quick-witted enough to understand that this utterance
was in the nature of a hint for him to depart, and he stood not on the
order of his going.

"Good-by, sah," he called out. "Much obleege fo' your kindness, dat I
shall remember a good while."

Mate Storms stood motionless, watching him until he was perhaps a
hundred feet from the craft, when he said, just loud enough to be
heard:

"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 exposed
in tropical waters, and, as the truth was impressed upon him with such
suddenness, he uttered a "whiff" like a porpoise and began swimming
with fierce energy toward the shore. In fact, he never put forth so
much effort in all his life. The expectation of feeling a huge
man-eating monster gliding beneath you when in the water is enough to
shake the nerves of the strongest swimmer. He kept diving and swimming
as far as he could below the surface, and then came up and continued
his desperate efforts until he reached the land, where he joined his
companions.

Abe Storms stood looking and listening, his face expanded in a broad
smile, when he heard a light laugh at his elbow. Turning his head, he
found 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 the
case well."

"It might have been worse. My only fear is that the imps won't believe
we honestly intend to hold the conference with them, and offer a
compromise."

"They will find it out at daylight, and meanwhile they can't help
themselves. It is useless for me to stay below, Abe," added the
nervous captain. "There's too much on my mind to sleep."

Therefore, the two remained on watch until the sun rose, at which time
there was nothing to be seen of the mutineers.

"They're suspicious," concluded the mate, who called out, in a loud
voice that reached every portion of the island:

"Hello, men! come and show yourselves. We want to have a talk with
you!"

A few minutes later Hyde Brazzier appeared on the shore and answered
back again. It was deemed best to give the mutineers a proof of their
sincerity, and instead, therefore, of holding the conversation from
the deck of the schooner, the small boat was lowered, an