one."

"A long, long way indeed." She lifted her eyes to me--and then she
placed her hand on mine. "Why do you smile, Mr. Sherry; and yet why say
'it could be done'?"

"Let us sit down and talk the matter over quietly;" and I led her to a
seat.

"Why should we go to Fiji or Samoa?" I said quickly, my blood afire with
my new project. "There is nothing to draw you thither, is there?"

"Nothing. I know no one at either place. But you----"

"I! It matters but little to me where I go. But I am sick to death of
this island, and long to be doing something. I am a man without a home,
without ties, a wandering South Sea deadbeat--no friends."

"You must not say that," she said softly. "I am sure you have many
friends. Just now you spoke of one--Jose Otano."

"Aye, I did; but I meant friends in Europe, in the outer and greater
world--people who care for, who even give me a passing thought."

"That is sad, indeed. Oh, it must be sad to be alone, quite, quite alone
in the world. And I am very, very sorry for you, Mr. Sherry."

The deep ring of sympathy in her voice warmed my heart to the little
woman.

"Mrs. Krause," I said--and I spoke quietly, "you are a brave woman, else
you would not dare to come with me in a small boat to so distant a place
as Fiji or Samoa. But will you be braver still, and risk your life in a
still more dangerous enterprise?"

"I will, indeed, Mr. Sherry. I have no sense of the fear of death--none,
absolutely none," she replied.

"Then let us give up the idea of Fiji," I cried, catching her hand, "let
us go to the north-west--to Guam, to your own home."

"Oh," and she gave a low gasp of pleasure. "Oh, yes, indeed, it will be
a wonderful voyage."

"Yes, if we ever get there," I said. "But we can try."

"You will not fail. Of that I am as sure as I am of my own existence."

Again we turned to the chart, and were poring over it together when the
messenger returned to say that the natives had arrived with the boat. I
hurried down to the beach, and saw the native owners, and then the boat
itself, which, after very little trouble, I bought for ten muskets, a
couple of tierces of tobacco, and a hundred fathoms of red turkey twill.
Then, after giving them some instructions, I went back to the house.

[Illustration: I hurried down to the beach 096]

"Well, Mr. Sherry, what do you think of the boat?"

"Fairly well, Mrs. Krause. Anyway, I've bought her, and if you look out
of the window, you'll s