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me。 Brahms takes charge of the Flibberty； and Sparrowhawk of the Emily。
And we start at one o'clock。'
〃My word； it was a tough job lying there in the covering boat。 I
never thought doing nothing could be such hard work。 We stopped about
fifty fathoms off； and watched the other boat go in。 It was so dark under
the mangroves we couldn't see a thing of it。 D'ye know that little；
monkey…looking nigger； Sheldon； on the Flibberty… …the cook； I mean？
Well； he was cabin…boy twenty years ago on the Scottish Chiefs； and after
she was cut off he was a slave there at Poonga…Poonga。 And Miss
Lackland had discovered the fact。 So he was the guide。 She gave him
half a case of tobacco for that night's work〃
〃And scared him fit to die before she could get him to come along；〃
Sparrowhawk observed。
〃Well； I never saw anything so black as the mangroves。 I stared at
them till my eyes were ready to burst。 And then I'd look at the stars； and
listen to the surf sighing along the reef。 And there was a dog that barked。
Remember that dog； Sparrowhawk？ The brute nearly gave me heart…
failure when he first began。 After a while he stoppedwasn't barking at
the landing party at all； and then the silence was harder than ever； and the
mangroves grew blacker； and it was all I could do to keep from calling out
to Curtis in there in the landing boat； just to make sure that I wasn't the
only white man left alive。
〃Of course there was a row。 It had to come； and I knew it； but it
startled me just the same。 I never heard such screeching and yelling in
my life。 The niggers must have just dived for the bush without looking
to see what was up； while her Tahitians let loose； shooting in the air and
yelling to hurry 'em on。 And then； just as sudden； came the silence again…
…all except for some small kiddie that had got dropped in the stampede and
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that kept crying in the bush for its mother。
〃And then I heard them coming through the mangroves； and an oar
strike on a gunwale； and Miss Lackland laugh； and I knew everything was
all right。 We pulled on board without a shot being fired。 And； by God！
she had made the books come true； for there was old Kina…Kina himself
being hoisted over the rail； shivering and chattering like an ape。 The rest
was easy。 Kina…Kina's word was law； and he was scared to death。 And
we kept him on board issuing proclamations all the time we were in
Poonga…Poonga。
〃It was a good move； too； in other ways。 She made Kina…Kina order
his people to return all the gear they'd stripped from the Martha。 And back
it came； day after day； steering compasses； blocks and tackles； sails； coils
of rope； medicine chests； ensigns； signal flagseverything； in fact； except
the trade goods and supplies which had already been kai…kai'd。 Of course；
she gave them a few sticks of tobacco to keep them in good humour。〃
〃Sure she did；〃 Sparrowhawk broke forth。 〃She gave the beggars five
fathoms of calico for the big mainsail； two sticks of tobacco for the
chronometer； and a sheath…knife worth elevenpence ha'penny for a
hundred fathoms of brand new five…inch manila。 She got old Kina…Kina
with that strong hand on the go off； and she kept him going all the time。
Shehere she comes now。〃
It was with a shock of surprise that Sheldon greeted her appearance。
All the time； while the tale of happening at Poonga… Poonga had been
going on； he had pictured her as the woman he had always known； clad
roughly； skirt made out of window…curtain stuff； an undersized man's shirt
for a blouse； straw sandals for foot covering； with the Stetson hat and the
eternal revolver completing her costume。 The ready…made clothes from
Sydney had transformed her。 A simple skirt and shirt…waist of some sort
of wash…goods set off her trim figure with a hint of elegant womanhood
that was new to him。 Brown slippers peeped out as she crossed the
compound； and he once caught a glimpse to the ankle of brown open…work
stockings。 Somehow； she had been made many times the woman by these
mere extraneous trappings； and in his mind these wild Arabian Nights
adventures of hers seemed thrice as wonderful。
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As they went in to breakfast he became aware that Munster and
Sparrowhawk had received a similar shock。 All their air of camaraderie
was dissipated； and they had become abruptly and immensely respectful。
〃I've opened up a new field；〃 she said； as she began pouring the coffee。
〃Old Kina…Kina will never forget me； I'm sure； and I can recruit there
whenever I want。 I saw Morgan at Guvutu。 He's willing to contract for
a thousand boys at forty shillings per head。 Did I tell you that I'd taken
out a recruiting license for the Martha？ I did； and the Martha can sign
eighty boys every trip。
Sheldon smiled a trifle bitterly to himself。 The wonderful woman
who had tripped across the compound in her Sydney clothes was gone；
and he was listening to the boy come back again。
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CHAPTER XIXTHE LOST TOY
〃Well；〃 Joan said with a sigh； 〃I've shown you hustling American
methods that succeed and get somewhere； and here you are beginning your
muddling again。〃
Five days had passed； and she and Sheldon were standing on the
veranda watching the Martha； close…hauled on the wind； laying a tack off
shore。 During those five days Joan had never once broached the desire of
her heart； though Sheldon； in this particular instance reading her like a
book； had watched her lead up to the question a score of times in the hope
that he would himself suggest her taking charge of the Martha。 She had
wanted him to say the word； and she had steeled herself not to say it
herself。 The matter of finding a skipper had been a hard one。 She was
jealous of the Martha； and n