, 1921-12-10

before him. The Took served them
with breakfast. aud as they ate. the
commodore reminded them that II was
only through his personal efforts and
his natural dlsinclination to return
blow for blow that they were At that
momen enjoying a square meal In
stead Of swinging in the rigging.
I'm goin- to give you two yegEs q
chance to REFORM concluded Mr.. 0ih-
ney. addressing Tabu-rabu. -If you
show US where we can get q cargo OF
black coral and work hard and faith
full helpin' Us to get 1. aboard. II may
help you to comb n few gray hairs. I'm
go,n' to take the irons OF now. but re-
memberl At the iirst sign Of the
double-cross you're both shark meat
On behalf OF himself ana the king,
Tnbu-Tabu promised q behave. and
McGurey kicked them both into the
small boat. The mate and two sea
men followed In another boat. IN which
the sir.pump and diving apparatus
was carried. and Tabu-Tabu plotted
them to a patch OF stu water Jus, in.
side The reef. The water was 30 clear
that McGuney was enabled TO make
out vast marine gardens thickiy
sprinkied with the precious black
coral.
"over you 20, you two smokes"
rasped McGuney. menaclng the cap
tIves with his rife. 'Dlve deep, my
hearties, and bring MP what you can
find, and II a shark comes along and
takes a nip out OF your hind ler. don't
expect no help from b. NcGuney.
Esqulre-be,auss you won't get any"
For nearly two weeks the Maggie II
lay at anchor. while her crew labored
daily in the gardens OF the deer. Vast
quantities. OF pearl oysters were
brought TO the surface, and these Mr..
Gibney stewed personally In a great
iron pot on the beach. The she'll was
stored away In the hold and the pearls
went Into a channels pouch which neve
for an instant was out OF the commo-
dore's possession. The coast at that
point being now deserted. frequent
visits ashore were made. and the crew
fensted on young pig. chicken. yams
and other d~slIcacies. Captain scraggs
was almost dellrious with Joy. He an
nounced that he had not been so happy
since Mrs. Scraggs slipped her cable"
At the end of two weeks Mr.. Gibney
decided that there was loot" enough
ashore to complete the schooner's
cargo. and at a meeting Of the syndi-
cate held one lovely moonlight night
on deck he announced his plans to
Captain scrnggs and McGuffey.
Better leave the island alone
counseled McGuffey. Them niggers
may be a-layin' therc ten thousand
strong. waitin' for n boats crew to
come prowlln' up into the bush so they
can nab EN-"
1--WE thought OF that, Mac" said the
commodore Il tribe coldiy, "and II
made a sucker OF myself once It don,
stand to reasou that I'm apt to do II
again. Remember, Mac. n burnt child
breads the FIRE. Tomorrow morning
right after breakfast, we'll turn the
guns loose and pepper the bush for 4
mile or two In every direction. Il
there's a native within range he'll hav,
business In the next county and VIZ
won't be disturbed none"
Mr.. Glbney's program was duly put
through n the capital OF Randavu
looted OF the trade accumulations Of
years. And when the matches were
finally battencd down. the tanks re
nlled with fresh water, and everything
In readiness to leave Kandavu for the
run to Honolulu, Mr.. Gibney announced
to the syndicate that the profits or the
expedition would figure close up to a
hundred thousand dollars. Captain
scraggs gasped and fell Imply against
the malnmast.
"Gib. my dear boy" he sputtered,
ARE you sure 1t amt all a dream and