s bodyguard were handling their muskets, and
waiting for him to tell them to fire.

Taking his glass from its rack over the door he levelled it at the
approaching canoe, and looked steadily for less than half a minute, and
then he gave an exulting cry.

"Oh, my friends, this is a lucky day! Lay aside thy guns, and harm not
the sailor; for in that canoe is Jinaban, bound hand and foot. And the
fight that ye saw yesterday between this half-caste and me was but a
cunning plan between us to get Jinaban into our hands; and no harm did
he intend to my wife, for she too knew of our plan."

A murmur of joyful astonishment burst from the assembled natives, and in
another moment they were running after Palmer down to the beach.

The instant the canoe touched the sand, Porter called out in English--

"Collar the girl, Mr. Palmer, and don't let her get near your wife. She
means mischief."

Before she could rise from her seat on the low thwart, Sepe was seized
by two of Palmer's people. Her dark, handsome face was distorted by
passion, but she was too exhausted to speak, and suffered herself to
be led away quietly. And then Jinaban, who lay stretched out on the
outrigger platform of the canoe, with his hands and feet lashed to a
stout pole of green wood, was lifted off.

A few hurried words passed between Palmer and the half-caste, and then
the former directed his men to carry the prisoner up to the house.
This was at once done, amidst the wildest excitement and clamour. The
lashings that bound him to the pole were loosened a little by Palmer's
directions, and then four men with loaded rifles were placed over him.
Then, calling a native to him, Palmer told him to take a conch-shell,
go from village to village, and summon all the people to the white man's
house quickly.

"Tell them to come and see Jinaban die," he said sternly.

As soon as the prisoner had been disposed of for the time being, Palmer
and Porter went into the dining-room, where Letane had prepared a
hurried breakfast for the half-caste.

"Where is Sepe?" he asked, as he sat down.

"Locked up in there," said Palmer, pointing to one of the store-rooms.

"Poor devil! Don't be too rough on her. I had to lay a stick across her
back pretty often before she would help me to carry Jinaban down to the
canoe. And I had to threaten to shoot her coming across the lagoon. She
wouldn't paddle at first, and I think wanted to capsize the canoe and
escape, until she looke