angrily, wrenching his hand
away.

'You leave Mr. Logan alone, sir,' said the captain. 'I have two minds to
put you in irons, Mr. Professor Jenkins. If you please, explain
yourself.'

'I denounce this man and his companion,' said Jenkins, noticing a pearl
ring on Bude's finger; 'I denounce them of conspiracy, mean conspiracy,
against this expedition, and against the American flag.'

'As how?' inquired the captain, lighting a cigar with irritating
calmness.

'They wear these pearls, in which I had trusted for absolute security
against the Berbalangs.'

'Well, I wear one too,' said the captain, pointing to the pin in his
necktie. 'Are you going to tell me that _I_ am a traitor to the flag,
sir? I warn you Professor, to be careful.'

'What am I to think?' asked Jenkins.

'It is rather more important what you _say_,' replied the captain. 'What
is this fine conspiracy?'

'I had read in England about the Berbalangs.'

'Probably in Mr. Skertchley's curious paper in the Journal of the Asiatic
Society of Bengal?' asked Bude with suavity.

Jenkins merely stared at him.

'I deemed that specimens of these American subjects, dowered with their
strange and baneful gift, were well worthy of the study of American
savants; and I knew that the pearls were a certain prophylactic.'

'What's that?' asked the captain.

'A kind of Universal Pain-Killer,' said Jenkins.

'Well, you surprise me,' said the captain, 'a man of your education. Pain-
Killer!' and he expectorated dexterously.

'I mean that the pearls keep off the Berbalangs,' said Jenkins.

'Then why didn't you lay in a stock of the pearls?' asked the captain.

'Because these conspirators had been before me. These men, or their
agents, had bought up, just before our arrival, every pearl in the
island. They had wormed out my secret, knew the object of my adventure,
knew how to ruin us all, and I denounce them.'

'A corner in pearls. Well, it was darned 'cute,' said the captain
impartially. 'Now, Mr. Jones Harvey, and Mr. Logan, sir, what have _you_
to say?'

'Did Mr. Jenkins--I think you said that this gentleman's name is
Jenkins?--see the agent engaged in making this corner in pearls, or learn
his name?' asked Bude.

'He was an Irish American, one McCarthy,' answered Jenkins sullenly.

'I am unacquainted with the gentleman,' said Bude, 'and I never employed
any one for any such purpose. My visit to Cagayan Sulu was some years
ago, just after that