d mine played together. He was quite a young man, and had
been, he told me, the third mate of an English ship which was cast away
on the Bonin Islands four years before, where he had met Karta, who was
a trader there, and whose wife's sister he married.

"One day they heard from the captain of a whaleship that there was much
money to be made on this island of Peru, for although there were many
beachcombers living here there was no trader to whom the people could
sell their oil. So that was why they came here.

"Now, although these two men were married to two sisters, there was but
little love between them, and then as time went on came distrust, and
then hatred, born out of Karta's jealousy and wicked heart; but until
they came to live here on Peru there had been no bad blood--not even
enough to cause a bitter word, though even then the younger man did not
like Karta, who was a man of violent temper, unfaithful to his wife,
and rude and insulting in his manner to most men, white or brown. And
Serena, his wife, hated him, but made no sign.

"As time went on, both men prospered, for there was much oil to be had,
and at the end of the first year a schooner came from Sydney and bought
it I went on board with Simi, after the oil had been rafted off to the
ship's side. Karta, too, came on board to be paid for his oil. He had
been drinking much grog and his face was flushed and angry. With him
were three beachcombers whose foul language and insolent demeanour
angered both the captain and Simi, who were quiet men. There were six or
seven of these beachcombers living on the island, and they all disliked
Simi, who would have none of their company; but in Karta's house they
were made welcome. Night after night they would gather there and drink
and gamble, for some of them had bags of dollars, for dissolute and idle
as they were for the most of their time they could make money easily
by acting as interpreters for the natives, to the captains of the
whaleships, or as pilots to the trading vessels sailing northward to the
Marshall Islands.

"The captain paid Simi partly in money and partly in trade goods, for
the two hundred casks of oil he bought, and then Simi and I turned to go
on shore. Karta had scarce spoken ten words to Simi, who yet bore him no
ill-will, although for many months tales had come to us of the evil life
he led and the insults he put upon his wife Serena.

"But after he had bidden farewell to the captain, Simi