De debbil, ef 'tain't one o' dem marmaids! Oh, Caesar!"

A ripple of panting laughter alongside brought Venner and his guests to
the rail in haste, and gone to the windless heavens was their _ennui_. A
gleaming, gold-tinted creature, a miniature model of Aphrodite surely,
arose from the blue sea and climbed nimbly into the main channels and
thence to the deck, where little pools of water dripped from the radiant
figure. She shook her small head saucily, and heavy masses of raven-wing
hair tumbled about her, provokingly cloaking the charms so boldly
outlined by her single saturated tunic of fine silk.

"Who in paradise may you be?" ejaculated Venner, while his friends
stared with unconscious rudeness.

"I? I am Pascherette!" laughed the small vision, and her black eyes
sparkled impudently.

"Pascherette!" echoed Tomlin, bewildered. "Does Jamaica hold such
beauties?" He awkwardly brought forward a deck-chair, while Pearse stood
by in speechless amazement. Venner, as better became the host, ordered a
steward to bring a wrap for the astounding visitor, but the girl laughed
provokingly and declined both.

"It is not for such as I, fine gentlemen," she said, and her sharp eyes
were roving busily about the schooner, appraising values like a
veritable pirate. "Keep thy courtesies for better than I."

"Better than you, girl?" Venner's tone was incredulous. He was taking
mental stock of the priceless pearls about Pascherette's dainty throat.
"To be found here?"

"If not here, where shall ye find such a one as my mistress?"
Pascherette retorted saucily.

"Your mistress?"

"Without doubt. I am but a slave, my lady is the queen, Dolores."

"A queen--a white woman?" stammered Venner.

"Oh, Venner, let us look into this!" exclaimed Pearse with unconcealed
curiosity.

"Just what we have prayed for!" Tomlin supplemented eagerly. "Anchor,
Venner, like a good fellow. A jaunt ashore will brace us all up."

"Nonsense!" objected the owner, albeit with a good trace of
inquisitiveness himself. "The breeze will come by evening; and who knows
what this coast harbors? A bad name sticks to this shore."

Pascherette had wandered forward, and between sly glances aft and keen
scrutiny shoreward, she flung seductive smiles broadcast at the grinning
crew, prattling prettily to officer and man alike, as if she were indeed
a stranger to the ways of shipboard. While she made her rounds the party
aft entered into a warm dispute; their curi