eef
is wide, and the ship on the right hand is a good guide. See, her masts
stand out clear against the sky. And give me the tiller, for thou and
Lucia are tired. So sleep--sleep till the dawn, and Tematau and Tepi
and I shall keep watch through the night. How shall I steer?"

"North-west, north-west," I muttered, as Lucia laid her cheek to mine,
"north-west, but call me if the wind hauls to the northward."

She bent oyer Lucia and touched her face softly.

"Sleep, dear one, sleep till dawn," she said in a whisper, and then with
a smile she turned to me.

"Simi, thou too art tired, and must sleep even as Lucia sleepeth now.
See, her eyes are closed. How sweet and fair she is as she sleepeth! Ah,
how sweet! So, let me touch thy face." She pressed her soft hand on my
brow, and then, with Lucia's head pillowed on my breast, I slept.

CHAPTER XVI

For seventeen days we made good progress to the north-west, though we
met with such very heavy weather when between Minto Breakers Beef, and
the island of Oraluk, that I had to run back to the latter place for
shelter, and all but missed it. Although so small, it is very fertile,
and the natives were very hospitable, Niabon and Lucia being given a
room in the chief's house, and I and my two men were given a house to
ourselves, where we were very comfortable during our stay of four days,
though unable to get about on account of the pouring rain, which hardly
ceased for an hour. The chief's house was quite near to that in which we
were quartered, so I spent a good deal of my time there, for although
I cannot say that I was really in love with my future wife, her gentle
endearments, and the happiness that shone in her dark eyes when I was
with her gave me a certain restfulness, and I was well content.

We had long since decided as to our future. After our marriage she
was to stay with her sister, or with my friends, the Otano's, on Guam,
whilst I made my way to my friend at Amboyna, and got him to provide me
with such an amount of trade goods that when I returned to Guam I should
be in a position to at once begin trading operations either in the
Marianas, with Guam for my headquarters, or else choose some suitable
place in the Caroline Archipelago. The boat, I had no doubt, I could
sell at San Luis d'Apra, or San Ignacio, and this I intended to do if
a fair price was offered me. Then I would take passage in one of the
Spanish trading schooners to Manila, and from there I