hty reasonable in their demands," Roger said to
Pengarvan. "It seems almost a shame to take these great baskets of
fruit and vegetables, in return for such trifles."

"They are not trifles to them," the mate replied, "and there is
nothing unfair in the exchange. These things are to them what gold
and jewels are to us. We would give, gladly, a score of boatloads
of vegetables for a diamond the size of a pea; and these glass
beads are as valuable, in their eyes, as diamonds are in ours."

After buying up the main stock, they trafficked with the natives
for the little ornaments they wore, necklaces and bracelets
cunningly worked with bright shells and seeds, and weapons of
curiously carved wood. At nightfall the other boats returned, laden
down with fruit and vegetables.

"'We must buy no more of these commodities, at present," Captain
Reuben said, when he saw what had been purchased on board. "We have
got enough to last us as long as they will keep, eat we never so
heartily;" and indeed, the next day a number of the crew were ill,
from the quantity of fruit that they consumed.

This, however, soon passed off, and the change of diet did great
good. The scurvy disappeared, and in a short time all--even those
who had suffered most--were again fit for duty.

The following morning, Roger and Pengarvan went ashore with the
starboard watch. The captain again accompanied them, and for hours
they rambled about the island, wondering at the strange trees and
foliage and the bright flowers; and filled especially with
admiration at the tiny birds, with feathers like jewels, that
flitted about among the flowers, and concerning which there was
much dispute among the men--some asserting that they were a sort of
great bee, while others maintained that they were birds. So quickly
did they fly that the men, although they tried hard, failed to
catch any of them; but the dispute as to their nature was solved,
by the discovery that one of the chiefs had a robe fringed with the
skins of these little creatures; and examining these they saw,
surely enough, that they were birds, with feathers glistening in
the sun like jewels of many colors Captain Reuben persuaded the
chief to cut off the fringe and sell it to him, giving in exchange
for it the high price of four copper rings, and a tiny looking
glass.

In the afternoon the crew set to work to re-water the ship, and by
nightfall all the casks were filled up, and the vessel was ready to
p