ch!" smiled Tomlin, striving to fix the
girl's capricious attention, which persisted in flying ever to Milo.

"Patience," returned Milo. "Do ye know of anything of untold worth--my
queen has that which will buy it? Have ye seen a thing of peerless
beauty--in my queen's house are many of its peers! Patience!"

No word more would the giant utter. Like a bronze statue he stood erect,
guiding the cutter to a small landing with a silent gesture. And as the
boat swept alongside and the yachtsmen began to experience the thrill of
near expectancy, Pearse caught sight of a knot of men loitering on the
nearby slopes, and their appearance startled him.

"Good Lord, look at those piratical ruffians!" he cried.

His companions started, and doubt came into their faces. Then
Pascherette arose from her seat and pressed near to Tomlin, with an
insinuating, caressing movement; and that ardent gentleman exclaimed
impatiently: "Oh, never mind their looks! Come on Venner! This is what
I've dreamed of all my life! Come on!"

Milo touched Pearse's arm, said briefly, "Come!" and that reluctant
visitor stepped ashore; while Venner, after a little twinge of
misgiving, succumbed to his curiosity regarding the hidden glories of
this strange realm, and followed the great black readily enough.

Up the cliff they followed Milo, Pascherette running ahead and looking
backward ever and again with a seductive gesture of invitation; and in
good time they stood before the council hall, the loitering pirates
staring at them wonderingly, and from them to the graceful white
schooner just then entering the narrow channel.

"Enter!" said Milo, and stood aside at the open door.

The interior was dark and awfully still, and the three white men paused
on the threshold doubtfully, regarding each other with half-ashamed
faces.

"Enter!" reiterated Milo, and curiosity got the better of them, for a
swirl of fragrance eddied out to them, and one by one, until the hall
was dotted with them, ruby and amber lights twinkled before them,
seeming to beckon them on to something mysterious in the shadows beyond
the soft lights.

"Neck or nothing!" muttered Venner, leading the way. His friends
followed in silence. Then the doors closed behind them; but fear, doubt,
unbelief, all went to the winds at the spectacle that slowly unfolded
itself before their gaze.

"Cleopatra reincarnated, by God!" gasped Venner. His friends could find
no words to express their sensatio