An Outcast of the Islands

went from youth to age or to a sudden grave without needing to open the book of life, because they could look at eternity reflected on the element that gave the life and dealt the death. Like

and produced a dismal but profitable ditch. Then a great pall of smoke sent out by countless steam-boats was spread over the restless mirror of the Infinite. The hand of the engineer tore down the veil of the terrible beauty in order that greedy and faithless landlubbers might pocket dividends. The mystery was destroyed. Like all mysteries, it lived only in the hearts of its worshippers. The hearts changed; the men changed. The once loving and devoted servant

ghtforward simplicity of motive and honesty of aim. Having made him what he was, womanlike, the sea served him humbly and let him bask unharmed in the sunshine of its terribly uncertain favour. Tom Lingard grew rich on the sea and by the sea. He loved it with the ardent affection of a lover, he made light of it with the assurance of perfect m

Tom's fury was less dangerous than many a man's smile. He prospered greatly. After his first-and successful-fight with the sea robbers, when he rescued, as rumour had it, the yacht of some big wig from home, somewhere down Carimata way, his great popularity began. As years went on it grew apace. Always visiting out-of-the-way places of that part of the world, always in search of new markets for his cargoes-not so much for profit as for the pleasure of finding them-he soon became known to the Malays, and

pon the heroic idea of running away. From the poop of the Flash Lingard saw in the early morning the Dutch ship get lumberingly under weigh, bound for the eastern ports. Very late in the evening of the same day he stood on the quay of the landing canal, ready to go on board of his brig. The night was starry and clear; the little

sh cap

hat seemed to be a very lean boy ju

u spring from?" asked Lin

oy pointed toward a cargo

what do you want? Speak out, confound you. You did n

imperfect English, but very

he big ship that sailed this morning. Well,

o Sourabaya. Make me go back t

u," affirmed Linga

nt stop here; not want go home

nished Lingard. "It's money you want? Well! well! And y

nothing but of being sent back to the ship.

boy by the chin, and turning up his face g

ente

of you for sevente

lit

with me, in t

word towards the boat an

f as he stepped heavily into the stern sheets

and the gig sprang away from the quay h

eginning of Wi

ter disappointment with the sea that looked so charming from afar, but proved so hard and exacting on closer acquaintance-and then this running away by a sudden impulse. The boy was hopelessly at variance with the spirit of the sea. He had an instinctive contempt for the honest simplicity of that work which led to nothing he cared for. Lingard soon found this out. He offered to send him home in an English ship, but the boy begged hard to be permitted to remain. He wrote a beautiful hand, became soon perfect in English, was quick at figures; and Lingard made him useful in that way. As he grew older his trading instincts developed themselves astonishingly, and Lingard left him often to trade in one island or another while he, himself, made an intermediate trip to some out-of-the-way place. On Willems expressing a wish to that effect, Lingard let him enter Hudig's service.

hich Willems felt a qualified respect. The talkative seaman knew how to be silent on certain matters that to Willems were very interesting. Besides, Lingard was rich, and that in itself was enough to compel Willems' unwilling admiration. In his confidential chats with Hudig

rubber, hey Willems?" Hudig would ask at last, tu

," was Willems' invariable reply, delive

" rumbled on Hudig, without looking up. "I have been trading with

step and the grass slipper hanging by the toes. "You can't make

n't really," protest

t eyes close to the paper, he would go on tracing laboriously with his thick fingers the slim unsteady letters of hi

ers, Mr.

at payment counted and packed, and have them put on board

Mr.

Bun-Hin's godown till to-morrow. Seal it up. Eight sea

Mr. H

e to the Arab barque," went on the master in his hoarse undertone. "And don't you come to me with another story o

dig. I will

a little better I will break every bone in his body," finished up Hudig, wipi

in hand, listened to him bullying the punkah boy with profane violence, born of unbounded zeal for the master's comfort, before he retu

th an important air. Mr. Vinck-extreme dislike lurking in every wrinkle of his gentlemanly countenance-would follow with his eyes the white