lf at the watery
wastes ahead. The tremor in her boards seemed to crawl into my body and
warm me like wine, and I felt inclined to bless Holman instead of
punching his head as I had thought of doing during the baiting I
received from Miss Barbara Herndon. The youngster had saved me from days
and nights of weary monotony in sleepy Levuka, and I welcomed him gladly
as he joined me on the poop.

"Say, you made a hit with the ladies!" he cried. "Your fame as a
story-teller is set upon a solid foundation. And I don't suppose you are
inclined to thank me for giving you the opportunity to tell of the
wonderful things that happened while you slumbered on the wharf?"

"Drop it," I growled; "I've had enough of the joke. By the way, what
position do you hold in the expedition?"

The boy laughed. "I hold none," he cried, "but I'm trying to make myself
useful to the Professor so that he'll invite me to come ashore with him.
The Professor and his daughters, with Leith and half a dozen natives,
comprise the full strength of the expedition, and I'm trying hard for an
invitation to the field of wonders."

"But what are you doing aboard?" I asked.

"My uncle owns _The Waif_," answered the young fellow, "and he thought
this trip would be a nice cheap holiday for me. I wanted to take a run
to the States, but that would have cost him money, so I allowed myself
to be forced aboard the yacht. But, Gee! I'm mighty glad I came now."

I glanced at his face as we turned in our walk, but he moved his head
away quickly.

"So it has been pleasant?" I said.

"Pleasant?" he cried. "Why it has been a little foretaste of heaven.
Say, I like you, and I know you like her by the manner in which you
explained everything to her. Don't you think she's a jolly nice girl?"

"Who?"

"Why, Miss Barbara Herndon," he cried.

"Oh!" I gurgled. "You took me by surprise, and I hardly knew--well, I
didn't know what had made the trip so pleasant."

He put out his hand, and I gripped it warmly. There was something clean
and good about the youngster. When he glanced up at me as I took his
hand, I looked into a face that was as open as the day--a face that
possessed all the passionate purity of youth, and my grip was sincere.
One didn't ask for credentials in dealing with Will Holman.

"I liked you from the start," he said, "but I wanted the opinion of the
girls. That's why I put Miss Barbara up to the game of firing questions
at you about that silly busines