o
discussions as to the future, and when Dominick and Otto returned for
their evening meal at sunset, bringing with them Mr Malines, the mate,
and Joe Binney and his brother David and Hugh Morris as being
representative men of the emigrants and ship's crew, the meeting
resolved itself into a regular debating society. At this point Pauline
deserted them and went down to the camp to cultivate the acquaintance of
the widow Lynch, Mrs Welsh, and the other female and infantine members
of the wrecked party.

"For my part," said Malines, "I shall take one o' the boats, launch it
in the lagoon, and go over to the big island, follow me who may, for it
is clear that there's not room for us all on this strip of sand."

"I don't see that," objected Hugh Morris. "Seems to me as there's space
enough for all of us, if we're not too greedy."

"That shows ye knows nothin' about land, Hugh," said Joe Binney.
"What's of it here is not only too little, but too sandy. I votes for
the big island."

"So does I," said David Binney. "Big Island for me."

Thus, incidentally, was the large island named.

"But," said Hugh, still objecting, "it won't be half so convenient to
git things out o' the wreck, as where we are."

"Pooh! that's nothing," said Malines. "It won't cost us much trouble to
carry all we want across a spit of sand."

Seeing that the two men were getting angry with each other, Dominick
interposed by blandly stating that he knew well the capabilities of the
spot on which they were encamped, and he was sure that such a party
would require more ground if they meant to settle on it.

"Well now, master," observed Joe, with a half-laugh, "we don't 'zactly
mean for to settle on it, but here we be, an' here we must be, till a
ship takes us off, an' we can't afford to starve, 'ee know, so we'll
just plough the land an' plant our seed, an' hope for good weather an'
heavy crops; so I says Big Island!"

"An' so says I--Big Island for ever!" repeated his brother David.

After a good deal more talk and altercation this was finally agreed to,
and the meeting dissolved itself.

That night, at the darkest hour, another meeting was held in the darkest
spot that could be found near the camp. It chanced, unknown to the
meeting, to be the burial-ground at first discovered by the Rigondas.

Unwittingly, for it was very dark, Hugh Morris seated himself on one of
the old graves, and about thirty like-minded men gathered round him.
Li