his side, Dr Marsh did the same, but Otto recovered almost
immediately.

"That _was_ a stunner!" he said, with a confused look, putting his hand
to his head, as they helped him to rise.

Strange to say, he was none the worse of the misadventure, but did his
part nobly at the Royal feast that followed.

That night she who had risen with the sun as Pauline Rigonda, laid her
fair young head upon the pillow as--the Island Queen.

CHAPTER NINE.

SHOWS HOW THEY WERE TORMENTED BY AN OLD FAMILIAR FIEND; HOW THEY KILLED
HIM, AND WHAT BEFELL THE QUEEN AND OTTO WHILE IN THE PURSUIT OF
LEGITIMATE PLEASURE.

When the widow Lynch told Pauline that "onaisy is the hid as wears a
crown," she stated a great truth which was borne in upon the poor queen
at the very commencement of her reign.

Up to that time Malines had quietly kept possession of the key of the
ship's liquor-room, knowing full well what extreme danger lay in letting
men have unrestrained command of strong drink. But when the royal feast
referred to in the last chapter was pending, he could not well refuse to
issue an allowance of grog. He did so, however, on the understanding
that only a small quantity was to be taken for the occasion, and that he
should himself open and lock the door for them. He made this
stipulation because he knew well enough the men who wanted to drink
would break the door open if he refused to give up the key; and his
fears were justified, for some of the more mutinous among the men, under
the leadership of Jabez Jenkins and Morris, seized the key from the mate
when he produced it, carried all the spirit and wine casks to the shore,
ferried them over the lagoon to Big Island, and set them up
ostentatiously and conspicuously in a row not far from the palace. As
this was understood by the people to be in connection with the
coronation festivities, no particular notice was taken of it.

But the result soon began to be felt, for after the festivities were
over, and most of the settlers had retired to rest, a group of kindred
souls gathered round the spirit casks, and went in for what one of them
termed a "regular spree." At first they drank and chatted with moderate
noise, but as the fumes of the terrible fire-water mounted to their
brains they began to shout and sing, then to quarrel and fight, and,
finally, the wonted silence of the night was wildly disturbed by the
oaths and fiendish yells and idiotic laughter of maniacs.

"This wo