nothing but the common
scanty native garment round the loins, and a black beaver hat. But the
most ludicrous personage of all, and one who seemed to be chief, was a
tall middle-aged man, of a mild, simple expression of countenance, who
wore a white cotton shirt, a swallow-tailed coat, and a straw hat, while
his black brawny legs were totally uncovered below the knees.

"Where's the commander of this ship?" inquired our captain, stepping up
to this individual.

"I is capin," he answered, taking off his straw hat and making a low bow.

"You!" said our captain, in surprise. "Where do you come from, and where
are you bound? What cargo have you aboard?"

"We is come," answered the man with the swallow-tail, "from Aitutaki; we
was go for Rarotonga. We is native miss'nary ship; our name is de _Olive
Branch_; an' our cargo is two tons cocoa-nuts, seventy pigs, twenty cats,
and de Gosp'l."

This announcement was received by the crew of our vessel with a shout of
laughter, which, however, was peremptorily checked by the captain, whose
expression instantly changed from one of severity to that of frank
urbanity as he advanced towards the missionary and shook him warmly by
the hand.

"I am very glad to have fallen in with you," said he, "and I wish you
much success in your missionary labours. Pray take me to your cabin, as
I wish to converse with you privately."

The missionary immediately took him by the hand, and as he led him away I
heard him saying, "Me most glad to find you trader; we t'ought you be
pirate. You very like one 'bout the masts."

What conversation the captain had with this man I never heard, but he
came on deck again in a quarter of an hour, and, shaking hands cordially
with the missionary, ordered us into our boat and returned to the
schooner, which was immediately put before the wind. In a few minutes
the _Olive Branch_ was left far behind us.

That afternoon, as I was down below at dinner, I heard the men talking
about this curious ship.

"I wonder," said one, "why our captain looked so sweet on yon swallow-
tailed super-cargo o' pigs and Gospels. If it had been an ordinary
trader, now, he would have taken as many o' the pigs as he required and
sent the ship with all on board to the bottom."

"Why, Dick, you must be new to these seas if you don't know that," cried
another. "The captain cares as much for the gospel as you do (an' that's
precious little), but he knows, and everybody knows,