they had named it. They had securedthe prize for which they had come so many thousand miles, and theywere, as the world goes, wealthy men. More than that, they had found apearl of such marvelous size and purity that, being dedicated tolittle Inez Hawthorne, it was a great fortune indeed to her. And yet, in one sense, the little party were paupers; that is, so longas they were held prisoners upon the atoll, for the treasure of pearlscould not purchase them food, clothing, friends, happiness--nor, infact, were they anything more than so many valueless pebbles. Theymust reach civilization again to realize anything from the richeswhich had come into their possession. But how were they to leave the island? This was the one great questionwhich faced them, and which they were called upon to solve, for nowthat there was no further cause for staying, the homesickness of themen increased, and it was not long before they felt they would givehalf their wealth for the means of getting back to Boston. Since they were absolutely without this means, it was evident theycould do nothing but rely upon Providence to send some vessel to theirrelief. It was not impossible that Abe Storms, gifted as he was withso much wonderful ingenuity, might have attempted to construct somesort of craft from the palm trees, and it is quite likely he wouldhave succeeded in making something that could be utilized. But theawful blotting out of the _Coral_, before their eyes, had alarmedboth, and made them more timid than they otherwise would have been. It was a good many miles to the nearest inhabited island, as laid downon their chart, and they might succeed in reaching it, provided theycould be assured of a week of good weather. But there could be no suchassurance, and a disturbance meant the same fate that overtook themutineers. It is not at all unlikely, too, that the presence of little InezHawthorne increased this timidity. Had they been without her, theywould not have hesitated to take great risks, but, somehow or other, her life was inestimably precious in their eyes, and they would neverhave forgiven themselves had any ill befallen her through theirdereliction of duty. "There is a mystery about her life which shall yet be cleared up, " AbeStorms frequently remarked; "and we must not do aught that shallendanger or delay the solution of the question. " There were comparatively few stores which the schooner had left thembefore its final departure, and the survivors were forced to relymainly upon what the island afforded. Of course there were fish inabundance, and they frequently rowed out in the lagoon in the tender, or small boat, or cast out their lines from shore, and never failed ina short time to catch all they wanted. The spring of clear, cool water bubbled and trickled steadily, andnever failed them. And the several species of tropical fruits aboutthem were used sparingly, the men having the prudence to seek toprevent the supply giving out. It was a great relief to Storms and Bergen to find, after the mostthorough exploration they could make, that there were no poisonousreptiles upon the island. "We may as well face the situation, " said Captain Bergen, after theyhad held frequent consultations; "we have been here five weeks now, and we haven't caught sight of the first sail, with the exception ofour own, which has gone to the bottom, and it may be that weeks andmonths more may pass before we shall see another. " "It is not unlikely that it may be years, " added Storms, gravely;"for, according to the narrative of Grebbens himself, he was here along time before he was taken away. The wisest thing we can do is toprepare ourselves for an indefinite stay. " A long time before, the captain had laboriously climbed the mast whichwas erected in the sand by the inlet, and had securely fastened an oldgarment to the highest point. There it was still, fluttering in thewind, when there was enough breeze to raise the irregular folds, but, alas! it had not brought the friendly sail which they longed for, andthey had been forced at last to look upon an extended residence uponthe island as not only possible, but very probable. Like philosophers, they governed themselves accordingly. The signalwas kept flying and they busied themselves fishing, talking or doingodd things which were done simply to pass away time. But the two feltthat a most urgent duty was upon them, respecting Inez Hawthorne. "We must do what we can for her, " said Storms. "With the materialwhich I have on hand we can construct garments that will keep her cladwith comeliness, though she may not be in the fashion; and yet I don'tknow but what she will, " he added, with a smile, "for we may strikesome of the vagaries without knowing it. Then, too, she must beeducated. " "I'm not well up in the line of an education, " said the captain, withsome embarrassment, "being as I never attended any other than adistrict school, but I believe you graduated, didn't you, Abe?" "Yes, I went through Harvard three years ago, and stood second in myclass. I haven't any fear that I won't be able to teach her, for sheis a child of unusual brightness. " And, as may be supposed, the mate went to work thoroughly in theinstruction of Inez Hawthorne, who proved herself one of the most aptof pupils, and advanced with a rapidity which delighted her teacher. CHAPTER XXIV THREE YEARS Three years have passed, and still Captain Bergen, Mate Storms andInez Hawthorne are upon the lonely Pearl Island in the South Sea. Could they have believed when they left Boston that they would bedoomed to such an imprisonment, it may well be doubted whether theywould have made the voyage, even if assured of the vast fortune whichthereby came into their hands. The three years had been dismally monotonous to them, and theircourage had been tried to the utmost, for there had been times whenboth agreed that they would probably stay there until released bydeath, and then they fell to speculating as to which would be the lastone to survive. According to human logic, it would seem that that lotwould fall to Inez, and their hearts sank at the thought of her beingleft to perish in the lonely spot. When the coat fluttering from the top of the mast was blown away bythe gale, Captain Bergen climbed up and nailed another in its place, grimly remarking that it looked as if they were going down with theircolors flying. It was surprising what was done by Mate Storms, whose ingenuity wasalmost incredible. With the material at his command, he kept Inezclothed in a tasteful manner. She wore dresses and shoes which fitted her well, and her hat wasrenewed with extraordinary skill, from material obtained from thepalm-trees. Those three years, although of indescribable weariness at times, weremarked by some startling incidents, and by many worthy of record. Thegreat object of Storms was to educate Inez, and he did his utmost inthat direction, assisted by the bright intellect of the girl and herown ardent desire to explore the wonders of knowledge. There were few facilities in the way of furniture, considered soindispensable in these later days. He had no pens or ink, and only aBible in the way of books. He had some blank paper and a single leadpencil, which were utilized to their fullest extent. For a slate orblackboard, he used the beach, as did Archimedes of the olden time. Selecting a place where the water had left it hard and smooth, Storms, with a sharp-pointed stick, made his characters and gave hisinstruction in the mysteries of mathematics. It would sound incredible were we to say that, during those threeyears, the dwellers on the lonely atoll had never descried a sail; andsuch was not a fact, for there are few shores on this globe where ahuman being can bury himself so long from sight of the white-wingedbirds of commerce. They had seen many ships, but it looked very muchas if they themselves had not been seen, nor had their presence beensuspected by any of them. "The idea of our being so nervous lest some one should get here aheadof us, " remarked Storms, more than once, "when we might have delayedour coming a dozen years without any danger from that cause. " They had discovered the cloud-like picture of the canvas sail as itcame up over the horizon, and their hearts swelled as it expanded andcame closer. But all hope faded again when it grew less in thedistance and finally passed from view altogether. This had happened repeatedly, and more than once Captain Bergen hadlaboriously made his way up the smooth mast to the very top, where heswung his hat wildly; but it must have been that the little island inthe South Seas possessed slight interest in the eyes of the navigatorswho occasionally drifted in that direction, for had they seen thesignal of distress, or caught sight of the man frantically waving hishat from the top, they would have learned what its meaning was. The greatest dejection which took possession of the couple was whenthey, through the glass, saw the Stars and Stripes fluttering from themizzen of the ship which came the nearest and then made off again. Thesight of that most beautiful banner in the world was like a glimpse oftheir distant New England home, and they seemed to feel the coolbreeze fanning their hot brows as it bore steadily toward them. When it went over the convex sea out of sight, Captain Bergen coveredhis face with his hands and wept, and when, after awhile, he looked upagain, he saw the tears on the cheeks of Abe Storms, who stoodmotionless and gazing silently off upon the deep, as if he expectedthe vessel would come back to them. It was a severe blow, and it was along time before they recovered from it. The exact age of Inez Hawthorne when she became, by an extraordinaryturn of the wheel of fortune, the protégée of the two sailors, was, asgiven by herself, six years, but both the captain and mate wereconfident that she was fully one, if not two years older. Now, at the termination of the period named, she was a girl as fullydeveloped mentally and physically as one of a dozen years, and she wasgrowing into a woman of striking beauty. She was still a child, withall the innocence and simplicity which distinguished her at the timeshe was taken from the deck of the steamer _Polynesia_, but in a fewyears more, should she be spared, she would become a woman. Captain Bergen and Mate Storms were honest, conscientious men, andChristians, and they performed their full duty in that most importantrespect to Inez Hawthorne. Never passed a day in which Storms did notread, in an impressive voice, from the great Book of all books, andthe sublime passages, the wonderful precepts, the divine truths andthe sacred instruction from that volume were seed which fell upon goodground and bore its fruit in due season. If ever there was a good, pure, devout Christian, Inez Hawthornebecame one, and her greatest desire, as she repeatedly expressed it, was that she might go out in the great world among all people, and doher utmost to carry the glad tidings to them. "The time will come, " replied Abe Storms, when he listened to theseglowing wishes. "God never intended you should live and die upon thislonely island when there is such need for missionaries like you. Idon't see that we are of much account, but I believe He has somethingfor us, too, and we shall be given the opportunity to do it. " "Ah, " said the skipper, with a sigh, "you have been saying that forthree years, and the sails that come go again and care nothing forus. I am beginning to believe we are to stay here for the rest of ourlives, and that I am to be the first one to take the long, last sleepthat awaits us all. " CHAPTER XXV AN ARRIVAL When Captain Bergen was inclined to become pessimistic, the matetreated it lightly, for he feared the strong sailor would break beforelong from sheer homesickness. It was fortunate that neither had any family, the mate being one ofthose who are without any close living relative, while the captain hada sister in New England, and his aged mother was in San Francisco, living with a nephew, of whom she was very fond. Thus the three years passed away, and the second era in their livesapproached. There was something curious in the fact that all theinhabitants of the lonely Pearl Island had lost their reckoning. Notwo could agree on the day of the week, and when they compromised onone, which was called Sunday, and observed as such, they were much indoubt whether they were right, and, as it afterward proved, they werenot. One afternoon, when the sun had hardly passed the meridian, the mateand captain were stretched upon the beach under the shade of apalm-tree, and looking out upon the sea, over which they had come tothis desolate spot so long before. The day was cooler than usual, anda steady breeze blew, rendering the position of the friends in thatrespect as pleasant as they could wish, though their weary, homesickfeeling was telling upon them. Both the ragged sailors were thinner, and there was a yearning, far-away look in their eyes, especially inthose of the captain, which presaged the approach of insanity or deathat no distant day, unless a change were made in their condition andsurroundings. This lamentable state was partly due, no doubt, to thediet to which they had been subjected for many months. Inez, who seemed happy everywhere and at all times, was busyingherself in the cabin, where she could find plenty to do; and ever andanon the sound of her voice could be heard, as she sang some snatch ofsong, which came through the mist of memory from her infancy. "I tell you what it is, " said Captain Bergen, in his low, determinedvoice, "this thing cannot continue much longer. " "You are no more weary of it than I, Jack; but show me the way inwhich it can be ended. " "We've got to take the risk. The tender there is large enough tocarry us and a good supply of provisions--that is, enough water, tolast several days. We can rig some sort of sail, and, in less than aweek, by keeping to the northwest, we shall reach some inhabitedisland, unless we should be picked up before that time, which Iconsider quite likely. " "I've thought a good deal of it, Jack, " said the mate, in a voice ofequal seriousness. "We have been restrained heretofore by the fearthat it would endanger too greatly the safety of Inez, and mainly bythe feeling that we couldn't stay here long without assistance beingsummoned by that signal fluttering up there. And yet, three years havecome and gone, " continued the mate, "and not a living soul has come tous. There have been hundreds of days within this long period when wemight have embarked on board the little boat and safely made our wayto some other port, but we could not know it, and the result is--herewe are. " "And the situation is very different from what it was when we firstlanded, for it is now a choice between staying here with the certaintyof miserably perishing--every one of us--and of starting boldly outupon an unknown sea, as it may be called, with the chances betweenlife and death about even. " "You have stated the case correctly, " assented Mr. Storms; "and thoughit is your place to command, yet as you have deferred to me, I giveyou my promise that to-morrow we shall begin rigging the best sort ofsail we can, and at daylight on the next day we will start forwhatever port Providence directs us. " "That has put new life into me, Abe. I feel now as I did three yearsago, when we first caught sight of those pearls. I am ten yearsyounger. I prefer a bold stroke for life to a weak submission to fate, with this dismal waiting for help to come to us. By the great hornspoon! a thousand such pearl banks as we cleaned out wouldn't tempt meto spend another year on this hated island----" At this instant the voice of Inez was heard, excitedly calling tothem, and while they rose to the sitting position and lookedinquiringly in that direction, she was seen to spring through the opendoor of the cabin, and to come running toward them on the beach, bareheaded and with her long, yellow hair streaming in the wind. "What can be the matter with her?" exclaimed the captain, rising tohis feet. "What is she saying?" "Hark!" The distance was so short that the girl was at their side a second ortwo later. She was laughing, and uttering something in her excitement, which, until that moment, they did not understand. "Who ever saw any one so stupid?" she called out, cheerily. "What areyour eyes for? Why don't you look out to sea?" The two obeyed, and an exclamation of amazement escaped both, forthere, while they had lain on the beach talking in such disconsolatetones, and looking dreamily out upon the ocean, a craft had beensteadily approaching, and neither of the two saw it. At the furthest, it was no more than a mile distant, and, since it washeading straight in toward the atoll, the chances were a hundred toone that the signal of distress had been seen, and the lonely islandat last was going to have a visitor. Captain Bergen muttered something about the "great horn spoon, " underhis breath, while Storms said nothing, but gazed steadily at thecraft, upon which his hopes were so suddenly and strongly fixed. Itmight be that the hearts of all three bounded with hope at this sightof a vessel, but the hope was mixed with apprehension, for the sailorssaw it was not the sort of vessel for which they had been praying solong. Instead of a gallant ship, with the Stars and Stripes streaming fromthe fore, it was what is termed a flying proa, which is the nameapplied to the narrow canoes used principally in the Ladrone Islands. They are about thirty feet long, three feet wide, and are steered by apaddle at either end. The sail is lateen, with a boom upon one mast;the prow and stern curve to a high point, and the depth beingconsiderably greater than the width, the proa would, if unsupported, capsize instantly, but a hollow log or heavy-pointed spar rests on thewater, parallel with the windward side, and, being secured in place, acts as an outrigger and removes the danger of overturning. The samename is applied to the boats used by the Malays, and which arepropelled by both oars and sails. But the one which greeted the astonished eyes of Storms and Bergen hadits huge lateen sail spread, and was moving with great velocity, forthe proas of the Indian and Pacific oceans are probably the fastestboats in the world. It rode the waters like a bird, and would soonenter the lagoon within the island, for there could be no doubt thatthe men on board had seen not only the signal, but the personsthemselves who were waiting for them. Inasmuch as a couple of men were discernible with the naked eye on theproa, it followed that the latter must descry the three individualswho were standing out in full view upon the shore of the island. "How about this?" asked Captain Bergen, stepping to the side of hismate, and speaking in an undertone. "Shall we rejoice or not?" "It's uncertain, " was the dubious reply. "Those boats generally carrythe vagabonds of the ocean, and the last motive which, as a rule, brings them to a spot like this is humanity. " "Where's your glass?" "I declare, I never thought of that--I was so surprised!" Storms carried it with him always, and he now brought it to bear uponthe singular-looking craft approaching. It was so close inshore that, with the aid of the instrument, he was able to see everythingdistinctly, especially as the boat at that moment bore off a littleand then headed toward the entrance again. So far as could be ascertained, there were three persons on the boat, and the captain reached the same conclusion after using the glass. "If that's the case, " said Captain Bergen, "we haven't anything tofear from them, for, with our guns and ammunition, we can hold our ownagainst a dozen South Sea Islanders. " "There may be others concealed about the craft, but I incline to thinknot. However, it's best to be prepared. So let's get to the house andmake ready to receive them--whether they come as enemies or friends. " The suggestion was a prudent one, and the two men hurried up the beachin the direction of the cabin, while Inez remained to watch the proa. The men examined their rifles and saw they were loaded and ready forinstant use, and then, bearing one apiece, they came forth again. Asthey did so, something like a shadow seemed to shoot through thetrees, and, looking toward the lagoon, they saw the cause. The proahad entered the quiet waters within, and was coming to rest asgracefully as a sea gull stops in its flight. CHAPTER XXVI THE FLYING PROA AND ITS COMMANDER The lateen sail of the proa descended with a rattle and bang, the manat the oar gave it several vigorous sweeps, and the strange-lookingbut astonishingly swift craft came to rest almost in the same positionthat the schooner _Coral_ occupied three years before. "Helloa, there! How are you? How long have you been here?" When it is stated that this hail came from aboard the proa, it isunnecessary to say that our two friends were surprised, for theysupposed that the visitors were natives, who at the best could notspeak more than a few words of broken English. This astonishment was turned to literal amazement when they saw thatthe speaker was a Caucasian like themselves, one of the two standingat the prow, and looking out upon them with a smiling countenance. There was no mistaking the ruddy, sunburned face, the curling hair, and the regular, European features of the young man, whose expandedsmile showed a set of white, even teeth, and he seemed to enjoy theirastonishment after hearing his words. It was curious that they had failed to notice him before, inasmuch ashis dress was dissimilar from the others, he having the usualtarpaulin hat and the broad trowsers of the American and Englishsailor. It was plain, too, that he was scarcely a man, being, in fact, a boy, who by some strange means was adrift in this part of theworld. As soon as the proa was within reach of land, the youth sprang ashore, and, walking straight up to Captain Bergen, extended his right hand tohim and his left to Mr. Storms, shaking both warmly, while, as hespoke, he looked from the face of one to the other. "How long have you been in this place? Judging from your clothes andlooks, I should say about twenty years? Do you want to emigrate? Whereare you from? What are your names? How came you here? My name is FredSanders, and I've been knocking about among the South Sea Islands forthe last five years. " There was no resisting the jolly good-nature of the young man, who hada habit of laughing heartily, when no one else could see anything tolaugh at, and whose high spirits always infected others with whom hecame in contact. But it would not have required much study for any oneto discover that he was a wild, reckless youth, who had probably runaway from home, and taken to bad ways from a natural inclination inthat direction. While this interview was going on, Inez Hawthorne was absent, shehaving withdrawn at the suggestion of her friends, though of coursethe visitors knew of her presence, from having seen her on the beach. Captain Bergen replied to the greeting of his friend: "We have been here full three years. If I'm not mistaken, it is threeyears and two weeks this very Thursday. " "Then that's just where you _are_ mistaken!" broke in Fred Sanders, with his ringing laugh, "for it so happens that to-day isn't Thursday, by a long shot!" "Of course not, " Mr. Storms hastened to say. "I don't know how manyarguments I have had with the captain to prove he was wrong, and thatthis is Friday----" And Fred threw back his head and roared louder than ever. "It's a toss up between you. I don't wonder that you got muddled whenyou were forced to stay in such an outlandish place as this so long. Ithink I would have got mixed myself. " "Pray tell me what day of the week it is. " "This is Tuesday afternoon, with a half-dozen hours of daylight leftto you yet. " While this brief conversation was going on, the two natives were uponthe boat, waiting as if for permission to land. They sat as meekly aschildren, in a partly crouching position, intently watching, withtheir glittering black eyes, the three figures before them. Theyappeared to listen with absorbing attention to the words, as if theyunderstood them--which they did not, excepting so far as they wereinterpreted by the vigorous gestures. Inez Hawthorne, as we have stated, had withdrawn to the house, whenrequested to do so by her teacher, but her curiosity led her to stepforth and look upon the parties and listen to the conversation--thedistance being so short that she could hear all that was said. Thenatives saw her, and so did Fred Sanders, who occasionally glancedover the shoulders of the two men with whom he was talking, in a waywhich they understood. The visitors could not fail to be greatlyinterested in her, but Fred refrained for a time from referring to thegirl. Mate Storms explained that the craft in which they came to thisportion of the world was wrecked, and that three of the crew werelost, and the captain, mate and a single passenger saved. Since thenthey had looked in vain for the coming of some friendly sail; plentyenough, however, having appeared, only to depart again and leave themin greater depths of gloom than before. "Where are you from?" asked the captain, putting the question directlyto the young man. "I'm an American, born in New England, and am seventeen years old, andit is a long time since I have seen my home. " "How came you in this part of the world?" "Why not here as well as anywhere else?" asked Fred Sanders, in reply. "I left home when I was only ten years of age, and have knocked aboutthe world ever since. " "But you are now among the Paumotu Islands. " "Where I have been for a good while. Some time, perhaps, I will giveyou the whole history, but it is too long to tell now. " It was apparent, from the manner of the boy, that he wished to concealsome facts of his previous life, and neither the captain nor matepressed him--for, in truth, it was of no special interest to them, their all-absorbing subject of mental anxiety being as to how theywere to get away from the hated place. "Where are you directly from?" asked Mr. Storms. "From an island, the name of which I have never heard in English, though its native name is something like Wauparmur. " "Inhabited, of course?" "Yes. There are four or five hundred natives and their families. Theisland is a dozen miles in extent, is very fertile, and has severalnative towns. At one place is a good harbor, and nearly always someforeign vessel is there. Sometimes I have seen three or more, and whenI left, four days ago, a trading-ship from Boston had arrived. " "Oh!" exclaimed Abe Storms. "So near and yet so far!" "I think it will probably stay a week longer, for they are doing agood trade with the islanders. " "You have awakened a hope that is really painful, " said CaptainBergen, while the pale face of Mr. Storms showed he was affected fullyas profoundly. "I don't know why it need be painful, " said the young man, in hisoff-hand manner, which was so captivating; "for we were going on alittle cruise, when we caught sight of your signal flying, and we putin to find out what the trouble was. " "And are you willing to take us off?" asked Storms, who, while he feltthe question was unnecessary, was still trembling with anxiety lestsomething should prevent their going. "Will we take you off?" asked Fred, with a ringing laugh. "That's apretty question to ask us, when we came for the express purpose ofdoing so. Of course, we'll take you straight away to the island wecame from, and, of course, we'll put you in the way of getting back toBoston as soon as possible, and we only regret that we hadn't thechance to get here three years sooner, so as to save you this drearywaste of time. " Tears came to the eyes of both the men, and, as Captain Bergen tookthe hand of the youth, he said: "We will thank you forever, and will pay you well. " It was an unfortunate speech, and the cooler-headed mate would neverhave uttered it. It might result in no harm; but why let the reckless youth know thatthey possessed the ability to pay him well? It would be time enough topresent him with some of their valuable pearls after reachingWauparmur, when no possible complication could result from Sandersknowing that these two ragged sailors were very wealthy men. But thewords had been said, and could not be recalled, though a vagueuneasiness shot through the mind of Abe Storms when he saw a suddenflash of the dark eyes of the youth, who said, in the cheeriest ofvoices, slapping the captain on the shoulder with a vigor thatstaggered him: "Who talks of paying one for doing his simple duty? If you or yourfriend repeats that insult, there will be war between us; andthen--excuse me, but ain't you joking when you talk of paying well?For, begging pardon again, you don't look like millionaires with avery heavy bank account. " Storms trembled, but he could not restrain the captain. "Of course, we wouldn't insult you, but you will be remembered; andthough we are not very extravagant in the way of dress, and don't looklike very wealthy men, yet I can promise you you shall be wellrecompensed, and, what is more, we can carry out the promise, too, ina way that will open your eyes. " Having uttered these compromising words, Captain Bergen laughed in away which alarmed the mate still more; for there was a peculiarity inhis friend's actions which he had never noticed before. "I know we are dressed very poorly, " added the captain, "and wewouldn't be very popular in a drawing-room, but if you set us down aspoor men you will make a great mistake. Won't he, Abe--eh, boy?" And he facetiously punched the astonished and grieved mate in theside, and danced about as if he had perpetrated the best joke of hislife. Just then Storms caught the eye of Fred Sanders, and he significantlytapped his own forehead to signify that the captain was not exactlyright, mentally. And, when he did so, the kind-hearted mate spoke thetruth. CHAPTER XXVII FRED SANDERS Captain Bergen was so affected by the joyful awakening to the factthat his long, dismal sojourn on the lonely island in the Pacific hadreached the end at last, and by the belief that now he would becarried as rapidly as wind and sail could take him to his beloved NewEngland again, that his mind was unsettled and he behaved in a waythat pained, as much as it astonished, his companion. Inasmuch as such was the fact, Mr. Storms hoped that it would beaccepted as an explanation of the strange utterances in which he hadindulged, for he believed that the cupidity of the young man hadalready been excited, and a most unfortunate complication threatened. "You will excuse the excitement of my friend, " said he to Sanders, "though mine is nearly as great; but he had almost settled into thebelief that we were doomed to perish in this desolate spot, and thereaction caused by your joyous tidings is too much for him. " "Oh, that's all right!" was the cheery response. "I understand howthat is. But, begging pardon, I believe you have another companion?" Fred looked so earnestly at the figure of Inez Hawthorne, standing ashort distance off, that his meaning could not be mistaken. "It is I who should beg your pardon, " said Storms, in turn, beckoningto Inez to approach; "but we were so much interested in you that weforgot her for the time. " While the girl was approaching the group, Captain Bergen turned about, and without a word, walked slowly away in the direction of the cabin, his manner showing still more clearly than ever that his mind wasunbalanced--a fact which caused Storms great discomfort. Aside fromhis love for the good, honest man, he saw that he had alreadyimperiled, and was likely still further to imperil, their greatpossessions by his rambling, and yet significant, talk. The pearls still lay some distance away, buried in the sand in theircanvas bags, and must be procured before leaving the island. Since the captain had already awakened suspicion respecting the truth, the difficulty of getting the prizes away without detection wasimmeasurably increased, while the likelihood of his making stillfurther disclosures remained. Storms was fearful that this sudden movement on the part of Bergenmeant something of the kind, but the situation was such that he couldnot interfere, and all he could do during the few minutes remaining ofthe trying interview, was to keep a furtive watch, so far as possible, upon the movements of the captain. "Mr. Sanders, " said the mate, "this is Inez Hawthorne--a little girlwho became a companion of ours through no fault of hers or of eitherof us. She has been here during the three years we have spent on theisland, and though she has stood it so much better than we, she isfully as anxious to get away. Inez, this is Mr. Fred Sanders, who hascome to take us off. " The handsome young fellow doffed his hat and bowed with a certaingrace and deferential regard in his manner, which led Storms, who wasnarrowly watching him, to suspect that he was of high birth and hadmoved in good circles before he had made his début in this strangepart of the world. Inez possessed the same charming simplicity whichhad distinguished her in her earlier years, though she was morereserved, as was natural with her. She extended her hand to Sanders, who gave it a gentle pressure, while he said: "When I saw the signal fluttering up there I suspected there werepersons here who wanted help, but I never dreamed that we should findyou. " "And why not me as well as any one else?" asked Inez, with a smile. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't have misfortune the same as otherpersons? If there is any such rule, I have never heard of it. " "I know of none; but shipwreck, as a general thing--and certainly inthe case of your companions--has been a great injury to them. Theylook emaciated and ill, and the captain is surely injured in the mind. But you--why--well, never mind. " Fred laughed and broke down, for he really meant to say nothing thatcould be construed into flattery or impertinence. There was an air ofgoodness and refinement about the girl which compelled the respect, for the time at least, of the wild youth. "I am so glad you have come, " said Inez, without commenting upon hislast words; "for though I have been as cheerful as I could, it hasbeen mainly on account of the captain and Mr. Storms. I saw howdejected they were, and tried to cheer them as best I could. " "Which was very kind in you. But, thank heaven! it is all over now, and I hope we shall soon bear you away from this place, that no doubthas become so detestable in your eyes that you never want to see itagain. " "I cannot say how dreadful it is and how much I dislike it. The shipwhich ought to have taken us away as it brought us, was broken topieces on the beach, and the mutineers, who thirsted for our lives, were drowned when almost in reach, as may be said, of the shore. " Here was some more unexpected information that greatly interested FredSanders, who began to think he would get at all the facts byinterviewing each member of the little company. Mr. Storms heard the remark of Inez; but, while he regretted it--onthe ground that it might raise some more uncomfortable suspicions--hedid not care particularly, for the sad story was one that could easilybe told, and upon which he was ready for cross-examination. But whatmore interested him at that moment was the fact that Captain Bergenjust then reached the cabin, and, instead of stopping within, passedon beyond. The conclusion of Storms was natural that he had gone to the upperpart of the island to dig up the pearls; in which case, in hispeculiar mental condition, he would, most likely, lose them all. Thiswould never do, and the mate excused himself, saying: "I am a little uneasy respecting the captain, and I will leave you twohere while I look after him. " Fred Sanders saluted him, and told the truth when he said he wouldforgive his departure with pleasure; with which the ragged mate wenthurrying after the ragged captain. "Won't you step on board the proa for a little while?" asked Fred, whowas rather tired of standing on the sand under the palm-trees. "As itis to be your dwelling-place for a few days, you may like to selectyour apartments. " Inez said she would be glad to do so, and Fred uttered some sharpexclamation, which caused both of the dusky natives to spring totheir feet and hasten to the side of the proa nearest the shore, wherethey waited the chance to help her aboard. Inez noticed that theislanders were muscular, athletic fellows, with such a peculiarappearance that she could not avoid staring at them for a few seconds. Each was fully six feet in height--an unusual stature among the SouthSea Islanders--and their breasts, arms and legs were tattooed withall sorts of figures and representations. Since these portions oftheir anatomy were uncovered, the singular ornamentation was veryprominent. They had the curious tattooing on their cheeks, noses and foreheads, so that their appearance was repellent. Besides this, their teeth wereblack, their noses large and flat, and their mouths wider than therewas any necessity for. Their heads were bare, and, indeed, werefurnished by nature with all the covering they could need. The hairwas very long, but frizzly, so that as it curled up about their earsand crowns, it formed an immense bushy screen, which gave their headsprodigious size. Their hands and feet were very large, and it wouldhave been hard, in short, to discover anything in their looks thatcould attract a person toward them. Surveying them dispassionately, one could not help suspecting they belonged to a tribe of cannibals. However, Inez did not show any repulsion which she might have felt, but stepping close to the proa took the extended hand, and spranglightly aboard of the strange craft. The natives immediately withdrew, leaving the young captain, as he appeared to be, to conduct the fairvisitor around the "ship, " whose dimensions did not require much timeto investigate. Fred explained that the proa was a vessel peculiar to the Indian andCentral Pacific oceans, and that it could sail with great swiftness, going either forward or backward with equal readiness. It is afavorite boat used for inter-communication between hundreds of theislands of the South Seas, and the Malays employ them in a differentform for their piratical expeditions. They owe their swiftness mainlyto the fact that they stand so high out of the water, are very narrow, and present such a large surface to the wind. "They are good for short voyages, " said Fred, "but I shouldn't want tostart for New York or Liverpool in one of them. " "How long will it take us to reach the island from which you came?"asked Inez. "If we start early to-morrow morning, with a good wind, we ought to bethere at the end of two days. " This was shorter time than he had given Mate Storms, but he was nowstriving to speak the truth. "And suppose we are overtaken by one of those terrible tempests whichsometimes visit this part of the world?" "We cannot escape the risk, no matter where we are. The storm thatwould sink a proa might cause a seventy-four to founder, and the onlyway you can shun danger is to stay here all your life. I hardly thinkthat such is your wish, Miss Inez. " "No; I am as anxious to leave as are Mr. Storms and the captain. Indeed, I think I am more so, for I understand that they expect towait until to-morrow morning, while if I had my wish I would startthis very hour. " "We are at the disposal of yourself and friends, " Sanders courteouslyresponded; "but the reason for delay is that thereby we expect to becompelled to spend but a single night on the voyage, while if westarted now we should have two. " CHAPTER XXVIII THE MATE BECOMES CAPTAIN "Poor Jack!" murmured Abe Storms, hastening after him. "I have beenfearing this very thing. He has taken the matter more to heart than I, and there has been a look in his eye in the last few weeks whichshowed he was not right; but I thought, when he found he was goingback to his home again, he would almost instantly regain his mentalequipoise. "But it has operated the other way, and I shouldn't wonder if he is aswild as a loon. When we get him away, dress him up, change his food, and give him a sight of a Boston vessel, he will be sure to comearound; but, he has said too much already. "I wonder what sort of a fellow that Fred Sanders is?" added Storms, whose intellect seemed to be sharpened by the same cause whichoverturned that of the captain. "I would be glad to trust him fully, but somehow, I can't. While he is courteous and kind--and, no doubt, means to carry us all to the inhabited island, where we shall be ableto take care of ourselves--there is something about him that awakensdistrust. The fact of his having been five years, as he says, in theseSouth Sea Islands, shows that all is not right, which is confirmed byhis dislike of saying anything about his earlier history. "The best thing in his favor is his youth, and yet, " continued Storms, thoughtfully, "that, after all, may be the worst. It would seem thathe is too young to have done a great deal of evil; and yet, if he hascommitted many transgressions, it is a woful record for such a lad. Itwas too bad that the captain hinted that we have so much means, and hewouldn't have done it had he been in his right mind; but it hasproduced an effect upon Sanders, as I could see by the flash of hiseyes, and the apparently indifferent questions he asked afterwards. "But we have saved our ammunition, " muttered Storms, a minute later, compressing his lips; "and I know how to use my revolver, and it isonly for a short time that I shall have to maintain watch. " While Abe Storms was talking to himself in this fashion, he had hiseye on the captain, who was walking slowly toward that portion of theisland where the pearls had been concealed so carefully, and therecould be no doubt of his errand. He did not hear the soft footstepbehind him, which was so regulated that it came up with him just asthe latter paused at the all-important spot. The captain first looked out to sea, and then behind him, catchingsight, as he did so, of the smiling countenance of his mate--so far ashis countenance could be seen through the wealth of beard. "Hello! What are you doing here?" asked the captain, in a voice whichshowed some perplexity, if not displeasure. "What are you doing here?" asked Storms, in turn, slapping himfamiliarly on the shoulder. "I suppose we came upon the same errand, as we are so soon to leave for home. The pearls are buried here, andwe must carry them away with us. " "How do you know that's what I came for, Abe?" "I'm only saying I suspect it's your business. I know it's mine. " Captain Bergen was a little bewildered by the sharp manner in whichthe good-natured mate caught him up, and, while he seemed to bedebating with himself what to say, Storms took his arm and led him ashort distance off, and, seating him on the beach, said: "There's no hurry about the business, Jack, for we won't start untilto-morrow morning at daylight, so as to have as few nights on thevoyage as possible, and we had better decide on the proper course forus to take. " "That is correct, " replied the captain, assenting so quietly that hisfriend hoped he would remain easily manageable. "You remember, Jack, that when we buried the pearls there, we dividedthem--your half is in a strong canvas bag, so packed that they won'trub together, or make any noise; and mine are in another sack. Thesingle pearl which belongs to Inez is also carefully covered; and nowwe must manage to get away with them, without letting Sanders knowthey are in our possession. " "What do you want to do that for?" demanded the captain, turningfiercely upon the mate. "I like that fellow. He's going to put me on aship and send me back to Boston; and any one who does that does me aservice worth more than all the pearls in the world. I am going togive him all mine, and I hope Inez will do the same. I shall do mybest to persuade her, and if you don't, Abe, you and I are deadlyenemies, and I'll kill you the first chance!" Storms showed his shrewdness by the manner in which he managed thepoor fellow. "That's all right, Jack, " he replied, assuming a look and expressionof anger, as he glared upon the lunatic, well aware that he must makehim afraid of him. "If it's any fun for you to talk in that style, I'll let you do it once, but don't you try it again. Did I ever tellyou about those sixteen persons that I killed up in New Hampshirebefore we started out with the _Coral?_" "No!" gasped the captain, looking at him with awe. "Well, I won't tell you now, " said the mate, with the same frightfulearnestness, "for it would make you feel too bad. If they hadn't mademe mad, I wouldn't have killed them, and I'll let up on you if you donot say anything of the kind again. If you do, I'll get mad, Jack. " "By the great horn spoon!" exclaimed the alarmed captain, "I'll letthe matter drop, if you will. " "All right, " said the mate, relenting somewhat. "And, mind you, don'tyou go to talking to Sanders about it. Don't you tell him anotherthing, and never mention the word pearls. " "I won't--I won't!" was the meek rejoinder of poor Captain Bergen, whohad been completely cowed by the fierceness of his mate. "I'm an awful man when my wrath is roused!" Abe Storms thought it bestto add; "and it was just rising to the boiling-point when you werelucky enough to take back your foolish expression. " "What are we going to do now?" asked the captain, apparently anxiousto turn the current of conversation into a more agreeable channel. "We'll go back and make ready to leave on the proa. We haveconsiderable to do before we depart. There are a number of things inthe cabin that we must carry with us. " "Yes, that's so; I forgot that. But, Abe--don't you get mad!--whatabout them?" "Just never you mind, " replied the mate with an important wave of thehand. "I'll attend to them. " "All right. I was afraid you would forget 'em!" It pained Storms to tyrannize over his superior officer in thisfashion, but stern necessity compelled him to become the real captain. The intention of the mate when he first followed his friend was to digup the pearls and give him his share, but he saw that that would neverdo. It would precipitate a tragedy to allow the lunatic any option inthe matter. So, without any further reference to the pearls, the tworose to their feet and walked slowly back in the direction of theproa, talking on no particular subject, since the mate was desirous ofdiverting the mind of the captain as much as possible. The discoveries of the next few minutes did not serve to lighten theapprehension of Storms, for when he reached the proa the two islandersseemed to be enjoying a siesta, while neither Fred Sanders nor Inezwas in sight. Suspecting what was wanted, one of the natives roused up and pointedtoward the sea, jabbering some odd words, which could not beunderstood, but which Storms concluded were meant to indicate thedirection taken by the couple. "That's almost the path to the spot where we were, " he thought, as heturned and walked away, holding the arm of the captain within hisown. Sure enough, they had not gone far when they caught sight of Fred andInez sitting on the beach, just as if they were at some fashionableseaside resort in summer time, and were chattering no particular senseat all. Storms noticed that the place was such as to command a view ofthat where he and the captain had held their conversation, and wheretheir precious possessions were buried. "I wonder whether that was done on purpose?" he thought. "It may be hemeant nothing, but I fear he took Inez along merely to hide the factthat he was playing the spy upon us. " It was not pleasant to believe this, and yet the suspicion was rootedpretty firmly in the mind of the mate, who, perhaps, was becomingover-suspicious. "Ah, how are you?" asked Sanders, with a laugh, changing his loungingto the sitting position. "I conducted Miss Inez over the proa, so asto make her acquainted with the craft, as you may say, and since thatdidn't take long, we thought we would try a little stroll down here, where we could have a talk without those natives staring at us. How isyour friend?" asked the young man, suddenly lowering his voice tosuch a sympathetic key that Storms felt guilty for the moment for everhaving suspected him capable of wrong. "I'm a little uneasy about him, " was the reply, as both glanced at thecaptain, who sat down beside Inez and began talking to her, "for heseems to have broken up all at once. He was such a strong man, just inthe prime of vigorous manhood, that it would hardly be supposed hewould give away so suddenly. " "I think he will soon recover, for the change will be so radical, andthe awakened hope so strong, that he will be sure to rally in thecourse of a few days. " "I hope so, " was the response, "but he must be watched verycarefully. " CHAPTER XXIX FAREWELL TO THE ISLAND The weather remained enchanting. The tropical heat was tempered by theocean breeze, which stole among the palms, and across the island, andwhere the crew, and those who had lived there so long, lounged in theshadow, or sauntered in the sunshine, when the orb sank low in thewestern sky. It was curious that now, after the coming of the proa, when no otherhelp was needed, the signal at the masthead, as it may be called, seemed to have acquired an unusual potency; for, on two separateoccasions during the afternoon, the island was approached by vessels, who were given to understand that the parties on shore were providedfor. Mate Storms, now the captain, very much doubted whether he did awise thing in declining this proffered assistance, but the main reasonfor doing so was the fact that the pearls were still buried, and heknew of no way of getting them without discovery. One of the ships was a Dutch one, from Java, and the other wasBritish, bound for Ceylon--neither very desirable, as they would havecompelled a long, roundabout voyage home. But Storms would haveaccepted the offer of one on account of his distrust of the young man, Fred Sanders, but for the reason given. Captain Bergen, after the "setting back" given him by Storms, becamequiet and tractable, and stayed almost entirely with Inez, for whom heshowed the greatest affection. Since she was tenderly attached to him, and sympathized in his affliction, this kept the two together almostcontinually--an arrangement which it was plain to see was notagreeable to Fred Sanders, though he was too courteous to make anymention of it. During the afternoon such goods as were deemed necessary weretransferred to the proa, which lay at anchor in the lagoon. These werenot very numerous or valuable, and consisted mostly of garments whichStorms had manufactured for Inez. When night came, after a meal had been eaten on shore close to wherethe proa lay, it was arranged that Sanders should sleep on board withhis crew--if two men might be termed such--while the others shouldstay in their cabin, as was their wont. Storms contrived this on the plea that his companion, the captain, would be more tractable. His real purpose was to gain a chance tosecure the pearls unnoticed. The young man made not the slightestobjection to the plan, for he had too good sense to do so; nor did hissilence in that respect lull the suspicions of Storms himself. "I wish there was not such a bright moon, " said the mate to himself, not far from midnight, "for I need all the quiet and darkness I canget; and I don't see any use of waiting longer, " he added. Captain Bergen had been sleeping quietly for several hours, while thesilence in the apartment of Inez showed that she, too, was wrapped inslumber, and possibly dreaming of far-away scenes, of which her memorywas so misty and indistinct. As to those upon the proa, everything must necessarily be conjecture;but, in the middle of the night, with his senses on the alert, and hisimagination excited, Abe Storms conjured up all sorts of fancies andsuspicions. There were many times when he believed that these men, including the boyish leader, were the worst kind of pirates, who wereonly waiting the chance to secure the pearls, when they would eitherdesert or treacherously slay them. But, since meditation and idlenesscould avail nothing, he rose from his couch upon the floor, and, making sure that his loaded revolver was in place, he stole out fromamong the palm trees, and began moving in the direction of the spotwhere his treasures lay hid. He did this with the utmost precaution, glancing in every direction ateach step, frequently pausing and changing the course he was pursuing, and, in short, doing everything he could think of to preventdetection. The full moon rode high in an almost unclouded sky, and theair was as charming as that of Italy. The solemn roar of the ocean andthe irregular boom of the long, immense swells breaking against theshore and sending the thin sheets of foam sliding swiftly up the bank, were the only sounds that greeted his ears. "That is wonderful!" exclaimed the searcher, for all at once hedescried a ship, under full sail, seemingly within two hundred yardsof shore. "If these parties hadn't arrived to-day this craft wouldn'thave come within a score of miles of us. " The ship looked like a vast bird, when with all sail set and her blackhull careening to one side under the wind, she drove the foaming wateraway from her bows, and sped forward as if pursuing or fleeing fromsome enemy. Whether the watch saw the signal of distress in the moonlight, cannotbe known, but the vessel speedily passed on, and vanished in thenight, while Mate Storms, recalling his thoughts, and seeing no onenear him, moved directly to where he had deposited his riches such along time before, and to which he only made an occasional visit. He had advanced too far to retreat, whether he was seen or not, and hestooped down and began digging with his hands and sheath-knife. It wasonly a short distance, when he struck something, and a moment afterdrew up a small, strong canvas bag. Soon came another, and then asmaller one, which contained the wonderful pearl that belonged to InezHawthorne. They were all there, and had not been disturbed. "Now, it only remains to keep these in my possession, " was histhought, as he straightened up and started to return. "I would givehalf of them if they were at home and safe in the bank--Hello!" Perhaps the vision of the sailor was unusually keen just then, forwhen he paused with a start he caught sight of a shadowy figure, whichseemed to glide, without any effort of its own, over the sand, andimmediately disappeared among the palm trees. There was something sopeculiar in its movements that Abe was chilled with awe as he stoodstill and watched it for the few seconds it remained in view. Butthere could be no doubt of its identity. It was Fred Sanders, who hadbeen on the watch, and who must have seen the mate dig up thetreasures, and knew they were now in his possession. Storms was in anything but a comfortable frame of mind while walkingthoughtfully back to the cabin, which he entered. "What more likely than that he will steal up here in the night, believing I am asleep, and try to shoot me? Well, if he does so, heshall find me prepared for him, anyway. " The first proceeding of the mate was to deposit the pearls containedin the three diminutive canvas sacks in a small valise, which he hadcarefully preserved all through the years, and which now held a fewnecessities that he meant to take away with him. The addition of theseprecious contents taxed the receptacle to its fullest capacity, but, after all, this was the best thing to do, and he believed he would beable to keep it under his eye during the comparatively short time theywould be on the voyage to Wauparmur Island. It may be said, indeed, that there was nothing else to be done, whichrendered it unfortunate that he could not secure a few hours' sleepbefore venturing away in the proa. But the nerves of the mate were toounstrung by his position to feel easy, and he placed himself by theopening of the cabin, with his hand upon the weapon, prepared to watchuntil daylight. As might have been supposed, in spite of his uneasiness, he graduallybecame drowsy, and it was not long before his head sank on his breast, and he, too, was asleep. It was well he did so, for he gained the restso necessary, and as it was, he might have slept longer had he notbeen awakened by outside causes. Captain Bergen slept on, but Inez was on her feet at an early hour, and seeing that Storms was unconscious, she passed out withoutdisturbing him, and made her way to the spring, where she alwaysperformed her morning ablutions. It was natural that the mate, going to sleep as he did, with his mindfilled with the most dismal of fancies, should find his slumbersvisited by horrible phantasies. He was struggling with the figure of aman, who had the face of Fred Sanders, and they were bearing eachother over an immense cliff, when his opponent got the upper hand, and, holding him suspended for the moment, began to laugh at hiscalamity. The laugh grew louder, until it awoke the startled sleeper, who, opening wide his eyes, saw the veritable figure of Fred Sandersbefore him, laughing as heartily as he had been doing in the strugglein sleep. "Mercy! where's the valise?" gasped the bewildered Storms, clutchingat the receptacle which lay at his side. "I thought you had stolenit----" Just then the quick-witted sailor recalled his situation, and he, too, broke into mirth, in which there was not much heartiness. "What a curious dream I had, Sanders! I really believe I have beenasleep!" "And what is strange about that, since a full night has passed sincewe last met? I hope you have had a good rest, even though your awakingwas not so pleasant. " Abe Storms was excessively chagrined, for his very action, whenaroused so unexpectedly, would, of itself, have turned suspicion tothe satchel, which he snatched up like a startled miser. This action, united with what Captain Bergen had said, and with what the young manhimself had witnessed the preceding night, could not have failed totell him that that rusty-looking valise--about which the owner was socareful--contained a great amount of wealth in some form. But what of it? This was the question Storms put to himself as he sprang up and calledto Inez--who immediately appeared--and began the preparation for thelast meal they expected to eat upon the detested island. Captain Bergen was quiet and thoughtful, but the others were in highspirits. The two natives made their meal on board the proa, where they stolidlyawaited the coming of the passengers, the "baggage" having beentransferred the day before. And the sun was no more than fairly abovethe horizon when the proa started on her eventful voyage to WauparmurIsland--a voyage destined to be marked by events of which no one onboard dreamed. CHAPTER XXX ON THE FLYING PROA At last the friends who had been left on Pearl Island three yearsbefore, and whose hearts had been bowed with despair more than once, saw the atoll gradually fade from view, until the top of the tallestpalm-tree dipped out of sight in the blue Pacific and vanished fromview forever. "It seems hardly possible, " said Abe Storms, when at last hisstraining vision could detect no shadow of the spot, "that we havebeen rescued. I'm so full of joy and hope at the prospect before methat it is hard work to restrain myself from shouting and jumpingoverboard. " "What is your idea in jumping overboard?" asked Sanders, with a laugh, in which Inez Hawthorne joined. "Merely to give expression to my exuberance of joy; after I shouldcool off, I would be cooler, of course. " Captain Bergen, to the grief of his friends, showed no signs ofmental improvement, though his hallucination took a different form. Instead of being talkative, like he was the day before, he becamereserved, saying nothing to any one, not even to answer a simplequestion when it was put to him. He ensconced himself at the stern insuch a position that he was out of the way of the man with thesteering oar, where he curled up like one who wished neither to beseen nor heard. "Humor his fancies, " said Sanders, "for it will only aggravate him tonotice them. It was the same with Redvignez and Brazzier that I wasspeaking about last night. " "Redvignez and Brazzier?" repeated Inez; "where did you ever seethem?" "I sailed a voyage with them once from Liverpool, and I was tellingMr. Storms last night that I saw them both so frightened without causethat their minds were upset for a while. And may I ask whether youknow them?" asked the young man, with a flush of surprise, addressingthe girl. "Why, they and a negro, Pomp, were the three mutineers who were themeans of our staying on the island. They tried to kill the captain andmate, but----" "She saved us, " broke in Storms, who thereupon gave the narrative toldlong ago to the reader, omitting the attempt that was made upon hisown life by cutting the hose-pipes which let the air down to him, inasmuch as that would have caused the telling of the pearl fishingalso. Fred Sanders listened with great interest, for he had known the menwell, and it may as well be stated that the danger to which thescoundrels were exposed, as referred to by him, was that of beingexecuted for mutiny; and, as it was, the part of Sanders himself wassuch that he would have been strung up at the yard-arm in short orderhad it not been his extreme youth, which pleaded in his favor. Since Storms and his companions had revealed some things that mighthave been better concealed, so Fred Sanders himself felt he had hintedat a little story which was likely to injure his standing in the eyesof those toward whom he was playing the part of the good Samaritan. The proa was arranged as comfortably as possible, Inez Hawthorne beinggiven a place in front, where a sort of compartment was made for her, by means of stretching awnings of cocoa-matting and a portion of thereserve fund of lateen on hand. The others disposed themselves so thatshe was left undisturbed whenever she chose to withdraw to her "stateroom, " as Captain Fred Sanders facetiously termed it. The two natives had little to say, and they obeyed orders like theveritable slaves they were. There could be no doubt they understoodthe management of the proa to perfection, and the strange craft spunthrough the water with astonishing speed. Mr. Storms deposited his valise, with its valuable contents, forward, where he seemed to bestow little attention on it, though, as may wellbe supposed, it was ever present in his thoughts, and quite often inhis eye. Several times in the course of the day they caught sight of sails inthe distance, but approached none; for, as Sanders said, theall-important thing now was to make the most speed possible, while theopportunity remained to them. There was a freshening of the breeze anda haziness which spread through the northern horizon that caused somemisgiving on the part of all, for the proa would be a poor shelter incase they were overtaken by one of those terrific tempests they hadseen more than once. Toward the middle of the afternoon something like a low bank of cloudsappeared to the left, or in the west, which, being scrutinized throughthe glasses, proved to be a low-lying island. Sanders knew of it, andsaid they passed it still closer on their way to the atoll. It was also an atoll like that, but much smaller in size, and, ofcourse, uninhabited. It might do for a refuge in case of the coming ofa violent storm, while in the vicinity; but otherwise it would onlybe a loss of time to pause at it. The fact that such a place existedso near them caused something like a feeling of security upon the partof Mate Storms, such as comes over one on learning he has a goodfriend at his elbow in face of some coming trouble. As the afternoon advanced, and the proa bounded forward before astrong, steady breeze, Storms thought the occasion a good one toobtain some sleep, with a view of keeping awake during the comingnight, and he assumed an easy position, where, his mind beingcomparatively free from apprehension, he soon sank into slumber. This left Inez Hawthorne with no one to talk to excepting FredSanders, who seemed in better spirits than usual. When they haddiscussed the voyage, and he had given her as good an account as hecould of the island toward which they were hastening, and after shehad answered all his questions as best she could, she turned upon himand asked: "How long did you say you had spent in these islands?" "As nearly as I can recollect, it is about five years. " "And, as you are now seventeen, you must have been only twelve yearsold when you first came here. " "That agrees with my figuring, " said Sanders, with a nod of his head. "You can't be far out of the way. " "Where did you live before that?" "Well, I lived in a good many places--that is, for two years. I was onthe Atlantic and on the Pacific and--well, it would take me a goodlong while to tell of all that I passed through. I may as well own upto you, Inez, that it was a wild, rough life for a man, even withouttaking into account the fact that I was a boy. " "Then you went to sea when you were only ten years old?" "That also coincides with my mathematical calculations, " repliedSanders, somewhat embarrassed, for he saw they were approachingdelicate ground. "Then before you were ten years of age?" "I lived at home, of course. " "And where was that?" "You will excuse me, Inez, from answering that question. I havereasons for doing so. Let me say that I stayed at home for the firstten years of my existence, and was as bad a boy as can be imagined. Ifell into the worst kind of habits, and it was through the twomen--Redvignez and Brazzier--whom I've heard you speak of, that I waspersuaded to go to sea with them, when I ought to have been at homewith my father. " "Is your mother living, Mr. Sanders?" The youth turned his head away, so she could not see his face, andwhen he moved it back and spoke again there was a tear on his cheek, and he replied, in a voice of sadness: "My mother is in heaven, where her son will never be. " Inez was inexpressibly shocked. "Why, Mr. Sanders, what do you mean by that?" "A better woman than she never lived, nor a worse boy than I. Youcan't understand, Inez. You are too young and too good yourself torealize what a wretch I was. I deliberately ran away from home sevenyears ago, and have never been within a thousand miles of it since, and I never expected to do so, until within the last day or so;somehow or other, I've fallen to thinking more than before. " "Have you a father?" "I don't know. I think he is dead, too, for I was enough to break hisheart, and I have never heard of him since. I hadn't any brothers orsisters when I came away. I'm all that's left, and now there is alonging coming over me to hunt up my father again before he dies, thatis--if--he--isn't--already--gone!" It was no use. Fred Sanders, the wild, reckless youth, who had passedthrough many a scene that would have made a man shudder, suddenly puthis hands to his face, and his whole frame shook with emotion. Thememories of his early childhood came back to him, and he saw again theforms of those who loved him so fondly, and whose affection hereturned with such piercing ingratitude. Conscience had slept for manyyears, but the gentle words of Inez had awakened its voice again. Thegoodness of the girl, who was already like a loved sister to Sanders, had stirred up the better part of his nature, and he looked uponhimself with a shudder, that one so young as he should have committedhis many transgressions. No wonder that he felt so pressed down that he cried out in thebitterness of his spirit that heaven was shut from him. It was hardfor Inez to keep back the sympathizing tears herself when shewitnessed the overwhelming grief of the strong youth. The latter sat silent for some minutes, holding his face partlyaverted, as if ashamed of this evidence of weakness--an evidence whichit is safe to say he had not shown for years, young as he was. Ah, there were memories that had slumbered long which came crowdingupon the boy--memories whose import no one on board that strange craftcould suspect but himself, and whose work was soon to appear in a formand with a force that neither Inez Hawthorne nor Mate Storms so muchas dreamed of. CHAPTER XXXI A STRANGE CRAFT "I tell you a boy who uses his mother bad is sure to suffer for itsome time. I've seen so many cases that I know there's such a law thatgoverns the whole world. I thank heaven that I never brought a tear tomy mother's eyes. " The speaker was Captain Bergen, who was talking to Fred Sanders whilethe two sat together on the proa, near midnight succeeding theconversation mentioned between Inez and the youth Fred. The latter might have believed, as he had jocosely remarked, that hehad captured a small party of missionaries, who were making a dead setat him; but his feelings had been touched in a most tender manner, andhe had done more thinking during the last few hours than in all hisprevious life. The only one on the proa who was on duty was Fred, who held thesteering-oar in place, while the curiously-shaped vessel sped throughthe water. The sea was very calm and the wind so slight that theywere in reality going slower than at any previous time, and the taskof guiding the boat was hardly a task at all. Fred sat looking up at the stars half the time, with his memory andconscience doing their work. His two men had lain down, and wereasleep, for they were regular in all their habits, and he had seennothing of Inez since she had withdrawn to her "apartment. " Mate Storms kept up a fragmentary conversation with the young captainuntil quite late, when he withdrew, and Fred was left with himself forfully two hours, when Mr. Bergen crept softly forth and took a seatnear him, even getting in such a position that he would have been verymuch in the way had any emergency arisen. The captain was disposed totalk--somewhat to Fred's dislike--for he was in that mood when hedesired to be alone; but he was also in a more gracious and charitabletemper than usual, and he answered the old captain quite kindly. "You've a good deal to be thankful for, " said he, in reply to theremark above given. "But my mother has been in heaven for many ayear. " "She is fortunate, after all, " said the captain, with a sigh, and afar-away look over the moonlit sea. "Yes, a great deal more fortunate than her son will ever be. " "It all depends on you, young man, " said the captain, severely. "Heaven is reached step by step, and there's no one who cannot makeit. If you haven't started in the right direction, now's the time todo so. " Fred Sanders may have assented to this, but he was silent, and he, too, looked off over the sea as if his thoughts were running in a newand unaccustomed channel. "My mother must be a very old woman by thistime, " added the captain, after a minute or more of silence, duringwhich nothing but the rushing of the water was heard. "How old is she?" asked Fred. "She must be close on to eighty; and I think she's dead, for she wasvery feeble when I saw her, three years ago, in San Francisco. But I'mgoing to see her very soon; yes, very soon--very soon. " "It's a long way to 'Frisco, " ventured Fred, mildly; "but I hope youwill have a quick voyage. " "I am not going to wait till we get there. " "How are you going to manage it, then?" "This way. I'm coming, mother!" And Captain Jack Bergen sprang overboard and went out of sight. "Heavens! what was that?" exclaimed Mate Storms, leaping forward fromwhere he had been dozing upon his couch. "The captain has jumped overboard!" was the horrified reply of FredSanders, who was bringing the proa around as fast as he could. Without another word, Mate Storms made a bounding plunge after him, leaving the young captain to manage the craft as best he could. Thelatter uttered a sharp command which brought the crew to their feet inan instant, and, in an incredibly short space of time, the proa camearound, and, scarcely losing any headway, moved back toward the spotwhere the demented man had sprung into the sea, which was now a longdistance astern. It was a startling awaking for Abram Storms, who did his utmost forhis unfortunate captain. The mate was a splendid swimmer, and, plunging forward with a powerful stroke, he called to his friend againand again, frequently lifting himself far out of the water, when onthe crest of a swell, and straining his eyes to pierce the moonlightabout him, hoping to catch sight of the figure of the captain, who wasalso a strong swimmer. But if he had jumped overboard with theintention of suicide, it was not to be supposed he would continueswimming. The mate, however, was hopeful that in that awful minutewhen he went beneath the waters, something like a realizing sense ofwhat he had done would come to him and he would struggle to savehimself. But, alas, for poor Captain Jack Bergen, who had journeyed so manythousand miles, and had endured such a long imprisonment upon a lonelyisland! He sent back no answering shout to the repeated calls of hismate, whose eyes failed to catch sight of his gray head as he rose andsank for a brief while on the water. When Fred Sanders got the proa about he guided its movements bythe sound of the mate's voice, and, in a short while, he ranalongside and assisted him on board. Nothing had been seen norheard of the captain, and there could be no doubt now that he wasgone forever. Nevertheless, the proa continued cruising around theplace for fully an hour, in widening circles, until all were convincedthat not a particle of hope remained, when they filled away again, and a long, last farewell was uttered to Captain Jack Bergen. He had procured a fortune in a comparatively easy manner, and itlooked for a time as if the payment was small; but the price demandednow was his life, and what more can a man give, excepting hissoul?--which, most happily, was not the case with him. During these minutes of excitement, Inez Hawthorne slept soundly, andshe never knew anything of the sad occurrence until the morrow waswell advanced. Her grief prostrated her for many hours, for she was achild unusually affectionate by nature, and she had been tenderlyattached to the captain, who had been such a father to her. It spread a gloom over the boat, as may be said, the only ones whoshowed no sorrow in their countenances being the dusky islanders, whoseemed to take everything as it came along as a matter of course, andwho obeyed the Caucasian captain like so many machines under thecontrol of an engineer. Fred Sanders was thoughtful, and, what was rather curious, had littleto say to Inez during the first portion of the day. He uttered a fewwords of sympathy when she sought to restrain her tears, but afterthat he kept very much to himself, as if there was some new andimportant matter on his mind, as was indeed the case. It will be remembered that the expectation was that the voyage of theproa would terminate that night by their arrival at their destination, but the delay caused by the moderate wind and the search for the lostcaptain led Mate Storms to feel some doubt, and he asked CaptainSanders his view of the matter. "I can't tell you anything about it!" It was not these words alone, so much as the abrupt manner, which setthe mate somewhat back. He had received nothing of the kind from theyouth since their meeting, and it astonished him. A hot reply rose to the lips of Abe Storms, but he suppressed it andmoved away. "I wonder whether he doesn't feel soured at the thought that the deathof the captain will prevent his getting such a large reward for hisservices?" said the mate to himself, who, after thinking over thematter for a few minutes longer, reached a conclusion. "We expected toreach Wauparmur Island to-night, before dark. We shall be late, but, as it is, I shall have no trouble in keeping awake the rest of thevoyage, and I've little fear that I will not be able to protect myproperty as well as myself. " With this, he moved back to the youth, and said, in a cheery voice: "You recall, sir, that poor Captain Bergen made some promises to youabout rewarding you liberally for your services. My friend was alittle wild in what he said, but he was right when he declared we hadthe means, and I wish simply to say that his wishes and intentions inthat respect, which accorded with my own from the start, shall becarried out to the letter. " Mr. Storms immediately joined Inez, while the captain made no reply, much to the discomfiture of the mate, who said to Inez: "What's the matter with Sanders?" "He is watching an object over the sea yonder. He has been expectingto discover something, and he has caught sight of it at last. " The mate instantly produced his glasses, and leveled them in thedirection the young captain was looking. There was something, indeed. As revealed by the instrument, it was what might be termed a doublecanoe, or proa--that is, two narrow canoes were joined together, sideby side, and connected by a sort of framework, while an enormouslateen sail towered above them, and carried it forward with remarkablespeed. The surprised mate carefully scrutinized the strange craft, and sawthat it contained a large crew, there being, as he estimated, fullytwenty men on board. It was to the westward of the smaller proa, andlike that was pursuing almost a northerly course, though theexperienced eyes of the sailor told him that the paths of the two wereconverging, and that, unless changed, they undoubtedly would meetbefore nightfall. The double canoe was about two miles distant, and as it rose on thecrest of a swell the glass revealed the white foam which curled awayfrom the bows, and there could be no doubt of its remarkableswiftness. After watching this strange craft for a few minutes, Mr. Stormsdevoted some time to a furtive but careful study of the face of FredSanders, who was on the most elevated portion of the proa, and wascarefully noting the course of the two vessels. The alarming conclusion reached by Abram Storms was that the othercraft contained a gang of pirates; that Fred Sanders knew them, and hewas guiding his own proa by an understanding previously had withthem. And Abram Storms was right. CHAPTER XXXII A FRIEND AMONG ENEMIES The double canoe, with its cumbersome lateen sail and its crew oftwenty-odd pirates, had stolen down from somewhere among the PaumotuIslands, and was now gradually approaching the proa which containedAbram Storms and Inez Hawthorne. The experience of the preceding few years, and especially of the lastday or two, had given Mr. Storms an astonishing acuteness, whichenabled him often to detect the truth without difficulty. The strongsuspicion he now formed was that Fred Sanders was expecting theappearance of the craft, and that he was guiding his own proa inaccordance with some prearranged plan. This was an alarming conclusionto reach, but Storms felt hardly a particle of doubt that he wasright. "He intends to betray us, and has intended to do so from the first. " The New Englander took another look at the double canoe, and he saw, even in the few minutes that had passed, that they were closertogether. And now that his suspicions were aroused, he detectedseveral other little things which only confirmed all that had enteredhis mind. The two islanders who composed the crew were continuallyglancing off at their brothers, and frequently spoke in low tones, andshowed by the gleam of their swarthy faces that they were on thetip-toe of expectation. From one corner of the lateen sail, Storms now noticed that a largecrimson handkerchief was fluttering in the wind. "It is put there as a signal, " was the decision respecting that, "anddoubtless signifies that they have us on board and all is goingright. " Fred Sanders was so occupied with this business that he never oncesuspected that he himself was being watched in turn. "Inez, " said the mate, "go to the captain and speak a few words tohim. " "But he is so occupied that he will not wish to be disturbed. " "Never mind about that; I wish you to go and say a few pleasant wordsto him. Let them be sympathetic. " "What shall I say?" "I can give you no further directions. " "I am loth to do so, but if you wish it----" "I wish it very much. " That was enough, and the girl, with some natural hesitation of manner, advanced to the young captain, who did not notice her until she was athis elbow. "Good-day, Captain Fred, " she said; "you have been busy so long thatyou must be tired, for you slept none last night. " He looked toward her with a quick, curious expression. There was ahalf-smile on his face, while his forehead was wrinkled withdispleasure. Inez noticed this, and would have withdrawn had she notrecalled the strange earnestness with which Storms made the requestfor her to utter a few pleasant words to the youth. She thereforedetermined to carry out his wishes. "Can't we relieve you of your work?" continued she. Sanders was in reality doing nothing in the way of physical labor, since the steering oar was in the hands of one of the crew, but he wasabsorbed in "watching things, " as the expression goes. "I am sure there is no way in which you can relieve me, " said Fred, unbending somewhat from his reserve. "We are in such deep water, and the wind is so fair, that there can beno danger, I suppose. But tell me, what sort of a boat is that yonderwhich is pursuing nearly the same course with us?" "That--I presume, " was the hesitating response, as the young manglanced in that direction, "is one of the double canoes or proas whichare often seen among these islands. " "And who are the crew?" "Islanders, like my own. " "Are we going to meet them?" "I hardly know what to answer to that, " said Fred, looking inquiringlytoward the large proa again, as if he had not seen it before. "Well, Captain Sanders, they must be pirates, " said Inez, steppingclose to him, and speaking in a low, tremulous voice; "but whetherthey are or not, my faith in God and in you cannot be changed. I knowyou will do all you can for us----" "There! there!" protested the young captain, with an expression ofpain on his face, "say no more. Please go away, Inez, and leave mealone. " "Of course I will leave you, if you do not wish me here, but gratitudewould not let me keep silent. I know, from what you said last night, that you have a good heart, and henceforth conscience is to be yourmaster and guide. " And without looking to see the effect of her words, Inez left thecaptain to his own thoughts. Abram Storms, with folded arms, was intently watching him, and hecarefully studied his countenance. He was still doing so, when Inezturned her back upon Sanders. Mr. Storms noted the strange expressionon the handsome countenance, and just then Sanders turned and lookedstraight at the man before the latter could withdraw his gaze. Astheir eyes met, he signaled to Storms to approach, and the latter, with no little wonderment and some misgiving, did so. "Mr. Storms, " said he, "that double canoe off yonder has twenty-threepirates on board. " "I suspected as much, " coolly replied the other. "And a set of worse villains cannot be found in the South Seas. " "I am sure you are quite right. " "These two men that I have on board belong to the same crew. " "Indeed! I hadn't thought of that. " "I belong to the same gang. " "I suspected that!" "You did, eh? Did you suspect that I was in the plot to obtainpossession of your pearls?" "I did not suspect it; I was sure of it, which is why I have carriedmy loaded revolver with me. " "That wouldn't have defeated the plan we had laid, for whentwenty-three odd savages, with their spears, war-clubs and a fewmuskets, had stolen up to the island in the darkness, and creptsilently into your cabin, what good would your guns and revolvers havedone you?" "Was that the plan?" "That was it precisely. By some means or other, which I never couldunderstand, rumors reached Wauparmur, months ago, that two men and achild were on an island to the south of us, and that they had animmense lot of the most valuable pearls. I cannot comprehend how itwas the natives gained such knowledge, for it must have had some basisof truth, inasmuch as it proved to be true. " "There was a proa which passed close to the island while we wereopening the pearl-oysters, " said Storms. "We all saw it. " "The rumor came from them, then, " continued Sanders, "and a party wasformed to go down there, and find out whether it was true, and, incase it was, the white men were to be overcome by treachery, and theirpossessions in the shape of pearls taken. Since there is no moredesperate and wicked member of the gang than am I, of course I was oneof the first chosen. "We started in two boats, and, as we went along, I could seedifficulties in the way which never occurred to them. It was notlikely you carried the pearls about with you, as a person wears hisjewelry; but most likely they were buried, so that if we came downupon you and made an overwhelming attack, as was first intended, wemight put you all to death, and then be unable to find where you hadhidden your treasures. Besides that, I saw that it was more thanprobable you had firearms, with which you could successfully hold outagainst a large force, and it would prove no easy thing to subdueyou. " "You were correct in both your surmises, " said Storms. "We were alwaysprepared to make a fight, and, with our guns against your spears, wewould have beaten you off. The pearls, too, were carefully concealedwhere you never would have found them. " "I was well convinced of that, so we resorted to strategy. I was to gowith a couple of the men and bring you away, trying all the time if Icould to secure the pearls, which, of course, were afterwards to bedisposed of and the proceeds divided among us--the intention beingthat when we got you on the proa, you would be pitched overboard, forthen the situation would be so changed that we could manage it withouttrouble. If I thought it unsafe to make the attempt, I had only towait until reinforcements should come up; for the larger boat, knowingthe course I was to take on my return, had only to be on the lookoutfor us, and we would be sure to descry each other. " "And that was to be your signal that you had us aboard?" said Storms, pointing to the fluttering handkerchief. "That's it precisely, " assented Sanders. "But there was one forcewhich we did not think to provide against, " added the young man, in alow voice, in which Storms detected a slight tremor. "What was that?" "An awakened conscience, " was the impressive answer. "And it was shewho aroused the sleeper. There was something in the goodness of thegirl--the faith which she showed not only in heaven but in me aswell--that upset all my calculations. Then, too, she seemed to say theright words just at the right time; and you saw how I suffered. " "Yes; and it gave me great hope; for, Fred, I distrusted you from thebeginning. I saw many little things which you never supposed I nor anyone else would notice. And I may add, " said the mate, with a slytwinkle, "that I endeavored always to be prepared for you. " The face of Sanders flushed, but he added, with the same seriousness: "Matters now are going in accordance with the program arranged daysago. The large proa yonder has been waiting for us, and we are now tokeep on converging lines until we meet to-night. " "Do you intend to follow out your agreement?" "No; I had an awful struggle with my conscience last night, after mytalk with Inez and with the poor captain, but the evil triumphed inme, despite all I could do. The fight was still going on, beingrenewed this morning, and I had about yielded to Satan, when she cameand spoke to me. That, " said Fred Sanders, with a compression of thelips, "has settled it forever. I am now your friend, and I am ready togive up my life for the safety of you and her, hoping that heaven willtake it, with my repentance, as some atonement for the many sins Ihave committed. " CHAPTER XXXIII THE PURSUIT There are two angels within us forever struggling for the mastery: Oneis the angel of darkness, and the other of light--of evil and ofgood. They had waged their battle in the heart of Fred Sanders for a longtime, and too often did the restraining spirit fold her hands over herface and withdraw in sorrow at the triumph of the other. But the finalstruggle--the decisive warfare--was now ended, and the beauteouscountenance of the good angel was radiant with hope and courage, for asoul had been saved. Abram Storms smiled with pleasure as he looked upon the manly youngfellow, and he was filled with delight at the resolution shown byhim. "There is no shrinking or trembling there, " said Storms to himself. "He means every word he says, and he will stick to the end. " The man tried to look calm and self-possessed, when he moved forwardand extended his hand, but there were tears in his eyes, and he couldonly murmur: "God bless you, my boy! You have chosen the better part. " They were silent for a minute or so, each one's thoughts active, whenFred said: "If you please, I would rather that Inez should know nothing ofthis. " "She never shall know a word of it from me. " "One of these days, perhaps, I will tell her what a villain she wasthe means of saving from destruction. " Fred appreciated the skill, seamanship and shrewdness of Storms, andconsulted fully with him, saying that, as he himself was captain, hewould appoint the other to his old position--that of mate. The whole scheme had already been made clear by the youth. The largeproa was in sight, by appointment, having been cruising back and forthfor several days, on the lookout for the smaller boat with the partywho it was expected would be robbed and killed for the valuable pearlsin their possession. The signal of the fluttering handkerchief fromthe triangular sail meant that the party were on board, and theoriginal program was to be carried out. That is, the pursuing boat wasto hold off until after dark. She was to keep on a converging course, so as not to lose sight of the small proa, and gradually approaching, overhaul and attack her at the time when the chances of success wereat the best. The plan decided upon by Captain Sanders was simply to keep away fromthe larger craft, and to do his utmost to prevent being overhauled;and he showed his earnestness in this respect by taking the steeringoar and bearing away from the other, so that, instead of beingconverging, they became parallel. The two natives displayed some surprise when they observed thisaction, but they said nothing, and most likely felt no suspicion asyet of their captain, whose desperation and heartlessness on more thanone previous occasion had won the confidence of the islanders. It was not long before the change was noticed on board the pursuer, where, most likely, it was accepted as the proper thing, possibly onaccount of the fear from the passengers. "I have no revolver like you, " said Captain Fred, after they had keptthis up for a couple of hours, "but I have a double-barreled pistolwhich is loaded to the muzzle. You have your six-chambered weapon, andyou must keep it ready, for, when the two islanders here becomecertain of the truth, it is more than probable they will make a savageattack on us, for two more desperate demons never lived. " "I should hardly think so, " said the mate, glancing furtively atthem. "No; they are as meek looking as lambs, but they were sent with me onaccount of their fierce courage. Why, they were ready and eager, whenwe visited you upon the island, to make an open attack, where thechances of their defeat were about even. They would rather fight andkill any moment than eat, and I had to be pretty sharp to restrainthem. " "I shan't forget your warning. " "It won't do for either of us to sleep to-night, for they are astreacherous as cobras. They would feign slumber on purpose to put usoff our guard, and then stab us to death in our sleep. " "Will we not reach Wauparmur to-night?" "It is doubtful, for the change we have made in the course is takingus away from the true direction and gives the advantage to them, asthey are closer in than we. We have lost some good ground from thelightness of the wind, and we shall be fortunate if we catch sight ofthe place before to-morrow's sunrise. " "After all, Captain Fred, it must be a question of speed between usand our pursuer. Which, therefore, is the faster, the double canoeyonder or ourselves?" A troubled expression came over the face of the young captain, as heanswered: "I don't know, for there has never been a test. We kept company mostof the way out, but we rattled along without any thought of speed, sometimes together and sometimes apart; but my opinion is that inmoderate weather like the present there is little difference betweenus, or if there is any it is in our favor. In a strong wind, the otherwould he apt to outspeed us. " "We are going to have more wind, " said the mate, looking anxiouslyabout him. "I think I perceive it freshening already. " "I fear the same thing, " said Fred, who was manifestly very uneasy. "We are now about two miles apart, and the prospect is that that willbe cut down one-half by sunset. " "And then?" Fred shrugged his shoulders. "All is not lost. When the sun goes down, with us a mile apart, weshall be invisible; but they will crowd all speed, and stand a goodchance of coming up with us again. " "But we gain a chance to maneuver. " "There is hope and yet great risk in that, for if we can throw themoff the track we shall be safe, for we can easily get beyond theirrange of vision long before sunrise; but at the same time, in makingthese sharp turns, we shall lose a great deal of ground, provided wedon't succeed, and if they once get in sight of us after the moonrises, the race will be ended, for we won't gain a chance to dodgethem again. " "And then?" "There will be the worst fight you ever saw. We shall have to begin byshooting these two, or pitching them overboard, if they don't happento get their work in ahead of us, and then we shall have more thantwenty savage islanders to keep off--if we can. " "We are pretty well armed, Captain Fred. " "Yes, we have our pistols, and there is a musket apiece for you, meand Inez--for she will have to take a hand in the fight. " "And there will be no braver than she. Have they any firearms onboard?" "I'm sorry to say they have, and that's what makes me more anxiousthan anything else. There are spears, knives, battle-axes and at leastsix loaded muskets, and what is more, the men who have them in handknow how to use them. " Mate Storms looked anxious, as well he might, for this was a phase ofthe question which had not presented itself to him. The case being asit was, the pursuers would be likely to begin firing as soon as theycame within range, and when close in, the matter would be entirelywithin their hands. Everything seemed to augur ill for the fugitives. The wind wassteadily increasing and the flying proa was dashing through the waterat a tremendous rate. The pursuing one had already shifted its course, so that this early in the afternoon the struggle had begun andsettled down to a virtual test of speed. "What do you suppose they think of the whole business?" asked MateStorms, looking back at the double canoe as it rose on a huge swell atthe same moment that they themselves sank in the vast, watery waste. "I don't know whether they think anything is wrong yet or not, butimagine I am trying to keep off until after dark. " "Why, then, don't they respect your purpose and work with you?" "The leader of that company is an islander who is somewhat jealous ofme. He believes he knows more about such business than I do, and hehas made up his mind to keep this in hand, no matter what my wishesare. So, though he may think I mean all right, yet he is sure he knowsbetter, and governs himself accordingly. " "These two men here on board try to look indifferent, but they actsuspiciously to me. " "And they are suspicious, too. " Fred Sanders might have added further that they were not onlysuspicious, but had actually discovered the truth. They understood the purpose which had brought all three to the lonelyisland, and they knew that that purpose had been changed. Inez Hawthorne, the girl of his own race, had caused this wonderfultransformation in the heart of the young captain, and instead of beingher enemy, he had become the devoted friend of herself and companion. While they could not understand the English tongue as they heard itspoken, they could read the meaning of looks and gestures and theconfidential talks which they saw going on around them. They wereconvinced that their captain intended to betray them, and prevent thewealth from falling into their hands. Would they submit? Far from it. They would not only refuse to give their assent to anysuch perfidy, but they would use their utmost endeavors to defeat it. Such was their purpose, and Fred Sanders knew it, for he understoodthe character of the wretches; well, therefore, was it that hewhispered the warning in the ear of Mate Abram Storms. Inez Hawthorne sat at the front of the proa, in the place that hadbeen assigned her, for something seemed to tell her that the men wereso occupied with their duties that it would be better for her to keepaway from them. It was with much reluctance that she consented toexchange the few words with Captain Fred Sanders, and little did shedream that it was those same few words which turned the young man froma deadly enemy into the most devoted ally, and gave some promise oflife to herself and her companion. Yet, as we have shown, such was thefact. CHAPTER XXXIV CLOSING IN When the sun sank in the western horizon, the situation of the twocraft had not materially changed. The larger had perceptibly gainedupon the smaller; but a good distance still separated them, and bothparties were doing their utmost. The wind was blowing stronger than atmid-day, but it was not such a gale as had been feared, and ourfriends were not without hope of eluding the natives, who wereendeavoring to overtake them. Inez Hawthorne could not avoid seeing how matters stood, though shewas far from suspecting the whole truth. Mr. Storms told her that theother boat contained pirates, who were doing their utmost to overtakethem, and they were striving their hardest to prevent it. As it stood, there was a prospect of a fight, in which she would likely be calledupon to take part. She smiled, looked reverently upward, and said shewas ready whenever needed, and then she remained as cool and watchfulas either of her friends. Mr. Storms advised her not to go to sleep, as the coming night mustdecide the case one way or the other for them. "No fear of my sleeping, " she said. "I realize our position too wellto do that. " "And Inez, " whispered Storms, "these two savages on board are theworst sort of men. Keep watch, and do not place yourself in toodangerous a position respecting them. " "I have been alarmed more than once at their looks and mutterings. " As the sun went down, it was a curious sight when the double canoerose on a swell and was outlined against the flaming disc behind, aswe have described the ship and the moon more than three years before. The sight was a strange one, though it lasted but a moment, when thecraft went down, and the smaller proa swiftly climbed the long slopeof the watery mountain in front. The round moon speedily rose in thesky, and it was so bright that it was hard to tell when twilight endedand its light began. Never did Storms and Sanders long for utter darkness more than on thepresent occasion. Had the moon been obscured, they would have made asharp turn in their flight, with every prospect of throwing the otherscompletely off their trail, and with every reason to hope for a cleanescape before sunrise. But the flood of moon light prevented either proa losing sight of theother. "There's only one thing left to us now, " said the young captain. "And that's to fight. " Fred nodded his head. "Well, we can do that. But I wish we were well rid of these fellowswith us. It puts us between two fires, and there can be no doubt theysuspect the truth. " "I am sure of that. Hello!" Mr. Storms had hold of the steering-oar, and Fred was sitting close tohim when he uttered the last exclamation, and, springing forward, hastily drew his pistol, took a quick aim and fired. A frenzied howl followed, and one of the crew made a furious plungefar out into the sea, and, going down like a log, never came upagain. "Over with you, too!" shouted Sanders, in their native tongue, hiseyes flashing; "not an instant, or I'll shoot!" The savage did not hesitate, with his knife clenched in his hand, andthe young captain leveled his pistol at him. The sight of the muzzle so close to his skull, and the fingerresolutely pressing the trigger, were too much, and the savage made atremendous leap, like a tiger springing from his hiding-place, wentfar out into the sea, and, quickly coming to the surface, blew thewater from his mouth, and began swimming with a swift, powerful strokein the direction of the pursuing boat. "Did you see that?" inquired Sanders, beginning coolly to reload hispistol. "What do you mean?" "Did you know why I fired as quickly as I did?" "No. " "That wretch had drawn his knife, and was moving in the direction ofthe unsuspecting Inez, sitting there. I overheard him say somethingwhich aroused my suspicion, and he was in the very act of raising hisknife when I fired. " "Is it possible? He deserved death, then, and you finished him. Butwhat purpose could they have in killing an innocent girl like her?" "Pure fiendishness--that's all. Then they meant to make their attackupon us, and they would have made things lively. " "But how much better it would have been had they waited until theothers attacked, when they could have made a fatal diversion?" "Most certainly; but their course shows the nature of the wretches. They are so fiendish and so eager to fight that they have nojudgment. " "Are we heading toward Wauparmur, Fred?" "No; we are steering wide of it. " "Since, then, we are engaged in a regular chase for that port, why nothead straight for the island, so as to have that advantage, atleast?" "You are right, for there is nothing to be gained by maneuvering tothrow them off the track. " Fred Sanders took a small compass from his pocket, and studied itcarefully for a minute or two by the light of the moon. Then he gavedirections to Storms to bear more to the left, or the westward, untilfinally he informed him that they were heading directly for the portwhere all their hopes were now centered. The wind fell slightly, but the pursuing boat steadily gained, and itwas impossible to see how our friends could escape a hand-to-handfight with the pirates, and there could be but one issue to such anencounter. The islanders were thoughtful enough to lower their immense sail, andstand by until they could pick up their comrade struggling in thewater, actuated probably as much by curiosity to know the facts as byhumanity. This gave our friends a show once more, and they drew away from theirpursuers; but, alas! not to an extent to leave them out of sight, anduntil they could do so, they could not hope to accomplish anything. Mr. Storms was not without a strong hope of seeing some friendlysail, to which they could hasten for assistance, and he continuallysearched the horizon, telling Inez to do the same. Captain Fred did not expect anything of that nature, and, since theglasses were in his hands, he kept them turned most of the time in thedirection of the double canoe, and called out his information andorders to his mate at the helm. Of course the distance was much less than a mile, or the proa wouldscarcely have been discernible, but the moonlight was strong, such asthose who live in temperate zones can hardly realize, and theillumination of the sea was wonderfully brilliant. Both Fred and Storms, who had spent years in the South Seas, agreedthat they had never seen anything like it before, and, for allpurposes, it might as well have been broad day. The finest print couldhave been read with ease, and the glasses leveled at the approachingboat showed the crowds of swarthy pirates on board, all as eager aswolves to come up with the craft, which they were gaining so steadilyupon. And the fugitives knew well enough what the sequel would be. The rivalof Captain Fred would want no better excuse for cutting him and hiscompanions to pieces, and the wealth in their possession would be more"loot" than the same parties could obtain in a dozen piraticalexpeditions. "But they shall never get a pennyworth of it!" said Abe Storms toFred. The latter lowered his glass and looked inquiringly at him. "When it becomes absolutely certain that they have got us, I shallthrow all the pearls overboard, so that they shall gain nothing morethan our lives. " "That's right; only, " said the young captain, with a smile, "I adviseyou not to be in too much of a hurry about it, for you will feelsomewhat mortified if we reach Wauparmur, after all, and you find youhave cast your whole wealth into the sea. " "I shan't lose my head, " said the mate, with a laugh, "unless one ofthem takes it off. " Inez Hawthorne was silent at the prow of the proa, where she waslooking for the longed-for sail, which, alas! was never to appear, forshe, too, had come to believe there was no other hope for her and herfriends. Mate Storms and Captain Fred happened to turn their heads at the samemoment, and were looking at the double proa coming up with them veryrapidly, when each uttered an exclamation, for they suddenly saw a redflash at the prow of the boat, a puff of smoke, and then the report ofa musket reached them almost at the same instant that the whistle ofthe bullet through the rigging was heard. "By George, they are firing at us!" said Fred, as if it was not themost natural thing in the world for them to do. "Yes, and they're aiming pretty well, too, for that shot went throughthe sail!" "I hardly supposed they were near enough to do that, but they are inearnest. Wouldn't it be a good idea to reply to their hail?" "It would, most undoubtedly!" Putting up his glass, Captain Fred dived forward, brought out one ofthe muskets, and taking deliberate aim, fired at the approachingcraft. His shot was a fortunate one, too, for the cry which instantlyfollowed showed that some one was struck. The others did not fireagain for some time, but seemed to concentrate all their energies andattention upon the pursuit, which was turning more and more everyminute in their favor. "I don't see any escaping a fight, " said Fred Sanders. "Inez says shehasn't caught a glimpse of a sail, and I am sure she won't. We may aswell bring our guns here and be ready to repel boarders. " CHAPTER XXXV WAUPARMUR Oftener than we suppose does heaven interfere directly in the affairsof men. Minutes had passed since Sanders and Storms had agreed that noearthly occurrence could avert a fight with the dusky demons, withscarcely a grain of hope for escape from them, when Inez uttered theastounding exclamation: "We are gaining on them!" It was inconceivable, and the two looked again to the rear to learnthe cause of her unaccountable delusion. Five minutes later Sandersadded in a husky gasp: "She is right; we are not only gaining, but we are gaining fast. " "How do you account for it?" "I can't account for it. " "I can. " "How?" asked the amazed youth. "God interposes many times when mortals do not see it, " said the NewEnglander reverently; "there is joy in heaven over one sinner thatrepenteth. You have repented, and He has extended his hand to helpyou. " "Perhaps you are right, " replied Sanders, much impressed. "I _know_ I am right. " "And I hope to prove worthy of such undeserved kindness. All I ask isthe opportunity. " "It shall be granted you. But, humanly speaking, there has been someaccident on board that craft yonder. " "It must be that; as a sailor, you know any one of a half dozen thingswould be sufficient to throw them out of the race. A ripping of thesail, a fracture of the mast, the breaking of the steering gear, orsome sudden quarrel would do the trick. Sufficient for us is it toknow that it has been done. " "God helps them that helps themselves, " added Storms, "and we mustimprove to the utmost the chance thrown in our way. " Naturally the fear of the two was that their pursuers might repair theaccident which was throwing them to the rear for the time, and regainwhat was lost. They steadily fell behind, and, as soon as invisible, the proa made an abrupt change in her course, with the view ofdefeating the calamity that they feared threatened them. When this hadlasted for an hour, another change was effected, with the result, asSanders announced, that they were now heading directly for Wauparmur. The eyes peering backward through the vivid moonlight failed to bringthe dreaded craft to view, and it was not yet midnight when Sandersannounced the thrilling fact that the twinkling lights, which appearedin front like a constellation in the horizon, were made by thedwellings in the native South Sea town of Wauparmur. All danger waspast, and about an hour later the proa glided in among the shipping inthat excellent harbor, made fast to the wharf, and the threedisembarked. Fred led the way to a house of entertainment near the harbor, in whichhe found good lodging for his friends. Abram Storms carried all the precious pearls to his room and carefullysecured the door, after which he threw himself upon the bed and sleptas soundly as an infant. Inez Hawthorne, in the solitude of her apartment, devoutly thanked herHeavenly Father for His care, and then she, too, slept the sleep ofexhaustion and perfect health. It was near noon on the succeeding day when both rose and found FredSanders awaiting them. The young man had not slept at all, and wasuneasy. "It won't do to stay here another night, " said he, in explanation, assoon as the meal was concluded. "I am sure we have no wish to do so, " replied Storms. "But whereinlies the particular peril?" "That whole crew of the double canoe are scattered through town, andthey only await the chance to kill us. They will find the chance, too, to-night, if we remain here. " "But what is the prospect of getting away?" "I was in despair nearly all the forenoon; but a little while ago Icame upon a schooner which sails for San Francisco at three o'clockthis afternoon. I have engaged passage on it for us three, for youknow I go with you. " "How can we ever repay you for your kindness?" said Inez, her lustrouseyes speaking eloquently her gratitude to the youth. "There's no service on earth that I can render you which will comparewith what you have done for me, " was the reply of Captain Fred, whosemanner showed his sincerity. Inez Hawthorne did not understand whatall this meant, but the speaker ventured upon no explanation at thetime. As the three were about to start upon a long voyage, it was decidedthat some indispensable articles should be procured, and, since theyhad little spare time at command, the three set out immediately afterdinner. Wauparmur, as we have already intimated, is a town numbering severalhundreds--perhaps more than a thousand--in population. Among these area number of foreign shopkeepers, whose places are close along shore, so as to be the more readily accessible to their customers, who arealmost exclusively confined to those on board the vessels which stopat the island. Back from the town the land rises into hills, and the settlementbecomes straggling and scattered. In these portions it is composedentirely of rude huts and cabins, in which none but natives live, andthey are a bad lot. It was from among those who lived in the "suburbs" that the wretcheswere gathered with which to attempt to capture and murder the littleparty of Europeans for the sake of the invaluable pearls they had intheir possession. Fred Sanders shuddered when he thought of the risk he and his friendsran by going straight to the inn and taking quarters for the night, for these miscreants must, after all, have reached Wauparmur only afew hours after the proa, and the wonder was that they did not manageto slay the fugitives in their beds. The first thing Fred did in the morning was to slip out and buy arevolver, and his second act was to load it. While engaged in hunting a vessel upon which to take passage, heencountered his own acquaintances continually, and he needed not theirblack faces and scowling eyes to tell how they thirsted to kill himfor his treachery. It was only by his bold front and constantwatchfulness that he kept the dusky demons at a distance. Some of themwere seen when the three ventured out, and though the pirates darednot attack them in open daylight, they were on the verge of doing somore than once. But their fury was directed principally againstCaptain Fred Sanders, and there can be no doubt the youth spoke thetruth when he declared that if he attempted to stay on land untilmorning, he would not live till midnight. Mr. Storms laid in a good supply of clothing, shoes and knick-knacksfor himself and Inez, and with as little delay as possible. When theyreached the wharf and approached the plank leading to the deck of theschooner, Mr. Storms noticed a small man standing a few feet off, witha blanket drawn up about his shoulders and neck like an Indian. Hislegs, feet and head were bare, but a huge bandage was bound around hisforehead, giving him a grotesque appearance. His position was like a statue, and he held the blanket so high thatlittle could be seen except his black, glittering eyes. Some distanceoff, on the street close to the shop-houses, was a group of othernatives, who looked as if they were expecting some important event. So they were, indeed! CHAPTER XXXVI HOMEWARD BOUND "Storms, do you notice that fellow?" asked Fred Sanders, as theyapproached the plank. "Yes; it looks odd to see him standing there so motionless, and yetwith his eyes fixed upon us. " "He's Weroo, the man who led that gang of pirates last night, and hehates me with such a consuming hate that he sent out his men to killme, and in case they fail to do so, he has stationed himself therewith the determination to assassinate me, for he is ready to run anyrisk rather than allow me to get away. " "Are you prepared?" asked Storms, with no little anxiety. "I rather guess so! Walk ahead with Inez and leave him to me. " With some hesitation, Storms did as requested, though he placed hishand on his revolver, so as to be ready for any emergency, the crew ofthe _Albatross_, who were busying themselves around, seeming to holdno suspicion of the situation. Just as Captain Fred put his foot on the plank, the islander took ashort step forward, like a panther gathering himself for the leap uponits victim. At that very instant, as if by intuition, Captain Fredturned about and leveled his revolver at the muffled figure, whichpaused. Every one who was looking on supposed, of course, the boy wasgoing to fire, but, though his finger pressed the trigger, he did notdischarge his weapon. With the pistol pointed straight at the savage, Fred slowly backed up the plank, keeping his foe covered until hehimself was on the deck of the schooner. The barbarian seemed paralyzed. After taking the slight step forward, he paused and stood motionless, staring and transfixed, until hisvictim was beyond his reach. Then, without a word or exclamation, heturned about, and strode away to where his infuriated and discomfitedcomrades were watching him with not the slightest doubt he wouldprevent the escape of the white boy. Within the succeeding hour the_Albatross_ was standing down the bay, with all sail spread; and herlong voyage to distant California was begun. Ah, that journey from the South Seas across the equator and northwardinto the stern climate of the Temperate Zone! Not one of those who participated in it can forget it to his dyingday. They had many hours of fierce, wild weather, in which the_Albatross_ was more than once in danger, but Captain Hardy was a goodsailor, he had a good crew, and he safely rode through it all. Then came those delightful nights which seem peculiar to the Pacific, when the moonlight takes on a witchery of its own, and the calm seabecomes like an enchanted lake as the vessel glides over it. Captain Hardy was a kind man as well as a skilful sailor, and, sincehe received a most liberal price for the passage of the three personswho joined him at Wauparmur, the best treatment was given them. It was on this homeward voyage that Captain Fred Sanders told to MateStorms and Inez Hawthorne the story of his life, the main points ofwhich have already been hinted to the reader. He ran away from hishome in San Francisco when but a mere boy, scarcely ten years old. Hewas led into all sorts of evil, and was so deeply implicated in afierce mutiny that, as we have said, he would have been strung up atthe yard-arm, excepting for his extreme youth. He then joined a trading vessel in the South Seas, but the crew wereattacked and massacred by a band of pirates, and he was taken off aprisoner. These pirates belonged to the Wauparmur settlement, and theywere so pleased with the bravery displayed by the boy that theyadopted him among them. There was something in the life which wasattractive to the wild American lad, and he embraced it eagerly, andspent five years among them. His bravery, skill, and natural"smartness, " advanced him rapidly along the line of promotion, until, while yet a boy, he became an acknowledged leader. Captain Fred spent a portion of his time in the settlement, where heshowed his good sense, in one respect at least, by picking up all theeducation he could from the instructors who were to be found there. Hesucceeded well--which will explain the intelligence he displayed inthis respect while conversing with his friends. He confessed all this, and said further that his mother died before heran away, and he had no idea where his father was; but, if he werealive, the son determined to find him, no matter where he might be onthe broad earth. Now that his conscience had been awakened, hisaffection came back with it, and his great fear was that he would notsee his parent alive. It was a source of never-ending wonder to Fred Sanders how it was hecould have been so wicked a lad, and how it was that his moral sensecould have been so totally eclipsed for years. The gentle, winningwords of Inez Hawthorne had first aroused his conscience, untilfinally it would not allow him to rest until he had made his peacewith it. CHAPTER XXXVII CONCLUSION Many a long hour did the two--Fred and Inez--spend in talking togetherof the past and their future. They were as brother and sister to eachother, and their prospects were discussed as if it were fixed thatthey should never lose sight of each other again. It was on this voyage, too, that Abram Storms disclosed the plan ofaction he had decided upon. "The pearls which I have in my possession I shall dispose of in SanFrancisco--or at least a portion of them. Those which were my share, according to the original agreement, I shall keep. The single pearl, which will doubtless bring a large price in New York, is the propertyof Inez, and shall be devoted to her benefit. I intend to place her ina school and make a systematic effort to trace her parentage. Thepearls left by Captain Bergen go to you, Fred. " But here occurred the first stumbling-block. Fred Sanders refusedpointedly, but firmly, to accept a single one of them. He declared hehad no claim upon any one of that little party, and he would notsuffer himself to be dissuaded from his position. He was yet young, vigorous and ambitious, and with the help of heavenhe would carve out his own fortune. Seeing it was useless to argue thequestion, Storms fell back upon the original intention of CaptainBergen, which was to devote the greater portion of his wealth tocharity. In due time, the _Albatross_ glided through the Golden Gate, and ourfriends found themselves in San Francisco, whose streets all had trodyears before. The first thing Storms did after establishing Inez in pleasantquarters was to hunt up the mother of Captain Bergen, and heprosecuted his search with a heavy heart, bearing the bad news whichhe did. He was relieved to find that she had been dead fully twoyears, and the nearest relative of the captain remaining was hiscousin, who was in such affluent circumstances that Storms decided notto give him any portion of the wealth left by the deceased captain. While Abe Storms was engaged upon his duty, young Fred Sanders wasbusy. Although he had revealed a great deal of his past life, there remainedone great secret, which he had reserved as a final surprise, especially to Inez Hawthorne, who, as yet, had not formed theslightest idea of what was coming. And what this secret was, and theparticulars of not one but two astounding discoveries, we will nowproceed to relate. The grim old sailor, Captain Strathmore, of the steamer _Polynesia_, has made many voyages between San Francisco and the Imperial Japanesecity of Tokio since we last saw him, more than three years ago. Thereis little change, however, in his appearance, and the same kindlyheart, tempered in the furnace of affliction and sorrow, throbsbeneath his rough exterior. There are few officers holding such aresponsible position as he who are greater favorites with themultitudes that go down to the sea in ships, and he promises toperform many valuable years of service to his employers, whoappreciate the sterling worth of the brave, noble man. The steamer has been at the dock several days, and soon is to leavefor her long voyage across the Pacific. The captain is sitting in hiscabin, reading and writing some letters. By-and-by he lays down hispen, and wheeling his chair around, gives utterance to his thoughts, as he has grown in the habit of doing of late. "I shall keep in harness till I die, for idleness would take me offin a short time. I have striven to do my duty to God and myfellow-man--and though much sorrow has come to me, yet I shall nevermurmur nor complain, when I see so much around me and know that norace and no place in society is exempt from it. "Years ago I placed away my beloved wife in the distant New Englandhills, and then when the fair bud which she left behind blossomed, that, too, was gathered by the angels and I was left alone. "The darling son upon whom I centered all my hopes was a wild, waywardboy, and he left my roof and has never come back again. Whether he isor is not, I cannot tell, but I fear that, if he still treads theearth, he is sowing the wind and will reap the whirlwind. I havestriven to forget that I was ever afflicted in being the parent ofsuch a child. But alas, the roots of affection are planted so deepthat it is hard to withdraw them. "Then there came to me a second Inez, and I loved her as I did thefirst. Just as she nestled around my heart, she was taken away in themost surprising manner. I believed then that I should see and claspher again in my arms. But the years have come and gone, and still shecomes not to me. Ah! could I but hear the music of that voice--could Ibut feel those dimpled arms about my neck as I used to do----Helloa!" Just then Fred Sanders walked briskly into the cabin, doffed his hat, made a bow, laughed and said: "Helloa, pop! how are you?" Captain Strathmore gasped, stared and replied: "No--no--no--Fred. Is that you, my own boy?" And Fred laughed, and then, with tears in his eyes, leaped forward andthrew his arms about the old captain's neck and cried like a child, while the parent, fondly caressing him, cried too, and for a minuteneither could speak an intelligible word. "Pop, " finally said the youth, raising his head and sitting upon thestrong knee, "I have been a bad boy. I have brought trouble to you, but I have come thousands of miles to ask your forgiveness and to tryto cheer your declining years. " "What are you talking about declining years for, you young rascal? Inever was so strong and hearty in my life. You have made me twentyyears younger! Ah, if your mother could but see this! But she issmiling in heaven over it, and so is our darling Inez, who joined herlong ago. God be thanked! my boy is dead but is alive again!" And, laughing and crying, they shook hands, and talked and talked. "Tell me everything that has befallen you, my dear son. " And Fred did so, as we have already told the reader, adding that henever so far forgot himself as to dishonor his father by bearing hisname. He was known everywhere as Frederic Sanders, whereas his fullname was Frederic Sanders Strathmore--which he was now proud toassume, and which, with God's help, he meant to honor. They sat a long time in loving converse, and, finally, CaptainStrathmore told the story of Inez Hawthorne, who came to and went fromhim in such an extraordinary manner, and for whom he sighed and longedas he had for his own child, taken from him years before. Fred smiled in an odd way, while this story was being told, and thenasked his father to walk down to the Occidental Hotel with him. "I have some very particular business, " he added, "and will take it asa great favor if you will so so. " "Of course I will, " responded the cheery old captain, springing to hisfeet. "I will walk if I can, but I feel more like flying; and ifthere's any more good news, I'll set up a dancing and yellingcarnival. " "Well, there is good news awaiting you, so you had better get ready toput on the brakes. " "What do you mean, Fred?" "Wait, and you will see. " A few minutes later there was a gentle tap on the door of InezHawthorne's room at the Occidental. She was busy sewing, and shecalled out in a somewhat startled voice: "Come in!" Fred Strathmore threw the door wide open, and, taking hold of hisfather's arm, gave him such a vigorous shove that he was forcedseveral steps into the apartment before he could stop himself. He caught sight of a beautiful, scared face, which stared withsomething like terror at him for a moment; and then there was ascream, and she made one bound forward. "Oh, father, father! my own dear father! I am so glad!" Again the arms were about the neck of the weather-beaten sea-dog;again the kisses were showered upon his bronzed face; again his ownlost Inez was in his arms. Poor Captain Strathmore broke down completely. Instead of shouting anddancing, as he threatened to do, he sat in his chair, and, with Inezon his knee, overrunning with joy, delight and supreme happiness, hecould do nothing but cry, cry, cry, and murmur his gratitude andthankfulness. But, after a time, he did recover himself; and then he became awarefor the first time, as did the others, that a fourth party waspresent. This was Mate Storms, who suspected the situation before hewas introduced to the happy captain of the _Polynesia_. Since they allhad such an extraordinary story to relate, the captain had an equallyremarkable one to tell them. The persistent and never-ending investigation which he set on footconcerning the lost Inez had resulted, not in finding her, but inunearthing her entire history. She was a native of the city of New York, and her father died therebefore she was a year old. A former suitor of her mother, angeredbecause she would not become his wife, even after her husband wasdeceased, resorted to the atrocious revenge of stealing Inez when shewas but an infant, and he hastened across the continent with her. When he had kept her there a brief time, he sought to open negotiationswith the mother, with a view of delivering back her child on conditionthat the parent should become his wife; but he was shocked to learnthat the poor, heartbroken mother had died from grief, and the child wasupon his hands. This man finally married a woman in San Francisco, but neither of themcould ever feel any affection for the little girl (whom, however, theytreated quite fairly), and the wife insisted that she should be gottenrid of in some way. Through some whim or other, the abductor hadalways called her by her right name--Inez Hawthorne--and, seeing somemention of it in the newspapers, he resorted to the means which wedescribed, at the opening of this story, for ridding himself foreverof her. As soon as Inez was safely placed on the steamer, this wicked coupledisappeared, and no further trace of them could be found. CaptainStrathmore, who was anxious to punish them, believed they had left thecountry. Inez, therefore, was an orphan, and while a gentle sadnessfilled her affectionate heart--as she heard the particulars of her ownhistory for the first time, and reflected upon that poor, heartbrokenmother, who had gone to her rest long ago--she could not feel anypoignant grief, for her memory of the lost one was too shadowy andfaint. But she had found a home and friends for life. Abram Storms explained that he had met three English gentlemen whowere making a tour of the world in a large steam yacht; and, sincethey possessed abundant means, and were very social, he had shown themthe pearls in his possession and offered to dispose of them all. Theywere delighted with the specimens, and especially with the enormousone belonging to Inez. They offered twenty-five thousand dollars forthe single one, and just one hundred thousand for the rest. This wasless than Storms had counted upon--and doubtless less than he couldhave secured by consulting leading lapidaries in other parts of theworld--but he was inclined to end the transaction by accepting it, andhe asked the advice of his friends. After fully discussing the matter, it was agreed to close with the offer, and the exchange was completedthat afternoon, and the money belonging to Inez was placed in the bankthe next morning. Since Storms was anxious to return to his home, and since there was nocall for his remaining longer in San Francisco, it was arranged thatInez should enter an excellent school in the Golden Gate City, whereshe should spend several years, while Captain Strathmore was to act asher guardian until she should attain her legal majority. The captain'sposition enabled him to find a berth under him for Fred on the steamer_Polynesia_, and the boy sailed with him on the next voyage to Tokio, and on many a subsequent one. Abe Storms is as poor as he was before he made his voyage to the SouthSeas, for, having dedicated the wealth left by Captain Bergen tocharitable purposes, he felt it his duty to do the same with his own, and, since he has no one besides himself dependent upon him, he is nottroubled by fears of not being able to make a comfortable living. THE END A. L. BURT'S CATALOGUE OF BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BY POPULAR WRITERS 52-58 Duane Street, New York BOOKS FOR BOYS. Joe's Luck: A Boy's Adventures in California. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. The story is chock full of stirring incidents, while the amusingsituations are furnished by Joshua Bickford, from Pumpkin Hollow, and thefellow who modestly styles himself the "Rip-tail Roarer, from Pike Co. , Missouri. " Mr. Alger never writes a poor book, and "Joe's Luck" iscertainly one of his best. Tom the Bootblack; or, The Road to Success. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. A bright, enterprising lad was Tom the Bootblack. He was not at allashamed of his humble calling, though always on the lookout to betterhimself. The lad started for Cincinnati to look up his heritage. Mr. Grey, the uncle, did not hesitate to employ a ruffian to kill the lad. The planfailed, and Gilbert Grey, once Tom the bootblack, came into a comfortablefortune. This is one of Mr. Alger's best stories. Dan the Newsboy. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price$1. 00. Dan Mordaunt and his mother live in a poor tenement, and the lad ispluckily trying to make ends meet by selling papers in the streets of NewYork. A little heiress of six years is confided to the care of theMordaunts. The child is kidnapped and Dan tracks the child to the housewhere she is hidden, and rescues her. The wealthy aunt of the littleheiress is so delighted with Dan's courage and many good qualities thatshe adopts him as her heir. Tony the Hero: A Brave Boy's Adventure with a Tramp. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Tony, a sturdy bright-eyed boy of fourteen, is under the control ofRudolph Rugg, a thorough rascal. After much abuse Tony runs away and getsa job as stable boy in a country hotel. Tony is heir to a large estate. Rudolph for a consideration hunts up Tony and throws him down a deep well. Of course Tony escapes from the fate provided for him, and by a brave act, a rich friend secures his rights and Tony is prosperous. A veryentertaining book. The Errand Boy; or, How Phil Brent Won Success. By HORATIO ALGER, JR. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. The career of "The Errand Boy" embraces the city adventures of a smartcountry lad. Philip was brought up by a kind-hearted innkeeper namedBrent. The death of Mrs. Brent paved the way for the hero's subsequenttroubles. A retired merchant in New York secures him the situation oferrand boy, and thereafter stands as his friend. Tom Temple's Career. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price$1. 00. Tom Temple is a bright, self-reliant lad. He leaves Plympton village toseek work in New York, whence he undertakes an important mission toCalifornia. Some of his adventures in the far west are so startling thatthe reader will scarcely close the book until the last page shall havebeen reached. The tale is written in Mr. Alger's most fascinating style. For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by thepublisher, A. L. BURT, 52-58 Duane Street, New York. BOOKS FOR BOYS Frank Fowler, the Cash Boy. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Frank Fowler, a poor boy, bravely determines to make a living for himselfand his foster-sister Grace. Going to New York he obtains a situation ascash boy in a dry goods store. He renders a service to a wealthy oldgentleman who takes a fancy to the lad, and thereafter helps the lad togain success and fortune. Tom Thatcher's Fortune. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Tom Thatcher is a brave, ambitious, unselfish boy. He supports his motherand sister on meagre wages earned as a shoe-pegger in John Simpson'sfactory. Tom is discharged from the factory and starts overland forCalifornia. He meets with many adventures. The story is told in a waywhich has made Mr. Alger's name a household word in so many homes. The Train Boy. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price$1. 00. Paul Palmer was a wide-awake boy of sixteen who supported his mother andsister by selling books and papers on the Chicago and Milwaukee Railroad. He detects a young man in the act of picking the pocket of a young lady. In a railway accident many passengers are killed, but Paul is fortunateenough to assist a Chicago merchant, who out of gratitude takes him intohis employ. Paul succeeds with tact and judgment and is well started onthe road to business prominence. Mark Mason's Victory. The Trials and Triumphs of a Telegraph Boy. ByHoratio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Mark Mason, the telegraph boy, was a sturdy, honest lad, who pluckily wonhis way to success by his honest manly efforts under many difficulties. This story will please the very large class of boys who regard Mr. Algeras a favorite author. A Debt of Honor. The Story of Gerald Lane's Success in the Far West. ByHoratio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. The story of Gerald Lane and the account of the many trials anddisappointments which he passed through before he attained success, willinterest all boys who have read the previous stories of this delightfulauthor. Ben Bruce. Scenes in the Life of a Bowery Newsboy. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Ben Bruce was a brave, manly, generous boy. The story of his efforts, andmany seeming failures and disappointments, and his final success, are mostinteresting to all readers. The tale is written in Mr. Alger's mostfascinating style. The Castaways; or, On the Florida Reefs. By James Otis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. This tale smacks of the salt sea. From the moment that the Sea Queenleaves lower New York bay till the breeze leaves her becalmed off thecoast of Florida, one can almost hear the whistle of the wind through herrigging, the creak of her straining cordage as she heels to the leeward. The adventures of Ben Clark, the hero of the story and Jake the cook, cannot fail to charm the reader. As a writer for young people Mr. Otis isa prime favorite. BOOKS FOR BOYS Wrecked on Spider Island; or, How Ned Rogers Found the Treasure. By JamesOtis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Ned Rogers, a "down-east" plucky lad ships as cabin boy to earn alivelihood. Ned is marooned on Spider Island, and while there discovers awreck submerged in the sand, and finds a considerable amount of treasure. The capture of the treasure and the incidents of the voyage serve to makeas entertaining a story of sea-life as the most captious boy could desire. The Search for the Silver City: A Tale of Adventure in Yucatan. By JamesOtis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Two lads, Teddy Wright and Neal Emery, embark on the steam yacht Day Dreamfor a cruise to the tropics. The yacht is destroyed by fire, and then theboat is cast upon the coast of Yucatan. They bear of the wonderful SilverCity, of the Chan Santa Cruz Indians, and with the help of a faithfulIndian ally carry off a number of the golden images from the temples. Pursued with relentless vigor at last their escape is effected in anastonishing manner. The story is so full of exciting incidents that thereader is quite carried away with the novelty and realism of thenarrative. A Runaway Brig; or, An Accidental Cruise. By James Otis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. This is a sea tale, and the reader can look out upon the wide shimmeringsea as it flashes back the sunlight, and imagine himself afloat with HarryVandyne, Walter Morse, Jim Libby and that old shell-back, Bob Brace, onthe brig Bonita. The boys discover a mysterious document which enablesthem to find a buried treasure. They are stranded on an island and at lastare rescued with the treasure. The boys are sure to be fascinated withthis entertaining story. The Treasure Finders: A Boy's Adventures in Nicaragua. By James Otis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Roy and Dean Coloney, with their guide Tongla, leave their father's indigoplantation to visit the wonderful ruins of an ancient city. The boyseagerly explore the temples of an extinct race and discover three goldenimages cunningly hidden away. They escape with the greatest difficulty. Eventually they reach safety with their golden prizes. We doubt if thereever was written a more entertaining story than "The Treasure Finders. " Jack, the Hunchback. A Story of the Coast of Maine. By James Otis. Price$1. 00. This is the story of a little hunchback who lived on Cape Elizabeth, onthe coast of Maine. His trials and successes are most interesting. Fromfirst to last nothing stays the interest of the narrative. It bears usalong as on a stream whose current varies in direction, but never losesits force. With Washington at Monmouth: A Story of Three Philadelphia Boys. By JamesOtis. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges, illustrated, price $1. 50. Three Philadelphia lads assist the American spies and make regular andfrequent visits to Valley Forge in the Winter while the British occupiedthe city. The story abounds with pictures of Colonial life skillfullydrawn, and the glimpses of Washington's soldiers which are given show thatthe work has not been hastily done, or without considerable study. Thestory is wholesome and patriotic in tone, as are all of Mr. Otis' works. BOOKS FOR BOYS With Lafayette at Yorktown: A Story of How Two Boys Joined the ContinentalArmy. By James Otis. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges, illustrated, price $1. 50. Two lads from Portsmouth, N. H. , attempt to enlist in the Colonial Army, and are given employment as spies. There is no lack of exciting incidentswhich the youthful reader craves, but it is healthful excitement brimmingwith facts which every boy should be familiar with, and while the readeris following the adventures of Ben Jaffrays and Ned Allen he is acquiringa fund of historical lore which will remain in his memory long after thatwhich he has memorized from textbooks has been forgotten. At the Siege of Havana. Being the Experiences of Three Boys Serving underIsrael Putnam in 1762. By James Otis. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivineedges, illustrated, price $1. 50. "At the Siege of Havana" deals with that portion of the island's historywhen the English king captured the capital, thanks to the assistance givenby the troops from New England, led in part by Col. Israel Putnam. The principal characters are Darius Lunt, the lad who, represented astelling the story, and his comrades, Robert Clement and Nicholas Vallet. Colonel Putnam also figures to considerable extent, necessarily, in thetale, and the whole forms one of the most readable stories founded onhistorical facts. The Defense of Fort Henry. A Story of Wheeling Creek in 1777. By JamesOtis. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges, illustrated, price $1. 50. Nowhere in the history of our country can be found more heroic orthrilling incidents than in the story of those brave men and women whofounded the settlement of Wheeling in the Colony of Virginia. The recitalof what Elizabeth Zane did is in itself as heroic a story as can beimagined. The wondrous bravery displayed by Major McCulloch and hisgallant comrades, the sufferings of the colonists and their sacrifice ofblood and life, stir the blood of old as well as young readers. The Capture of the Laughing Mary. A Story of Three New York Boys in 1776. By James Otis. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 50. "During the British occupancy of New York, at the outbreak of theRevolution, a Yankee lad hears of the plot to take General Washington'sperson, and calls in two companions to assist the patriot cause. They dosome astonishing things, and, incidentally, lay the way for an Americannavy later, by the exploit which gives its name to the work. Mr. Otis'books are too well known to require any particular commendation to theyoung. "--Evening Post. With Warren at Bunker Hill. A Story of the Siege of Boston. By James Otis. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges, illustrated, price $1. 50. "This is a tale of the siege of Boston, which opens on the day after thedoings at Lexington and Concord, with a description of home life inBoston, introduces the reader to the British camp at Charlestown, showsGen. Warren at home, describes what a boy thought of the battle of BunkerHill, and closes with the raising of the siege. The three heroes, GeorgeWentworth, Ben Scarlett and an old ropemaker, incur the enmity of a youngTory, who causes them many adventures the boys will like toread. "--Detroit Free Press. BOOKS FOR BOYS With the Swamp Fox. The Story of General Marion's Spies. By James Otis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. This story deals with General Francis Marion's heroic struggle in theCarolinas. General Marion's arrival to take command of these brave men andrough riders is pictured as a boy might have seen it, and although thestory is devoted to what the lads did, the Swamp Fox is ever present inthe mind of the reader. On the Kentucky Frontier. A Story of the Fighting Pioneers of the West. ByJames Otis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. In the history of our country there is no more thrilling story than thatof the work done on the Mississippi river by a handful of frontiersmen. Mr. Otis takes the reader on that famous expedition from the arrival ofMajor Clarke's force at Corn Island, until Kaskaskia was captured. Herelates that part of Simon Kenton's life history which is not usuallytouched upon either by the historian or the story teller. This is one ofthe most entertaining books for young people which has been published. Sarah Dillard's Ride. A Story of South Carolina in 1780. By James Otis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. "This book deals with the Carolinas in 1780, giving a wealth of detail ofthe Mountain Men who struggled so valiantly against the king's troops. Major Ferguson is the prominent British officer of the story, which istold as though coming from a youth who experienced these adventures. Inthis way the famous ride of Sarah Dillard is brought out as an incident ofthe plot. "--Boston Journal. A Tory Plot. A Story of the Attempt to Kill General Washington. By JamesOtis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. "'A Tory Plot' is the story of two lads who overhear something of theplot originated during the Revolution by Gov. Tryon to capture or murderWashington. They communicate their knowledge to Gen. Putnam and arecommissioned by him to play the role of detectives in the matter. They doso, and meet with many adventures and hairbreadth escapes. The boys are, of course, mythical, but they serve to enable the author to put into veryattractive shape much valuable knowledge concerning one phase of theRevolution. "--Pittsburgh Times. A Traitor's Escape. A Story of the Attempt to Seize Benedict Arnold. ByJames Otis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. "This is a tale with stirring scenes depicted in each chapter, bringingclearly before the mind the glorious deeds of the early settlers in thiscountry. In an historical work dealing with this country's past, no plotcan hold the attention closer than this one, which describes the attemptand partial success of Benedict Arnold's escape to New York, where heremained as the guest of Sir Henry Clinton. All those who actually figuredin the arrest of the traitor, as well as Gen. Washington, are included ascharacters. "--Albany Union. A Cruise with Paul Jones. A Story of Naval Warfare in 1776. By James Otis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. "This story takes up that portion of Paul Jones' adventurous life when hewas hovering off the British coast, watching for an opportunity to strikethe enemy a blow. It deals more particularly with his descent uponWhitehaven, the seizure of Lady Selkirk's plate, and the famous battlewith the Drake. The boy who figures in the tale is one who was taken froma derelict by Paul Jones shortly after this particular cruise wasbegun. "--Chicago Inter-Ocean. BOOKS FOR BOYS Corporal Lige's Recruit. A Story of Crown Point and Ticonderoga. By JamesOtis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. "In 'Corporal Lige's Recruit, ' Mr. Otis tells the amusing story of an oldsoldier, proud of his record, who had served the king in '58, and whotakes the lad, Isaac Rice, as his 'personal recruit. ' The lad acquitshimself superbly. Col. Ethan Allen 'in the name of God and the continentalcongress, ' infuses much martial spirit into the narrative, which willarouse the keenest interest as it proceeds. Crown Point, Ticonderoga, Benedict Arnold and numerous other famous historical names appear in thisdramatic tale. "--Boston Globe. Morgan, the Jersey Spy. A Story of the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. By JamesOtis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. "The two lads who are utilized by the author to emphasize the details ofthe work done during that memorable time were real boys who lived on thebanks of the York river, and who aided the Jersey spy in his dangerousoccupation. In the guise of fishermen the lads visit Yorktown, aresuspected of being spies, and put under arrest. Morgan risks his life tosave them. The final escape, the thrilling encounter with a squad of redcoats, when they are exposed equally to the bullets of friends and foes, told in a masterly fashion, makes of this volume one of the mostentertaining books of the year. "--Inter-Ocean. The Young Scout: The Story of a West Point Lieutenant. By Edward S. Ellis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. The crafty Apache chief Geronimo but a few years ago was the most terriblescourge of the southwest border. The author has woven, in a tale ofthrilling interest, all the incidents of Geronimo's last raid. The hero isLieutenant James Decker, a recent graduate of West Point. Ambitious todistinguish himself the young man takes many a desperate chance againstthe enemy and on more than one occasion narrowly escapes with his life. Inour opinion Mr. Ellis is the best writer of Indian stories now before thepublic. Adrift in the Wilds: The Adventures of Two Shipwrecked Boys. By Edward S. Ellis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Elwood Brandon and Howard Lawrence are en route for San Francisco. Off thecoast of California the steamer takes fire. The two boys reach the shorewith several of the passengers. Young Brandon becomes separated from hisparty and is captured by hostile Indians, but is afterwards rescued. Thisis a very entertaining narrative of Southern California. A Young Hero; or, Fighting to Win. By Edward S. Ellis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. This story tells how a valuable solid silver service was stolen from theMisses Perkinpine, two very old and simple minded ladies. Fred Sheldon, the hero of this story, undertakes to discover the thieves and have themarrested. After much time spent in detective work, he succeeds indiscovering the silver plate and winning the reward. The story is told inMr. Ellis' most fascinating style. Every boy will be glad to read thisdelightful book. Lost in the Rockies. A Story of Adventure in the Rocky Mountains. ByEdward S. Ellis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Incident succeeds incident, and adventure is piled upon adventure, and atthe end the reader, be he boy or man, will have experienced breathlessenjoyment in this romantic story describing many adventures in the Rockiesand among the Indians. BOOKS FOR BOYS A Jaunt Through Java: The Story of a Journey to the Sacred Mountain. ByEdward S. Ellis. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. The interest of this story is found in the thrilling adventures of twocousins, Hermon and Eustace Hadley, on their trip across the island ofJava, from Samarang to the Sacred Mountain. In a land where the RoyalBengal tiger, the rhinoceros, and other fierce beasts are to be met with, it is but natural that the heroes of this book should have a livelyexperience. There is not a dull page in the book. The Boy Patriot. A Story of Jack, the Young Friend of Washington. ByEdward S. Ellis. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, illustrated, price $1. 50. "There are adventures of all kinds for the hero and his friends, whosepluck and ingenuity in extricating themselves from awkward fixes arealways equal to the occasion. It is an excellent story full of honest, manly, patriotic efforts on the part of the hero. A very vivid descriptionof the battle of Trenton is also found in this story. "--Journal ofEducation. A Yankee Lad's Pluck. How Bert Larkin Saved his Father's Ranch in PortoRico. By Wm. P. Chipman. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. "Bert Larkin, the hero of the story, early excites our admiration, and isaltogether a fine character such as boys will delight in, whilst the storyof his numerous adventures is very graphically told. This will, we think, prove one of the most popular boys' books this season. "--Gazette. A Brave Defense. A Story of the Massacre at Fort Griswold in 1781. ByWilliam P. Chipman. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Perhaps no more gallant fight against fearful odds took place during theRevolutionary War than that at Fort Griswold, Groton Heights, Conn. , in1781. The boys are real boys who were actually on the muster rolls, eitherat Fort Trumbull on the New London side, or of Fort Griswold on the Grotonside of the Thames. The youthful reader who follows Halsey Sanford andLevi Dart and Tom Malleson, and their equally brave comrades, throughtheir thrilling adventures will be learning something more than historicalfacts; they will be imbibing lessons of fidelity, of bravery, of heroism, and of manliness, which must prove serviceable in the arena of life. The Young Minuteman. A Story of the Capture of General Prescott in 1777. By William P. Chipman. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. This story is based upon actual events which occurred during the Britishoccupation of the waters of Narragansett Bay. Darius Wale and WilliamNorthrop belong to "the coast patrol. " The story is a strong one, dealing only with actual events. There is, however, no lack of thrillingadventure, and every lad who is fortunate enough to obtain the book willfind not only that his historical knowledge is increased, but that his ownpatriotism and love of country are deepened. For the Temple: A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem. By G. A. HENTY. Withillustrations by S. J. Solomon. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "Mr. Henty's graphic prose picture of the hopeless Jewish resistance toRoman sway adds another leaf to his record of the famous wars of theworld. The book is one of Mr. Henty's cleverest efforts. "--Graphic. BOOKS FOR BOYS Roy Gilbert's Search: A Tale of the Great Lakes. By Wm. P. Chipman. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. A deep mystery hangs over the parentage of Roy Gilbert. He arranges withtwo schoolmates to make a tour of the Great Lakes on a steam launch. Thethree boys visit many points of interest on the lakes. Afterwards the ladsrescue an elderly gentleman and a lady from a sinking yacht. Later on theboys narrowly escape with their lives. The hero is a manly, self-reliantboy, whose adventures will be followed with interest. The Slate Picker: The Story of a Boy's Life in the Coal Mines. By HarryPrentice. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. This is a story of a boy's life in the coal mines of Pennsylvania. BenBurton, the hero, had a hard road to travel, but by grit and energy headvanced step by step until he found himself called upon to fill theposition of chief engineer of the Kohinoor Coal Company. This is a book ofextreme interest to every boy reader. The Boy Cruisers; or, Paddling in Florida. By St. George Rathborne. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Andrew George and Rowland Carter start on a canoe trip along the Gulfcoast, from Key West to Tampa, Florida. Their first adventure is with apair of rascals who steal their boats. Next they run into a gale in theGulf. After that they have a lively time with alligators and Andrew getsinto trouble with a band of Seminole Indians. Mr. Rathborne knows just howto interest the boys, and lads who are in search of a rare treat will dowell to read this entertaining story. Captured by Zulus: A Story of Trapping in Africa. By Harry Prentice. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. This story details the adventures of two lads, Dick Elsworth and BobHarvey, in the wilds of South Africa. By stratagem the Zulus capture Dickand Bob and take them to their principal kraal or village. The lads escapedeath by digging their way out of the prison hut by night. They arepursued, but the Zulus finally give up pursuit. Mr. Prentice tells exactlyhow wild-beast collectors secure specimens on their native stampinggrounds, and these descriptions make very entertaining reading. Tom the Ready; or, Up from the Lowest. By Randolph Hill. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. This is a dramatic narrative of the unaided rise of a fearless, ambitiousboy from the lowest round of fortune's ladder to wealth and thegovernorship of his native State. Tom Seacomb begins life with a purpose, and eventually overcomes those who oppose him. How he manages to win thebattle is told by Mr. Hill in a masterful way that thrills the reader andholds his attention and sympathy to the end. Captain Kidd's Gold: The True Story of an Adventurous Sailor Boy. By JamesFranklin Fitts. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. There is something fascinating to the average youth in the very idea ofburied treasure. A vision arises before his eyes of swarthy Portuguese andSpanish rascals, with black beards and gleaming eyes. There were manyfamous sea rovers, but none more celebrated than Capt. Kidd. Paul JonesGarry inherits a document which locates a considerable treasure buried bytwo of Kidd's crew. The hero of this book is an ambitious, perseveringlad, of salt-water New England ancestry, and his efforts to reach theisland and secure the money form one of the most absorbing tales for ouryouth that has come from the press. BOOKS FOR BOYS The Boy Explorers: The Adventures of Two Boys in Alaska. By HarryPrentice. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Two boys, Raymond and Spencer Manning, travel to Alaska to join theirfather in search of their uncle. On their arrival at Sitka the boys withan Indian guide set off across the mountains. The trip is fraught withperils that test the lads' courage to the utmost. All through theirexciting adventures the lads demonstrate what can be accomplished by pluckand resolution, and their experience makes one of the most interestingtales ever written. The Island Treasure; or, Harry Darrel's Fortune. By Frank H. Converse. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Harry Darrel, having received a nautical training on a school-ship, isbent on going to sea. A runaway horse changes his prospects. Harry savesDr. Gregg from drowning and afterward becomes sailing-master of a sloopyacht. Mr. Converse's stories possess a charm of their own which isappreciated by lads who delight in good healthy tales that smack of saltwater. Guy Harris: The Runaway. By Harry Castlemon. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Guy Harris lived in a small city on the shore of one of the Great Lakes. He is persuaded to go to sea, and gets a glimpse of the rough side of lifein a sailor's boarding house. He ships on a vessel and for five monthsleads a hard life. The book will interest boys generally on account of itsgraphic style. This is one of Castlemon's most attractive stories. Julian Mortimer: A Brave Boy's Struggle for Home and Fortune. By HarryCastlemon. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. The scene of the story lies west of the Mississippi River, in the dayswhen emigrants made their perilous way across the great plains to the landof gold. There is an attack upon the wagon train by a large party ofIndians. Our hero is a lad of uncommon nerve and pluck. Befriended by astalwart trapper, a real rough diamond, our hero achieves the most happyresults. By Pike and Dyke: A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by Maynard Brown. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "Boys with a turn for historical research will be enchanted with thebook, while the rest who only care for adventure will be students in spiteof themselves. "--St. James's Gazette. St. George for England: A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price$1. 00. "A story of very great interest for boys. In his own forcible style theauthor has endeavored to show that determination and enthusiasm canaccomplish marvellous results; and that courage is generally accompaniedby magnanimity and gentleness. "--Pall Mall Gazette. Captain Bayley's Heir: A Tale of the Gold Fields of California. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by H. M. Paget. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "Mr. Henty is careful to mingle instruction with entertainment; and thehumorous touches, especially in the sketch of John Holl, the Westminsterdustman, Dickens himself could hardly have excelled. "--Christian Leader. BOOKS FOR BOYS Budd Boyd's Triumph; or, The Boy Firm of Fox Island. By William P. Chipman. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. The scene of this story is laid on the upper part of Narragansett Bay, andthe leading incidents have a strong salt-water flavor. The two boys, BuddBoyd and Judd Floyd, being ambitious and clear sighted, form a partnershipto catch and sell fish. Budd's pluck and good sense carry him through manytroubles. In following the career of the boy firm of Boyd & Floyd, theyouthful reader will find a useful lesson--that industry and perseveranceare bound to lead to ultimate success. Lost in the Canyon: Sam Willett's Adventures on the Great Colorado. ByAlfred R. Calhoun. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. This story hinges on a fortune left to Sam Willett, the hero, and the factthat it will pass to a disreputable relative if the lad dies before heshall have reached his majority. The story of his father's peril and ofSam's desperate trip down the great canyon on a raft, and how the partyfinally escape from their perils is described in a graphic style thatstamps Mr. Calhoun as a master of his art. Captured by Apes: The Wonderful Adventures of a Young Animal Trainer. ByHarry Prentice. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1. 00. Philip Garland, a young animal collector and trainer, sets sail forEastern seas in quest of a new stock of living curiosities. The vessel iswrecked off the coast of Borneo, and young Garland is cast ashore on asmall island, and captured by the apes that overrun the place. Very novelindeed is the way by which the young man escapes death. Mr. Prentice is awriter of undoubted skill. Under Drake's Flag: A Tale of the Spanish Main. By G. A. Henty. Withillustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "There is not a dull chapter, nor, indeed, a dull page in the book; butthe author has so carefully worked up his subject that the exciting deedsof his heroes are never incongruous nor absurd. "--Observer. By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti War. By G. A. Henty. Withillustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. The author has woven, in a tale of thrilling interest, all the details ofthe Ashanti campaign, of which he was himself a witness. "Mr. Henty keeps up his reputation as a writer of boys' stories. 'BySheer Pluck' will be eagerly read. "--Athenæum. With Lee in Virginia: A Story of the American Civil War. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price$1. 00. "One of the best stories for lads which Mr. Henty has yet written. Thepicture is full of life and color, and the stirring and romantic incidentsare skillfully blended with the personal interest and charm of thestory. "--Standard. By England's Aid; or, The Freeing of the Netherlands (1585-1604). By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by Alfred Pearse. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "It is an admirable book for youngsters. It overflows with stirringincident and exciting adventure, and the color of the era and of the sceneare finely reproduced. The illustrations add to itsattractiveness. "--Boston Gazette. BOOKS FOR BOYS By Right of Conquest; or, With Cortez in Mexico. By G. A. Henty. Withillustrations by W. S. Stacey. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 50. "The conquest of Mexico by a small band of resolute men under themagnificent leadership of Cortez is always rightfully ranked among themost romantic and daring exploits in history. 'By Right of Conquest' isthe nearest approach to a perfectly successful historical tale that Mr. Henty has yet published. "--Academy. For Name and Fame; or, Through Afghan Passes. By G. A. Henty. Withillustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "Not only a rousing story, replete with all the varied forms ofexcitement of a campaign, but, what is still more useful, an account of aterritory and its inhabitants which must for a long time possess a supremeinterest for Englishmen, as being the key to our Indian Empire. "--GlasgowHerald. The Bravest of the Brave; or, With Peterborough in Spain. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by H. M. Paget. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price$1. 00. "Mr. Henty never loses sight of the moral purpose of his work--to enforcethe doctrine of courage and truth, mercy and loving kindness, asindispensable to the making of a gentleman. Boys will read 'The Bravest ofthe Brave' with pleasure and profit; of that we are quite sure. "--DailyTelegraph. The Cat of Bubastes: A Story of Ancient Egypt. By G. A. Henty. Withillustrations. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "The story, from the critical moment of the killing of the sacred cat tothe perilous exodus into Asia with which it closes, is very skillfullyconstructed and full of exciting adventures. It is admirablyillustrated. "--Saturday Review. Bonnie Prince Charlie: A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price$1. 00. "Ronald, the hero, is very like the hero of 'Quentin Durward. ' The lad'sjourney across France, and his hairbreadth escapes, makes up as good anarrative of the kind as we have ever read. For freshness of treatment andvariety of incident Mr. Henty has surpassed himself. "--Spectator. With Clive in India; or, The Beginnings of an Empire. By G. A. Henty. Withillustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "He has taken a period of Indian history of the most vital importance, and he has embroidered on the historical facts a story which of itself isdeeply interesting. Young people assuredly will be delighted with thevolume. "--Scotsman. In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by J. Schönberg. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "Harry Sandwith, the Westminster boy, may fairly be said to beat Mr. Henty's record. His adventures will delight boys by the audacity and perilthey depict. The story is one of Mr. Henty's best. "--Saturday Review. For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by thepublisher, A. L. BURT, 52-58 Duane Street, New York. BOOKS FOR BOYS The Lion of the North: A Tale of Gustavus Adolphus and the Wars ofReligion. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by John Schönberg. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "A praiseworthy attempt to interest British youth in the great deeds ofthe Scotch Brigade in the wars of Gustavus Adolphus. Mackey, Hepburn, andMunro live again in Mr. Henty's pages, as those deserve to live whosedisciplined bands formed really the germ of the modern Britisharmy. "--Athenæum. The Dragon and the Raven; or, The Days of King Alfred. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by C. J. Staniland. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price$1. 00. "In this story the author gives an account of the fierce struggle betweenSaxon and Dane for supremacy in England, and presents a vivid picture ofthe misery and ruin to which the country was reduced by the ravages of thesea-wolves. The story is treated in a manner most attractive to the boyishreader. "--Athenæum. The Young Carthaginian. A Story of the Times of Hannibal. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by C. J. Staniland. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price$1. 00. "Well constructed and vividly told. From first to last nothing stays theinterest of the narrative. It bears us along as on a stream whose currentvaries in direction, but never loses its force. "--Saturday Review. In Freedom's Cause: A Story of Wallace and Bruce. By G. A. Henty. Withillustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "It is written in the author's best style. Full of the wildest and mostremarkable achievements, it is a tale of great interest, which a boy, oncehe has begun it, will not willingly put one side. "--The Schoolmaster. With Wolfe in Canada; or, The Winning of a Continent. By G. A. Henty. Withillustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "A model of what a boys' story-book should be. Mr. Henty has a greatpower of infusing into the dead facts of history new life, and as no painsare spared by him to ensure accuracy in historic details, his books supplyuseful aids to study as well as amusement. "--School Guardian. True to the Old Flag: A Tale of the American War of Independence. By G. A. Henty. With illustrations by Gordon Browne. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "Does justice to the pluck and determination of the British soldiersduring the unfortunate struggle against American emancipation. The son ofan American loyalist, who remains true to our flag, falls among thehostile red-skins in that very Huron country which has been endeared to usby the exploits of Hawkeye and Chingachgook. "--The Times. A Final Reckoning: A Tale of Bush Life in Australia. By G. A. Henty. Withillustrations by W. B. Wollen. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1. 00. "All boys will read this story with eager and unflagging interest. Theepisodes are in Mr. Henty's very best vein--graphic, exciting, realistic;and, as in all Mr. Henty's books, the tendency is to the formation of anhonorable, manly, and even heroic character. "--Birmingham Post. For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by thepublisher, A. L. BURT, 52-58 Duane Street, New York.