or I consented to evil, though I would not join in it."

When Motakee found that the schooner had sailed, he allowed me to go
about as usual, and treated Dick with far more respect than before.
Dick, indeed, soon became his right-hand man, or councillor, and the
people looked up to him as the person next to the chief, in consequence.

Some days after this it came on to blow very hard, and the sea beat with
tremendous fury on the rocky coast. Dick and I wished to have a sight
of the huge breakers outside the harbour. We went along the shore for
some distance, to a part exposed to the whole sweep of the ocean. As we
were looking along it, Dick exclaimed that he saw a vessel on the rocks.
We made our way as near as we could get to the spot.

"Charley, I am afraid that is the schooner," Dick exclaimed; "but there
is not a living being on board."

We crept on still closer to the little vessel. We shouted loudly, lest
any one might have been washed on shore, but no reply came to our cries.

"I am afraid every one has been washed away," he observed. "If the
natives had been on board, they are such first-rate swimmers that some
of them would have managed to reach the land."

We looked about in every direction, but could discover no boats on the
beach nor any sign of a living man.

"It's too likely that our people did as they intended, and having got
rid of the natives, were themselves caught in the hurricane and driven
back here; but we shall never know, I suspect, what has happened."

After spending a considerable time in searching about, being unable to
get nearer the wreck, we returned home. We told Motakee what we had
seen; but, of course, did not mention our suspicions.

"I knew that the voyage would work us no good, to your people or mine,"
he observed; "and I am very glad you did not sail in the vessel."

We were, indeed, thankful that we had not.

Next day, when the hurricane was over, we went back with some of the
natives to examine the wreck; but, on getting on board, we could find
nothing to explain the mystery. Dick's opinion was that the crew had
been on deck, and were washed overboard before the vessel struck, some
time after they had disposed of the unfortunate natives in the way they
had proposed.

I have not spoken of the various events which had taken place since we
came to the island. Several times Motakee had gone out to fight his
enemies, and had invariably returned victorious.

At len