Edward Barry / South Sea Pearler

er had prevailed, and the boats had been constantly at work, the crew, however, being given plenty of liberty to rest and refresh themselves, by wandering about the nearer islands-fishing, p

on without interruption, there had been several collisions betwee

dead on the inner reef of the lagoon. He had gone out crayfishing the previous night, and should have returned long befo

abbed by the Greek-at once asserted tha

dressing Billy by his native name and in his native tongue; "how

e," replied

of the houses, and turning the body over, Billy

s' use, for there is the mark of the blow on the skin, and the bruised flesh. This man was stooping, and an unseen enemy sprang upon him from be

s quickly satisfied that his backbon

o stood around with vengeful faces; "but not yet is the time for it. So make no loud compla

natives, smiling grimly and patting Barry on the hand

death of Harry to Rawlings he watc

on the reef quite dead. The poor fellow's back wa

e kinder turned a back somersault and landed on hi

le without further remark and went on deck, for the boats were awaiting him alongside. As he passed the main-hatch he caught sight of the h

poor Harry was out crayfishing. I suppose that black brute himself is

and one of them told him that that morning at daylight Togaro had paddled off in a canoe and had at once gone below to Warner's cabin a

re of great size and contained some magnificent pearls. Five especially huge oysters were opened by Barry himself i

l to him, the officer showed them to each

he men, "and shall not be handled by the man who slew the white woman's husband, for t

ld of the brig, tier upon tier of cases, packed tightly with shell, were firmly stowed for the voyage to Singapore-shell worth over eight thousand p

e gleaming, iridescent things softly to and fro with his small, shapely

heir value. If they bring nine thousand I shall not be surprised. As for the little box of seed pearl

he London and colonial newspapers if he has any relatives. I should like to acquaint them wi

. Tracey had told him that her husband had told Rawlings all about his family, and abou

dly; "and if you can't find out anything about

d Rawlings. "It will give me infinite pleasure

s of any kind which would give yo

e most intimate of terms, he never spoke of his

ht all. I'm going ashore and turning in. I th

e dinghy and the crew were about to pu

Mr. Barry, if you don't mind, and

ed the boat alongside the ladder again. Barradas

under the plea of talking about matters connected with either the ship or the boats, and each time Barry had let him see that he was not anxious for his company. In fact, he had had a hard struggle to conceal his abhorrence for the man, but for the sake of the great interests at stake he endured his v

wo men stepped out of the boat and walked up to Barry's native house. Barradas was breathing quickly

own for a few minutes?" sai

warthy face showed pale in the moonlight and that his hand trembled; "I don't want to keep

ation. With his hands in his pockets he was gazing out upon the m

nning along the outer beach," said Barradas

uried at the end of this island about four or five years ago. If you follow that path you'll come to the place in abou

ld like to say something more, but Barry'

d then he added nervously, with a half-appealing look to the ch

th studied coolness and

then, with something like a sigh, he turned quickly away, and walked along

tly Velo, stripped to the waist, came ou

m?" he asked in th

re may be some mischief doing, for this man hath for many days tried to thrust himself u

his Colt's revolver around his waist, and in a few minut

steadily along the white sandy path. Once he sat down on the bole of a fallen coco-palm, leant hi

cting reef was covered by three feet of water. He stood awhile, looking about him, and then turned toward a cleared space among the coco-palms, where a low, square enclosure formed of l

ded the emblem of Christianity; then, stepping over the wall, he walked up to the grav

would escape the man as he prayed and made the sign of the cross. Suddenly he laid himself down upon

s knees and clasping his hands. "Here, before Thy cross, I plead for mercy. Holy and Bl

he rose, put on his cap, stepped over the low wal

use. Here for a moment or two he stood before the en

e you, Mr

rward. "What is the matter, Bar

you long ago. I will make a clean breast of it all-before I go mad. Mr. Barry, your life i

case up to the rud

"Now tell me, before you go any furth

ell you all-all. Tracey was not

n it for some time, but I

a chart of this lagoon. I heard them quarrelling, and then heard a shot. When I ran below Tracey was dead-Rawlings had

half an hour later. "I will trust you to help me to undo

ou that I will be true to you and Mrs. Tracey,

Joe is the only one who knows of the existence of Mrs. Tracey and the true story of the Mahina. As for the native crew, they are simply burning with anxiety to help me take

n come to by Rawlings and

of them ha

but all of them have fan

aking Warner and his cannibal savages away? He doesn

osed of, Warner and his men will surprise and murder all the native hands and the four white sailors. None of the Solomon Islanders can speak one si

them all, Barradas, before

the repentant Spaniard piously, as once