cold tea. The cold tea was in whiskey bottles, so Bertie did
not know it was cold tea they were mopping up. All he knew was that
the two men got very drunk and argued eloquently and at length as to
whether the exploded nigger should be reported as a case of dysentery
or as an accidental drowning. When they snored off to sleep, he was
the only white man left, and he kept a perilous watch till dawn, in
fear of an attack from shore and an uprising of the crew.

Three more days the _Arla_ spent on the coast, and three more nights
the skipper and the mate drank overfondly of cold tea, leaving Bertie
to keep watch. They knew he could be depended upon, while he was
equally certain that if he lived, he would report their drunken conduct
to Captain Malu. Then the _Arla_ dropped anchor at Reminge Plantation,
on Guadalcanar, and Bertie landed on the beach with a sigh of relief
and shook hands with the manager. Mr. Harriwell was ready for him.

"Now you mustn't be alarmed if some of our fellows seem downcast," Mr.
Harriwell said, having drawn him aside in confidence. "There's been
talk of an outbreak, and two or three suspicious signs I'm willing to
admit, but personally I think it's all poppycock."

"How--how many blacks have you on the plantation?" Bertie asked, with a
sinking heart.

"We're working four hundred just now," replied Mr. Harriwell,
cheerfully; "but the three of us, with you, of course, and the skipper
and mate of the _Arla_, can handle them all right."

Bertie turned to meet one McTavish, the storekeeper, who scarcely
acknowledged the introduction, such was his eagerness to present his
resignation.

"It being that I'm a married man, Mr. Harriwell, I can't very well
afford to remain on longer. Trouble is working up, as plain as the
nose on your face. The niggers are going to break out, and there'll be
another Hohono horror here."

"What's a Hohono horror?" Bertie asked, after the storekeeper had been
persuaded to remain until the end of the month.

"Oh, he means Hohono Plantation, on Ysabel," said the manager. "The
niggers killed the five white men ashore, captured the schooner, killed
the captain and mate, and escaped in a body to Malaita. But I always
said they were careless on Hohono. They won't catch us napping here.
Come along, Mr. Arkwright, and see our view from the veranda."

Bertie was too busy wondering how he could get away to Tulagi to the
Commissioner's house, to see much of the vi