stab him twice no
put in irons?"

A murmur of approval came from his dark-skinned companions, who were
watching Rawlings' face with intense interest.

"Tell them that you'll have his irons taken off," muttered Barry, in
low tones; "if you refuse them there'll be the devil to pay."

The captain appeared to consider for a minute or so, as he walked to
and fro; then he turned and faced Velo.

"Well, men, I don't like to have any disturbance on my ship. Billy
Onotoa is a good man, but he's no sailor not to take a kick or a lift
under the jaw in good part. The bos'un himself told me he was very
sorry that he lost his temper, but you must remember that Billy drew
his knife on him."

"Yes, sir," answered Velo pointedly, "but that was because the bos'un
kicked him--American fashion; if the bos'un had hit him in the eye,
English fashion, Billy would not pull out knife."

"Well, that'll do, Velo. I don't want any jaw from you. Mr. Barradas,
please set the man free. Go for'ard, men."

The natives obeyed him silently, much to Barry's relief, for he read
and understood the danger that lay under their apparently quiet manner.
Barradas went for'ard and liberated Billy, who, badly wounded as he
was, at once turned to again as if nothing of any importance had
occurred.

All that night the calm continued, and when at midnight Barry came on
deck, he found the ship had drifted in so close to the land that the
breaking surf on the reef was plainly to be heard--not more than three
miles away, and too close to be regarded with indifference with such a
strong current, and in a dead calm.

He had almost decided to lower and man one of the whale-boats and begin
towing the brig to the eastward so as to clear the southern horn of the
projecting reef, when he heard the sound of oars through the darkness,
and then came a loud hail.

"Ship ahoy, there!"

"Hallo, who are you?" he cried.

"White trader from Ponape."

"All right, come alongside." Hastily calling the captain, Barry showed
a light in the waist to the advancing boat, and in a few minutes she
came alongside. She was manned by a crew of semi-nude, woolly-haired
Solomon Islands natives, and was steered by a big, rough-looking white
man with a flowing red beard.

Jumping on board he shook hands with Rawlings and Barry and introduced
himself.

"I'm Bill Warner; these chaps here are my Pleasant Island boys. I've
had a ---- row and fight with the Ponape natives, and h