The Mena weekly star., 1912-02-08
rowhsrk took up the tale.

rowhswk 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
Ia 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 IL
made me mad. so that / didn't care
what happened. We tried to send a
boat ashore for a powwow. but 1t was
fred upon. What we want says
Miss Lakeland, 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. I'm taking my sailors with me
1 anu ODG WulCC Andu. vi GOuISG 4 III
that white man. l said, for by that
time was mad. or course you're
not, says she. You'll have charge of
| the covering boat Curtis stands by
the landing boat. Fowler goes with
me- Brahms takes charge of the F'lib-
berty and Sparrowhawk of the Emily.
| And we start at l O'clock
MY word, 1t was a tough job lying
there in the covering boat. never
thought doing nothing could be such
hard work. We stopped about fifty
fathoms of and watched the other
boat go In.
"Of course there was row. 1t had
to come. and ! knew it. but it startled
me just the same. | never heard such
screeching and yelling In my life. The
niggers must have just Owed for the
bush without looking to see what was
! up. while her Tahitians let loose. shoot
| ing in the air and yelling to hurry 'ein
on. And then | heard them coming
through the mangroves and an oar
strike on gunwale and Miss Lack
land laugh, and | knew everything
was all right. We pulled on board
without shot being fred. And there
was old Kina- Kina himself, being
hoisted over the rail. shivering and
chattering like an ape. The rest was
easy Kina- Xmas word was law,
and he was scared to death. And we
kept him on board issuing proclama-
| tons all the time we were In Poonga-
Poonga.
cit 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"
1t 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 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.
ave opened up new field" she
said as she began pouring the coffee
"Old Kina-Kina will never forget me
I'm sure, and 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
| tell you that I'd taken out a recruiting
| license for the Martha? l did. and the
Martha can sign eighty boys ever,
trip"
Sheldon smiled a trife bitterly 4
himself The wonderful woman whs
had tripped across the compound il
her Sydney clothes was gone. and h'
was listening to the boy come baci
again.
well" Joan said. with sigh, 'I'vs
shown you hustling American meth
DDS that succeed and get somewhere
and here you are beginning your mud
| ding again"
Joan stood beside Sheldon and Sigh
ed as she watched the Martha beating
out to sea, old Kinross. brought owe
from Savo, in command.
my. but she is a witchl Look o.
her eating up the water. and there's M
wind to speak OF. Honestly. II IL
dreamed OF the chance waiting for N,
at Guvutu when | bought her for less
than $500 I'd never have gone partners
with you. And in that case I'd be sail
ing her right now"
| The justice of her contention came
| abruptly home to Sheldon.
| "You make me feel like big mar
who has robbed small child OF lol
ly." he said. with sudden contrition.
"And the small child is crying for it,
| She looked at him. and he noted tha
her lip was slightly trembling and tina
her eyes were moist
''But the small child won't cry am
more for IT," she was saying. "Thi,
Is the last sob. But some day I'm so
| png to sail the Martha again know
IT. l know it."
| In reply. and quite without premedi
| tation. his hand went out to hers
covering 1t as it lay on the railing
But he knew beyond the shadow Of .
| doubt that 1t was the boy that return
ed the pressure he gave. the boy sor
rowing over the lost toy. The thought
| chilled him.
.Never mind" he said. you car
so sailing on the Martha any time yo'
| please-recruiting on Maiaita II 70,