poor Hughie and me, two new chums, to take hold of that hard-bitten gang.
We did not know the situation, and we had bought Berande, and there was
nothing to do but hang on and muddle through somehow.

"At first we made the mistake of indiscreet kindness. We tried to rule
by persuasion and fair treatment. The niggers concluded that we were
afraid. I blush to think of what fools we were in those first days. We
were imposed on, and threatened and insulted; and we put up with it,
hoping our square-dealing would soon mend things. Instead of which
everything went from bad to worse. Then came the day when Hughie
reprimanded one of the boys and was nearly killed by the gang. The only
thing that saved him was the number on top of him, which enabled me to
reach the spot in time.

"Then began the rule of the strong hand. It was either that or quit, and
we had sunk about all our money into the venture, and we could not quit.
And besides, our pride was involved. We had started out to do something,
and we were so made that we just had to go on with it. It has been a
hard fight, for we were, and are to this day, considered the worst
plantation in the Solomons from the standpoint of labour. Do you know,
we have been unable to get white men in. We've offered the managership
to half a dozen. I won't say they were afraid, for they were not. But
they did not consider it healthy--at least that is the way it was put by
the last one who declined our offer. So Hughie and I did the managing
ourselves."

"And when he died you were prepared to go on all alone!" Joan cried, with
shining eyes.

"I thought I'd muddle through. And now, Miss Lackland, please be
charitable when I seem harsh, and remember that the situation is
unparalleled down here. We've got a bad crowd, and we're making them
work. You've been over the plantation and you ought to know. And I
assure you that there are no better three-and-four-years-old trees on any
other plantation in the Solomons. We have worked steadily to change
matters for the better. We've been slowly getting in new labour. That
is why we bought the _Jessie_. We wanted to select our own labour. In
another year the time will be up for most of the original gang. You see,
they were recruited during the first year of Berande, and their contracts
expire on different months. Naturally, they have contaminated the new
boys to a certain extent; but that can soon be remedied, and then Berande