along over a
smooth sea, and then at daylight, Mrs. Marston, who had fallen asleep,
was aroused by a loud cry of alarm from Lilo.

She sprang from her berth, and saw that the boy was kneeling beside
Villari, who was lying dead at the foot of the companion, with a pistol
in his hand.

"He hath killed himself, Ami," said the boy. "As I sat here watching,
I heard two shots on deck, and then the ship came to the wind, and as I
was about to go on deck, Villari came down, and standing there, put the
pistol to his head and killed himself."

"Come on deck," she cried, "and see what has become of the men."

Her fears that Villari had killed the two seamen were verified--they
were both lying dead, one beside the wheel, and the other on the main
deck. In the deckhouse was a wildly-incoherent and unfinished letter, to
her containing expressions of the most passionate devotion, and begging
her to pray for his soul.

The first thing to be done was to consider how to dispose of the bodies
of poor Villari and the unfortunate seamen. The land was now fifty miles
distant, and Lilo, pointing to the eastern horizon, assured Mrs. Marston
that bad weather was coming on, and that sail should be taken in as
quickly as possible.

"Let Serena and I cast the dead men overboard," he said; "'tis better
than that we should keep them on board, for we know not how long it may
be ere we get to land again."

Mrs. Marston shuddered.

"As you will, Lilo. When it is done, I will come on deck again and help
with the sails."

An hour later the schooner was racing under close-reefed canvas before a
half-gale from the eastward.

"Let us steer to the westward," Lilo had said to his mistress. "We
cannot beat back to Samoa against such a wind as this, which may last
many days. And straight to the west lieth Uea, on which live some white
men who will succour us."

There was no general chart on board, but Mrs. Marston knew that Uea
(Wallis Island) was due west from Samoa, and distant about two or three
hundred miles.

For twelve hours the _Lupetea_ ran swiftly before a rapidly increasing
sea, and by night time Lilo was so exhausted in trying to keep her from
broaching to, that Serena came to his assistance. Neither he nor Mrs.
Marston knew how to heave-to the vessel; but, fearful of running past
Wallis Island in the night, they did the very thing they should not
have done--lowered and made fast both mainsail and foresail, and let the
vessel drive