ney--ten in all--for which he (Kaibuka) would have no use. And he
could have two of the four big guns on the deck if he wished; but the
ship herself was not to be harmed, nor any of her sails or rigging taken
away. And Kaibuka would lend him two or three men to sail her to Makin,
where he (the white man) would reward them well, and where they could
remain till some ship brought them back to Tarawa.

"It shall be done," said the young man; "come with me to my father and
his brother, so that we may talk together."

The murderous plot was soon arranged between the three, and the
treacherous convict went off on board again to tell the unsuspecting
captain that the old chief was anxious that he (the master) would let
some of his men come on shore in the morning with axes and cut down a
very large tree growing near the well. It was too great an undertaking
for the natives with their poor tools--it would take them a week, but
the sailors could do it in half a day. Old Takai wanted the tree cut
down so as to build a large canoe.

The poor captain fell into the trap, the interpreter assuring him that
the natives would not dream of attempting any mischief. Were not some
of the young women still on board? he asked, which was a proof of the
amicable intentions of the old chief and his people. Furthermore, he
added, all the men had that night returned to the mainland to secure
more turtle, and only the young women, a few boys, and the chief himself
remained on the island.

Early in the morning the captain came on shore with three men, to fell
the tree, leaving two only on board, with orders to be on their guard if
he fired a shot, or they suspected anything was wrong. The interpreter
accompanied him, and to show his confidence in the islanders he
ostentatiously, but with seeming carelessness, threw his arms down at
the foot of a tree, remarking to the captain that the old chief and boys
and women seemed rather frightened at the sight of four armed white
men, who also carried axes. Somewhat unwillingly the captain and his men
followed suit, and then even permitted the children to carry their axes
for them.

The interpreter walked on ahead with the old chief, apparently talking
on nothing of importance, but in reality telling him with great glee of
how he had succeeded in lulling the captain's suspicions. Presently the
whole party reached the thicket in which the well was situated, and as
the path was narrow they had to walk in s