lain!"

"Yes, my man," said he. "It's more plain than creditable. When you are
sober, you'll be sorry for this."

He tried to pass on, but I stopped him with my hand. The Kanakas were
beginning to growl. Guess they didn't like my tone, for I spoke to that
man as free as I would to you.

"Now, you can't say I've deceived you," said I, "and I can go on. I want
a service--I want two services, in fact--and, if you care to give me
them, I'll perhaps take more stock in what you call your Christianity."

He was silent for a moment. Then he smiled. "You are rather a strange
sort of man," says he.

"I'm the sort of man God made me," says I. "I don't set up to be a
gentleman," I said.

"I am not quite so sure," said he. "And what can I do for you, Mr.----?"

"Wiltshire," I says, "though I'm mostly called Welsher; but Wiltshire
is the way it's spelt, if the people on the beach could only get their
tongues about it. And what do I want? Well, I'll tell you the first
thing. I'm what you call a sinner--what I call a sweep--and I want you
to help me make it up to a person I've deceived."

He turned and spoke to his crew in the native. "And now I am at your
service," said he, "but only for the time my crew are dining. I must be
much farther down the coast before night. I was delayed at Papa-malulu
till this morning, and I have an engagement in Fale-alii to-morrow
night."

I led the way to my house in silence, and rather pleased with myself for
the way I had managed the talk, for I like a man to keep his
self-respect.

"I was sorry to see you fighting," says he.

"O, that's part of the yarn I want to tell you," I said. "That's service
number two. After you've heard it you'll let me know whether you're
sorry or not."

We walked right in through the store, and I was surprised to find Uma
had cleared away the dinner things. This was so unlike her ways that I
saw she had done it out of gratitude, and liked her the better. She and
Mr. Tarleton called each other by name, and he was very civil to her
seemingly. But I thought little of that; they can always find civility
for a Kanaka, it's us white men they lord it over. Besides, I didn't
want much Tarleton just then. I was going to do my pitch.

"Uma," said I, "give us your marriage certificate." She looked put out.
"Come," said I, "you can trust me. Hand it up."

She had it about her person, as usual; I believe she thought it was a
pass to heaven, and if she died without havi