natives, but I
did not undertake to have a hand in the bloody deeds that have happened.
And now that I am on board, I may as well tell you all that the moment
I see a shot fired at any of these poor devils I back out of the concern
altogether."

"The brave Captain Pedro is tender-hearted," sneered the young captain
of the barque, showing his even white teeth under his jet-black
moustache.

"No words from you, Captain Martinas," retorted the Irishman. "I am
prepared to go on now; but mind you--and you know me--the first man
that I see lift a rifle to his shoulder, that man will I send a bullet
through, be he black or white."

Then, with a curt nod to his fellow-associates in crime, the captain
of the brig _Chacahuco_ strode out of the cabin, and calling his boat,
which was towing astern of the barque, he got into her and pulled off to
shore.

*****

Just as the first flushes of the rising sun tinged the sea to windward
with streaks of reddish gold, the decks of the slavers bustled with
activity. Boats were lowered, and the crews of cut-throat Chilenos and
Peruvians swarmed eagerly into them, and then waited for the signal to
cast off.

Suddenly the look-out on the barque, who was stationed on the foreyard,
hailed the deck and reported that three canoes had pushed off from the
beach and were paddling towards the ship.

A savage curse broke from Porfiro Arguello. He and Martinas had hoped to
get part of the landing party posted between the two islets before the
natives could see the ships. Now it was too late.{*}

* Three vessels were engaged in this nefarious business, a
barque and two brigs. The most dreadful atrocities were
committed. At Easter Island they seized nearly the whole
population; at Nukulaelae, in the Ellice Group, they left
but thirty people out of one hundred and fifty.

"Let all the boats go round to the port side," said Martinas. "The
canoes will board us on the starboard side, Senor Arguello, and once we
get these people safely on board we shall still be in time to block the
passage between the islets."

The boats were quickly passed astern, and then hauled up alongside on
the port side; and Martinas, having signalled to the brig to do the same
with her boats, lest the natives, seeing armed men in them, should make
back for the shore, quietly lit a cigar and waited.

On came the three canoes, the half-naked, stalwart rowers sending them
quickly over the ocean swe