aid of the wind
failing, and the cutter drifting in on the weather side of the island,
for he has gone round to the lee side."

Calling Minea, Mrs. Brabant hurriedly packed some necessary clothing,
telling the girl the reason for such haste, and in a few minutes she
sent word on deck that she was ready. Diaz was already in the boat,
steer-oar in hand, and talking to Lester, who was leaning over the rail,
wondering why his former comrade seemed so embarrassed, and impatient to
get away.

Mrs. Brabant held out her hand. "Good-bye, Captain Lester. I hope you
will have a quick passage to Levuka. Goodbye, Minea."

She descended the ladder into the boat, and took her seat, Diaz lifted
his hat, and then gave the word to push off.

"Good-bye, Pedro," said Lester.

The Chileno looked up.

"Good-bye, Jim, old comrade."

The men stretched to their oars, and the whaleboat shot out towards
the dark shadow of the island as the crew of the _Maritana_ went to the
braces, the yards swung round, and she stood away to the eastward, and
Lester, with a strange feeling of unrest oppressing him, leant with
folded arms upon the rail, and wondered why Pedro Diaz had given such a
tone of sadness to his last words.

The night was clear with the light of myriad stars, as the boat swept
through the gently heaving sea. Diaz, standing grim and sombre-faced at
the steer-oar, had not spoken a word since the boat left the ship. His
eyes looked straight ahead.

Mrs. Brabant had never liked the dark, sullen-faced Chilian, but now
there came into her heart such a sudden, horrible feeling of loneliness
that she felt she would be glad to hear him speak.

"Is my husband quite well, Mr. Diaz?"

"Quite well, madam," he replied, still staring straight before him.

His voice appalled her, and she made no further effort to break the
dreadful silence as she looked at the black bulk of the island, along
whose fissured sides there every now and then ran ragged sheets of smoky
flame. The boat rounded the island, and then when opposite the little
bay, Diaz swung her head round, and headed directly for the shore.

"Are we landing here?" asked the woman in a faint, terrified voice.

"Yes."

The boat touched the shore, the crew jumped out, carried Mrs. Brabant's
two boxes to the beach, placed a lighted boat-lantern on one, and then
Diaz silently held out his hand to assist her on shore.

She stepped out, and then stood facing him for a moment, her chee