many of the
people of Vahitahi as the schooner will carry will go there and stay
for the turtle season."

* * * * *

Three days afterwards the schooner was within fifty miles of his island
home, when Brantley was aroused at daylight from his watch below by the
cry of "TE PAHI!" (a ship!) and hastening on deck he saw a large vessel
bearing down upon them. In half an hour she was close to, and Brantley
recognised her as a brig from Tahiti, that occasionally made a trading
voyage to the Paumotus, and whose skipper was a personal friend.
Suddenly she hove-to and lowered a boat, which came alongside the
schooner, and the white man that steered jumped on deck and held out
his hand.

"How are you, Brantley?" and then his eye went quickly over the crew of
the schooner, then glanced through the open skylight into the little
cabin, and a hopeful, expectant look in his face died away.

"Very well, thank you, Latham. But what is wrong?--you look worried."

"Come on board," said the captain of the brig, quietly, "and I'll tell
you."

As Brantley took his seat beside him, Latham said: "I have bad news for
you, Brantley. Your sister is on board the brig, and I fear she will
not live long. She came down to Tahiti in the MARAMA from Auckland, and
offered me a good round sum to bring her to you."

"Has she been ill long, Latham?"

* * * * *

Latham looked at him curiously. "Didn't you know, Brantley? She's in a
rapid consumption."

For a moment neither men spoke; then Latham gave a short cough.

"I feel it almost as badly as you, Brantley--but I've got a bit more
bad news--"

"Go on, Latham--it can't matter much. My poor sister is everything to me."

"Just so. That's what I told Miss Brantley. Well, it's this--your wife
and child are missing----" Latham glanced at him and saw that his hand
trembled and then grasped the gunwale of the boat.

"We got into Vahitahi lagoon about ten days ago, and I took Miss
Brantley ashore. What happened I don't exactly know, but the next night
one of your whale-boats was gone, and Luita and the child were missing.
Your sister was in a terrible state of mind, and offered me a thousand
dollars to put to sea. Brantley, old man, I wouldn't take a dollar from
her--God bless her--but I did put to sea, and I've searched nigh on
twenty islands, and scores of reefs and sandbanks----"

"Thank you, Latham," said Brantley quietly; "when we get on board you
can give me further particulars of the isl