nothing. He used to sail one of the old man's schooners,
and of course they have a good deal to talk about. I'll settle _him_ as
far as she is concerned. Wait till I get a chance to talk to her a bit,"
and taking off his cap the supercargo passed his brawny hand through his
curly hair with a smile of satisfaction. "She'll be tired of talking to
him before the day is out."

"Where is he going to land? Has he told you?"

"Yes. He wants to be put ashore at the Mortlocks Islands. We have no
trader there, and he has lived there before."

"I'd like to see him go over the side in some new canvas, with a couple
of fire bars slung to his heels," snarled Hendry viciously.

"So would I," said Chard meditatively.

At four bells the wheel was relieved, and Huka the Niue native trotted
off, and immediately sent a message to Carr's servant Malua to come
for'ard. The boy did as requested, and remained away for about ten
minutes. When he returned he seated himself as usual near his master.
Hendry was in his cabin on deck, Chard was below in the trade room, and
only Tessa, Harvey, and himself were on the after-deck.

"Master," he said in Fijian, to Harvey, "listen to what Huka, the man
of Niue, has told me. The captain and the supercargo have been talking
about thee and the lady." Then he repeated all that which Huka had
heard.

"The infernal scoundrels!" Harvey could not help exclaiming. "But they
won't get rid of me as easily as they think."

"What is it, Harvey?" asked Tessa, anxiously bending forward to him.

The trader thought a moment or two before speaking. Then he decided to
tell her what he had just heard.

She laughed contemptuously. "_His_ wife! _His_ wife!" she repeated
scornfully. "If he knew what my father knows of him, and how I hate and
despise him, he would not have said that. Does he think that because my
mother was a Portuguese, I am no better than some native slave girl whom
he could buy from her master?"

Harvey smiled gravely as he looked into her flashing eyes, and saw her
clench her hands angrily. Then he said--

"He is a dangerous man though, Tessa. And now listen to me. When I came
on board this steamer I intended to land at the Mortlocks Islands. But I
think now that I will go on to Ponape."

"Do not change your plans, Harvey, on my account. I am not afraid of
this man. He dare not insult me, for fear my father would hear of it."

"I know him too well, Tessa. He and the skipper are, I fear, a p