vuka I shipped six Penrhyn Islanders--the best divers in the
Pacific--but the other fellows contaminated them, and they too bolted
from me in Sydney. Poor Tracey took all our misfortunes very much to
heart, for, in addition to his grief at the loss of his wife, he
imagined that we should find ourselves forestalled when we reached
Providence Lagoon. He had been very quiet and depressed for some days,
but I never imagined that his mind would become unhinged. However, one
night he locked himself in his cabin and shot himself."

"Poor fellow!" said Barry, with genuine sympathy.

"I feel his loss most keenly, I can assure you," resumed Rawlings,
laying down his cigar, and sighing as he stroked his pointed beard.
"Well, all that could be done for him was done, but, as I have just
said, the doctors gave no hope from the first. When he became
conscious--which was early on the following day--and was told that he
had no chance of life, he took it very quietly, but begged me to let
him remain on the ship and not send him ashore. He had an absolute
horror of dying in an hospital, he said. Both of the doctors said it
was just as well, so I yielded to his wishes. And then, besides being
my chief officer, he was a personal friend, and was largely interested
with me in this pearl-shelling venture, though he had no share in the
brig."

Barry nodded. "Hard lines."

"Hard lines, indeed. And now you will see how I was situated. Poor
Tracey urging me almost with his dying breath to put to sea, my solemn
promise to him that I would do so the moment I could get men to replace
those who had run away, and my own anxiety--all these things tended to
irritate and upset me. To get men at the Government shipping office
meant a delay of perhaps three or four days, to obtain a suitable man
as mate might have meant a week. During this time poor Tracey's death
would have still further complicated matters and hindered the _Mahina_
from putting to sea. I had picked up those four loafing scoundrels you
saw me bring aboard only an hour or two before I met you; and, just
before I did meet you, I had decided to give Tracey's berth to
Barradas, and promote the boatswain to second mate. However, I did
meet you, and very glad I am of it, for I am sure we shall pull
together."

"I am sure of it," answered Barry, who now felt a sympathy for the man.

"I must tell you," added Rawlings presently, with a smile, "that I am
not much of a navigator,