the Holy Isle. As they value their lives, let them respect
this prohibition. Is it understood between us? Wonderful white man! my
canoe is waiting for you. Let us go back."

Understanding enough of the chief's language (illustrated by his
gestures) to receive in the right spirit the communication thus
addressed to him, the Captain repeated the warning to the ship's company
in the plainest possible English. The officers and men then took their
holiday on shore, with the exception of Mr. Duncalf, who positively
refused to leave the ship. For twelve delightful hours they were fed by
the male people, and fondled by the female people, and then they were
mercilessly torn from the flesh-pots and the arms of their new friends,
and set to work on the sandal-wood in good earnest. Mr. Duncalf
superintended the loading, and waited for the mischief that was to come
of disobeying the owners' orders with a confidence worthy of a better
cause.

IV.

STRANGELY enough, chance once more declared itself in favor of the
mate's point of view. The mischief did actually come; and the chosen
instrument of it was a handsome young islander, who was one of the sons
of the chief.

The Captain had taken a fancy to the sweet-tempered, intelligent lad.
Pursuing his studies in the dialect of the island, at leisure hours,
he had made the chief's son his tutor, and had instructed the youth
in English by way of return. More than a month had passed in this
intercourse, and the ship's lading was being rapidly completed--when, in
an evil hour, the talk between the two turned on the subject of the Holy
Island.

"Does nobody live on the island but the Priest?" the Captain asked.

The chief's son looked round him suspiciously. "Promise me you won't
tell anybody!" he began very earnestly.

The Captain gave his promise.

"There is one other person on the island," the lad whispered; "a person
to feast your eyes upon, if you could only see her! She is the Priest's
daughter. Removed to the island in her infancy, she has never left
it since. In that sacred solitude she has only looked on two human
beings--her father and her mother. I once saw her from my canoe, taking
care not to attract her notice, or to approach too near the holy soil.
Oh, so young, dear master, and, oh, so beautiful!" The chief's son
completed the description by kissing his own hands as an expression of
rapture.

The Captain's fine blue eyes sparkled. He asked no more questions; but,