dition demanded.

"What an extraordinary creature!" exclaimed Lady Olivia, with a laugh,
as soon as the man was safely out of earshot.

"A distinctly queer fish," commented Lethbridge.

"Very much so," agreed Sir Reginald. "Yet, no doubt, a very worthy
fellow in his own peculiar way. It would not surprise me if we find his
conversation rather entertaining. But, all the same, I shall be glad of
a decent opportunity to trans-ship him. And now, what about those
pearls? Are we to take him with us to the island, and let him see what
we are about; give the secret away to him, in fact?"

"I am afraid that we shall be obliged to take him with us," observed
Mildmay, "unless, indeed, something comes along between now and then,
into which we can transfer him. But we need not give away the secret of
the position of the island, I think. These Yankees are very inquisitive
and very cute; but I can work a traverse that will effectually puzzle
him, I think."

"How?" inquired Sir Reginald.

"Simply by steering one course during the day, when he is up and about,
and another course at night--a _true_ course for the island--after he
has turned in."

"Then we had better do that," said Sir Reginald. "The secret of the
position of this pearl-island is von Schalckenberg's, we must remember,
and the fact that he is kindly permitting us to share in and profit by
his knowledge ought to make us especially careful not to betray that
knowledge to a total stranger who, for aught that we know to the
contrary, might perhaps return to the spot and clear every oyster off
it."

"Yes," concurred the professor, "that is so, my friend; what you say is
very true. At the same time we must remember that this poor man has
just met with what, to him, is no doubt a very heavy loss. I think,
therefore, that we must contrive to fish up for him a small parcel of
pearls of sufficient value to recoup him his loss."

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

BARKER'S TREACHERY.

The presence of Barker in the ship, and the working by Mildmay of the
"traverse" which that presence seemed to render desirable, somewhat
prolonged the passage of the _Flying Fish_ to von Schalckenberg's
pearl-island. A full week thus elapsed between the date upon which they
had taken the man on board, and that upon which they arrived at their
destination--during which nothing was sighted.

But Barker made that week a lively time indeed for the rest of the
party; for what between his q