hall be glad to be quit of this hooker. I'm not a
paragon of virtue, but this ship is a bit too rocky for me. Now I will
show you what I meant just now when I said I'll prove that both Hendry
and Chard are sneaks, and have their knives into you."

He disappeared below for a few seconds, and then returned carrying a
letter-book.

"Now, Carr, my boy," he said, seating himself beside the sick
trader again, "just cock your ears and listen. This is our esteemed
supercargo's letter-book. I had to go into his cabin yesterday to look
for the list of ship's stores, and I saw this letter-book lying on his
table, opened at this particular page. I caught your name, and took the
liberty of reading the letter. It is addressed to the owners in Sydney,
and is dated May 5, 1889."

"That was two days after you and the skipper and Chard had the row about
those flash Samoan girls coming aboard at Vavau," put in Morrison, "and
he and Chard started to knock the hands about."

"I remember," said Carr, as a grim smile flitted across his yellow face;
"go on, Oliver."

The mate began:--

"'SS. _Motutapu_. Niafu Harbour,
"'Vavau, Tonga Islands,
"'May 5, 1889.

"'Dear Sirs,--As the barque _Metaris_ leaves to-day for
Sydney, I take the opportunity of writing you to report
progress of cruise of the _Motutapu_ up to date.'"

Then followed an account of the various trading operations in which the
steamer had been engaged from the time she left Sydney up to her arrival
at the Friendly Islands. Then--

"'In pursuance of your instructions, we called at Kabaira
Bay, New Britain, to remove Mr. Harvey Carr from there to a
more healthy location. We found Mr. Carr's station in a
satisfactory state, and his accounts were correct. But
both Captain Hendry and myself are of the opinion that Mr.
Carr was on altogether too friendly terms with the manager
of the German firm at Blanche Bay, and we believe that your
firm's interest has greatly suffered thereby. He certainly
was ill, but we do not think his illness has been caused by
fever, of which we could see no traces, but by his availing
himself of the too lavish hospitality of the manager of the
German firm. He had also, I learnt, become very thick with
the Wesleyan missionaries at Port Hunter, and seems to have
been continually visiting them under the pretext of getting
medical attendance fro