The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-28
CHAPTER XVII

AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE. "~ UT where was she during the
 ~ norwesterY' Sheldon asked.
 At Langa-Langa. Ran up
 there as it was coming on and laid there the whole week and traded for grub with the niggers. When we got to Tulagi there she was waiting for us and scrapping with Burnett. I tell you, MT. Sheldon, she's a wonder, that girl, a perfect won der"
 Munster refilled his glass, and while Sheldon glanced across at Joan's house, anxious for her coming, Spar rowhawk took up the tale.
 Gritty! She's the grittiest thing, man or woman, that ever blew into the Solomons. You should have seen Poonga-Poonga the morning we arriv- ed-Sniders popping on the beach and in the mangroves, war drums booming in the bush and signal smokes raising everywhere. It's all up,' says Cap tain Munster. Up your granny she says to him." Sparrowhawk went on. "'Why, we haven't arrived yet, much less got started. Wait till the an chor's down before you get afraid"
 That's what she said to me-" Nun ster proclaimed. And of course it made me mad, so that I didn't care what happened. We tried to send a boat ashore for powwow, but it was fired upon. What we want says Miss Lackland, is hostage. I'm go- Ing ashore tonight to fetch Kina Kina himself on board, and Pm not asking who's game to go with me, for I've got every mans work arranged for him. Pm taking my sailors with me and one white man. Of course I'm that white man. I said, for by that time I was mad. Of course you're not says she. 'Y,u1l have charge of the covering boat Curtis stands by the landing boat. Fowler goes with me. Brahms takes charge of the Flip berty and Sparrowhawk of the Emily. And we start at o'clock
 My word, 1t was a tough job lying there in the covering boat. I never thought doing nothing could be such hard work. We stopped about fifty fathoms off and watched the other boat go in.
 "Of course there was a row. It had to come. and knew it, but it startled me just the same I never heard such screeching and yelling in my life. The niggers must have just diyed for the bush without looking to see what was up, while her Tahitians let loose, shoot ing in the air and yelling to hurry 'em on And then I heard them coming through the nlangroves and an oar strike on a gunwale and Miss Lack land laugh, and I knew everything was all right. We pulled on board without shot being fired. And there was old Kina-Kina himself. being hoisted over the rail, shivering and chattering like an ape. The rest was easy. kina- -Kina's word was law, and he was scared to death. And we kept him on board issuing proclama- tions all the time we were in Poonga- Poonga.
 ''It was a good move, too, in other ways. She made Kina-Kina order his people to return all the gear they'd stripped from the Martha. She--here she comes now
 It was with shock of surprise that Sheldon greeted her appearance. The ready made clothes from Sydney had transformed her. A simple skirt and shirt waist of some sort of wash goods set off her trim figure with a hint of elegant womanhood that was new to him. Brown slippers peeped out as she crossed the compound, and he once caught glimpse to the ankle of brown openwork stockings. Some how she had been made many times the woman by these mere extraneous trappings.
 i've opened up a new field" she said as she began pouring the coffee. "Old Kina-Kina will never forget me, I'm sure, and 1 can recruit there when ever want. saw Morgan at Guvutu. He's willing to contract for a thousand boys at 40 shillings per head. Did I tell you that I'd taken out recruiting license for the Martha? 1 did, and the Martha can sign eighty boys every trip"
 Gro Be Continued.)