case as well, if there's anything in Johnny's gammon about twenty
pounds reward for him. That's a big price for a black."

Johnny continued his explanation which, reduced to flat and sober
English, was to the effect that Makawao had always borne a bad character.
In Queensland he had served a total of four years in jail for thefts,
robberies, and attempted murder. Returned to the Solomons by the
Australian government, he had recruited on Buli Plantation for the
purpose--as was afterwards proved--of getting arms and ammunition. For
an attempt to kill the manager he had received fifty lashes at Tulagi and
served a year. Returned to Buli Plantation to finish his labour service,
he had contrived to kill the owner in the manager's absence and to escape
in a whaleboat.

In the whaleboat with him he had taken all the weapons and ammunition of
the plantation, the owner's head, ten Malaita recruits, and two recruits
from San Cristobal--the two last because they were salt-water men and
could handle the whaleboat. Himself and the ten Malaitans, being
bushmen, were too ignorant of the sea to dare the long passage from
Guadalcanar.

On the way, he had raided the little islet of Ugi, sacked the store, and
taken the head of the solitary trader, a gentle-souled half-caste from
Norfolk Island who traced back directly to a Pitcairn ancestry straight
from the loins of McCoy of the Bounty. Arrived safely at Malaita, he and
his fellows, no longer having any use for the two San Cristobal boys, had
taken their heads and eaten their bodies.

"My word, him bad fella boy any amount," Johnny finished his tale.
"Government House, Tulagi, damn glad give 'm twenty pounds along that
fella."

"You blessed Sing Song Silly," Villa, murmured in Jerry's ears. "If it
hadn't been for you--"

"Your head and mine would even now be galumping through the bush as
Makawao hit the high places for home," Harley concluded for her. "My
word, some fella dog that, any amount," he added lightly. "And I gave
him merry Ned just the other day for nigger-chasing, and he knew his
business better than I did all the time."

"If anybody tries to claim him--" Villa threatened.

Harley confirmed her muttered sentiment with a nod.

"Any way," he said, with a smile, "there would have been one consolation
if your head had gone up into the bush."

"Consolation!" she cried, throaty with indignation.

"Why, yes; because in that case my head would have gone along."