onged. That is
piracy; an act for which some of you may yet be made to smart. But
apart from that, I am strongly of opinion that you are starting this
community upon totally wrong lines. You have already heard me say, more
than once, that I have no belief in, or sympathy with, the principles
upon which Wilde proposes to rule this settlement. I do not believe
they will be found to work satisfactorily; and therefore I will have
nothing whatever to do with the scheme."

"Yes, yes, I know, Mr Troubridge; I've heard you say all that afore,"
answered Polson with some impatience. "But, all the same, I can't for
the life of me see what's wrong with the plan. As for what you calls
our act of piracy, well, there's no gettin' away from it that if ever we
was found out, some of us would get `toko' for that job, and I expect
that I should be one. But I dunno as I feels partic'lar oneasy about
that, for I don't see how we're goin' to be found out. And the risk,
such as it is, was worth runnin', for ain't we goin' to settle down here
and live in peace and plenty and happiness all our lives?"

"You think so, Polson, I don't doubt," said I. "But wait a while until
the schoolmaster's theories are put to the test of actual everyday
practice, and then come and tell me what you think of them."

"All right, Mr Troubridge, that's fair enough; I will," answered the
boatswain. And therewith he rose and, with a somewhat troubled
countenance, left me.

The effect of this conversation became apparent when on the following
morning, before breakfast, Polson came aft and announced to me that,
upon further consideration of the matter, the council had decided to
build a storehouse ashore before touching the cargo. And he followed up
this communication by asking me for my idea as to what the dimensions of
the structure should be.

"Oh," said I in a tone of indifference, "if you make it twice as long as
the ship's hold, twice as wide, and about twelve feet high to the eaves,
you ought to have ample room for the storage of everything, in such a
fashion that you can get at any particular portion of the cargo without
difficulty, and at a moment's notice. And let me give you another hint,
Polson. If you are wise you will have a careful inventory taken of
every item of the cargo as it goes ashore, with a record of the
particular part of the building in which it is stored."

"Thank 'e, Mr Troubridge; thank 'e, sir; that's good advice, and I'