too, slept the sleep of
exhaustion and perfect health.

It was near noon on the succeeding day when both rose and found Fred
Sanders awaiting them. The young man had not slept at all, and was
uneasy.

"It won't do to stay here another night," said he, in explanation, as
soon as the meal was concluded.

"I am sure we have no wish to do so," replied Storms. "But wherein
lies the particular peril?"

"That whole crew of the double canoe are scattered through town, and
they only await the chance to kill us. They will find the chance, too,
to-night, if we remain here."

"But what is the prospect of getting away?"

"I was in despair nearly all the forenoon; but a little while ago I
came upon a schooner which sails for San Francisco at three o'clock
this afternoon. I have engaged passage on it for us three, for you
know I go with you."

"How can we ever repay you for your kindness?" said Inez, her lustrous
eyes speaking eloquently her gratitude to the youth.

"There's no service on earth that I can render you which will compare
with what you have done for me," was the reply of Captain Fred, whose
manner showed his sincerity. Inez Hawthorne did not understand what
all this meant, but the speaker ventured upon no explanation at the
time.

As the three were about to start upon a long voyage, it was decided
that some indispensable articles should be procured, and, since they
had little spare time at command, the three set out immediately after
dinner.

Wauparmur, as we have already intimated, is a town numbering several
hundreds--perhaps more than a thousand--in population. Among these are
a number of foreign shopkeepers, whose places are close along shore,
so as to be the more readily accessible to their customers, who are
almost exclusively confined to those on board the vessels which stop
at the island.

Back from the town the land rises into hills, and the settlement
becomes straggling and scattered. In these portions it is composed
entirely of rude huts and cabins, in which none but natives live, and
they are a bad lot.

It was from among those who lived in the "suburbs" that the wretches
were gathered with which to attempt to capture and murder the little
party of Europeans for the sake of the invaluable pearls they had in
their possession.

Fred Sanders shuddered when he thought of the risk he and his friends
ran by going straight to the inn and taking quarters for the night,
for these miscreants must, a