represented. There was John Rau, the mate, a bullet-headed Belgian, who
used to walk just like _he_ did and copy all his little ways slavish,
reading the cyclopediar, too, and stopping at R from discipline. And
Lum, the China cook, a freak of a fellar, with coal-black hair all round
his head like a girl's, and who'd out-Coe Coe till you'd split. The rest
of the crew was just the usual thing--Rotumah boys, an Highwayman or
two, and some Nieues--sometimes the same, sometimes different--like on
any island vessel.

It was some time before Captain Coe got on to the Tweedies, or Alethea,
as I suppose I ought to say, for nobody ever took no particular stock in
the _he_-Tweedie. He ran acrost her first when he was ashore doctoring
some of his native friends, and handing out pain-killer and salts
unstinted. They walked home together to the Mission house, standing a
long time at the door, and he talking with his hat off. He must have
been well brought up and used to meeting ladies, for anybody could tell
by her face that she was pleased. She didn't seem the least bit eager to
let him go, and once she took his Tahiti hat and held it in both her
hands like she would prevent him. And he didn't seem to want to go
neither, though he wrastled for his hat, very perlite and gay, and I
could see the glisten of her white teeth through the spyglass.

The next day he called in state, with the skull of a shark in a silk
handkerchief, and a man carrying a crate of onions. Oh, it may sound
common to you, but it's like sending flowers to your lady-love in Puna
Punou, and I've seen a year pass without the sight of one! I guess he
walked in on velvet, and it is certain he stayed nigh two hours, for I
timed him myself from the deck of the _Ransom_--the beach being a great
place to take notice, as I have said already--and what was our feelings
when next Sunday the captain marched into church--yes, sir--in crisp new
panjammers and a polkadot neckerchief; and I'm blest if John Rau wasn't
there, too, likewise polka-dotted; and that there Chinaman tagging along
behind, rigged the same, only with earrings extra, and taking a back
seat out of respeck! Afterwards they all went up to the Mission house in
a body, Tweedie jumping in with an address, and everybody singing except
the Chinaman, who was made to stop!

You mustn't think for a minute that we traders knew the missionary or
that he knew us, or that the beach took any part in this except at a
dista