he Spaniard's cheek and cut it to the bone. In another
moment Joe would have felled the brute, ironed as he was, to the deck,
but Barradas sternly struck aside his arm, and without a word of anger
calmly went below and got the steward to stitch together the gaping
wound.

On shore the people of Tebuan were clustering around the white woman
and Barry as they stood together beside the flag-pole from which the
red ensign of England streamed out to the lusty trade wind.

Velo, ever faithful Velo, wrung Barry's hand again and again, for proud
as he was of being placed in charge of the island, his distress at
parting from him was very great.

"There, good-bye once more, Velo. Don't work too hard, and, if a
man-of-war comes, be sure you go on board and give the captain that
letter. Come, Mrs. Tracey, we must be going. See, Barradas is already
hove short, and waiting for us."

Helping Mrs. Tracey into the whaleboat, Barry followed, and grasped the
long steer-oar.

"Give it to her, men, there's the brig breaking her heart to get away."

The light boat shot out like an arrow, and was soon alongside, and Mrs.
Tracey was met at the gangway by Joe and another white seaman, both
dressed in new duck suits given them by Barradas.

But instead of going into the cabin Mrs. Tracey waited at the gangway
for Barry.

"I want to welcome the new captain of my ship," she said with a smile,
as she held out her hand to him.

"Thank you, madam," and Barry raised his hat to her in such a formal
manner that she laughed again, and asked him if he was afraid of the
brig's owner, and Joe winked atrociously at Sam Button, and said in a
loud whisper--

"He's a lucky cove, e' is, Sam. W'y 'e can marry the howner for the
arskin'. I can see it in 'er eye, stickin' out a foot."

"Man the windlass again, Mr. Barradas," and Barry with a happy smile
sprang on the poop, and himself took the wheel.

"Aye, aye, _Captain_ Barry."

Up came the anchor from the coral bed in which it had lain for so many
months, and ten minutes later the _Mahina_ was slipping through the
smooth water of the lagoon towards the passage. Another hour, with
every stitch of her white cotton canvas shining bright in the glorious
noonday sun, she was dashing over the long mountain swell of the North
Pacific, and heading south before the brave north-east trade wind.

At noon the watches were picked, and then the captain ordered the
Solomon Islanders to be brought on de