aded boy with this young island
cock, an' he's been expectin' to see the _Iroquois_ for quite a time.
Your barque happened to heave in sight first, an' these three fellows
who were standin' mast-head watch up thar on the mountain, came tearin'
down an' reported that it was my old hooker. Charlik bein' a most
impatient young fellow, had 'em clubbed on the spot; he should hev
waited another five minutes. Come on, he's ready to talk business with
us now."

In the centre of the big council room Charlik, attended by his sister,
was seated upon a mat. A couple of brightly burning ship's lanterns
suspended from the beams overhead, revealed the figures of a score of
armed natives, seated with their backs to the canework walls of the
room; midway between them and the young king were two seamen's chests,
beside which crouched the half-naked, tatooed form or old Kanka.

Followed by the sailors carrying the muskets, the two captains walked
over the soft, springy floor of mats, and seated themselves facing the
young man. His eye lit up at the sight of the arms, and then he desired
Ross to tell his men to withdraw. Then as the sound of their footsteps
died away, he looked at Cayse and said briefly--

"Go on, capen. You talk."

Cayse went into the subject at once.

"Captain Ross, do you want to earn three thousand dollars?"

"Don't mind."

"Neither do I. Well, just listen. The king here has three thousand
dollars in cash and three thousand dollars' worth of coconut ile and
turtle-shell. Now, if you and I will help him to do a bit of fightin'
it's ours. The money and shell is here in this room, the ile is in the
sheds near by. If you agree, the king will hand us over the money now,
and we can ship the ile in the morning."

Ross thought a moment, then he said suspiciously--

"Why are you giving me a chance?"

"Not from any feelin' of affection for you, mister," answered Cayse with
his peculiar snarl, "but because I ain't able to do the whole business
myself--if I could I wouldn't ask _you_ to come in. Now, I noticed this
mornin' that you carry a big crew, and have six guns, and I reckon thet
you hev to use 'em sometimes in your business?"

Ross laughed grimly. "All of us sandalwooding ships carry a few
nine-pounders as well as plenty of small arms. We are allowed to do so
by the Governor of New South Wales."

"Just so. Well, now, listen. This island is governed by two chiefs;
this one here, Charlik, has most people, but t