said John, as they were dining at Ephraim's home, the day before the
date of sailing.

"That would please me more than anything else," replied Ephraim. "It
occurs to me that is the first step toward peace and prosperity on the
island."

"Then we shall sail to their village, and from that place go to Venture
Island, where we had our first adventures, stopping, on the way at
Hutoton, where they have a criminal colony."

"What is that?" inquired Ephraim. "A criminal colony?"

"Yes," said John. "On the large island to the south, which we discovered
before we came here we found a singular condition of things. Near the
southern end of the island we came into contact with a tribe ruled over
by a Chief, named Beralsea, a powerful man; in fact, there is no law
there except the will of the Chief."

The boys were now laughing immoderately, and Ephraim was moved to smiles
at their mirth. "It must have been very amusing, I have no doubt," he
said.

"We were thinking of the jolly time we had when Sutoto married the
Chief's daughter," said George.

"We shall tell you all about it on our way there," added Harry.

"I was about to say," continued John, as he also smiled at the
reminiscence, that his views on theft were most peculiar. He did not
regard it as a crime if the people stole from each other. But if they
attempted to steal from him, or tried to deceive him, it was such a
great crime, that the unfortunates were banished to a place called
Hutoton, which, as he stated, meant the Place of Death.

"We were informed that it was a terrible place, and when a man was
sentenced it also meant a like sentence to all of his family, and that
no one was ever known to return from that horrible prison home."

"I have heard, but only vaguely, that there was such a place, but had no
idea that it was so near to us. But did you verify the character of the
place?"

"We went there, and instead of finding a barren and uninviting spot, and
misery and want, we saw a lovely village, and people so much more
advanced than those in the village ruled over by the Chief, that we were
amazed.

"The ruler there treated us handsomely, and had even taken care in the
most kindly manner, of a white man who had escaped the rigors of the sea
some years before, and who was demented, or incapable, through
paralysis, of recognizing those around him."

Ephraim started as John said this. "A white man, did you say? How old
was he? Where is he now?"

"We s