We sighted Pleasant Island
just before dark, and at half-past eight we could see the lights of the
native villages on the shore. That evening my husband had turned in
early, for he was not feeling well, and complained of a severe
headache. I remained with him till half-past nine o'clock, and then,
seeing that he had fallen asleep, I went on deck for some fresh air,
for the cabin was very hot and stuffy.

"No one was on the poop but the man at the wheel--an Hawaiian native.
Barradas was somewhere on the main deck, for I heard his voice talking
to some of the men.

"I had brought on deck a rug and my pillow, and telling the man at the
wheel to call me at four bells, if I were asleep, I lay down at the
back of the wheel-house, so as to be out of the way of the officer of
the watch and out of sight. I had been lying down for about ten
minutes, and was wide awake, when Paul, the Greek, came aft and told
the helmsman to go for'ard and stay there till he was wanted.

"In a lazy sort of a way I wondered why the second mate should do this,
as it was not his watch on deck; but in another minute or so I heard
Rawlings' voice.

"'Where is Manuel, Paul?'

"'He's coming in a minute,' replied the Greek; 'are you sure the
skipper is asleep?'

"'Yes,' answered Rawlings, 'and she is with him. There's no fear of
her coming on deck--damn her!'

"What did they mean? I thought. Why should Rawlings, who always was
most horribly polite and sweet to me, mean by using such an expression
about me? I had not long to wait, for presently Barradas joined them,
and the three began talking together.

"'Can't we make an end of the thing at once, and settle them both
together?' said the Greek in his vile jargon.

"'Don't be a fool, Paul,' answered Rawlings savagely; 'we don't want to
run our necks into a noose needlessly. We want something more than the
ship. We want to find out the name of the island and where it is
before we can do anything like that. And if we found it out to-night,
and settled him and his wife, how are we to get to the lagoon without a
navigator?'

"'True,' said Barradas; 'but have you had a good look through his cabin
for the plan old Gurden gave him?'

"'Yes, several times,' he answered.

"'Perhaps she has it,' said Barradas.

"'Not she,' said Rawlings impatiently; '_he_ doesn't suspect us; why
should he give it to her? No; he has put it away somewhere where only
a careful search would find it, and that