aty useless, they attempted to bribe him,
promising him first a quarter and at last half the stones, if he would
supply them with the necessary information. But he was not to be
tempted. Bertram and he had decided that since Moreas had paid for the
stones with his life, they should not be touched. Accordingly, they
departed next day for Rio.

"Have you formed any plans for the future?" inquired Bertram of Max,
when they were alone together.

"None," Max replied, "except that I am determined to leave Brazil as
soon as possible. Have you anything to propose?"

"Not at present," the other replied. "If only there were some fighting
to be had, I should have liked to have tried my hand at soldiering. But
when we left the world was so confoundedly peaceful, and I suppose it is
still. There's one idea that I have at the back of my head, however. I
don't know whether it would commend itself to you?"

"Tell me about it," said Max.

"Well, it concerns the South Sea Islands," said Bertram a little
diffidently. "Ever since I was a youngster I've had a hankering to visit
them. In fact, it was my original intention to do so, and if I hadn't
got stranded in this country, who knows but what I might have been a
king by this time."

"The South Sea Islands?" said Max at once. "I'm inclined to think that's
not by any means a bad idea. And what was it your intention to do there
besides founding a kingdom?"

"I thought of purchasing a schooner and going in for the island trade,"
the other answered. "It must be a jolly life, if all one hears is true.
Sailing continually across blue seas, amongst the loveliest islands man
can imagine, dealing with the pleasantest people on earth----"

"And figuring as the _piece de resistance_ at some native banquet, I
suppose," answered Max with a laugh. "Seriously, I like the idea
immensely. Why shouldn't we try it together? We're both in possession of
a decent sum of money, and if we make our way to Buenos Ayres, and then
across the Andes into Chili, we could easily get a boat from Valparaiso
to Honolulu. We shouldn't find much difficulty in picking up a handy
schooner I expect, and then the firm of Bertram & Mortimer could be
placed on a definite footing. What do you say?"

"It's just the very thing I should enjoy," answered Bertram. "But what
about yourself? Are you as determined as ever not to return to Europe?"

"Every bit as determined," Max replied. "In point of fact, I intend
going a step